The final statements on the 2025 regular season are in the process of being written, with only two weeks left to go in the campaign, and many of the league title races and playoff spots getting locked up after a decisive 7th week of the season… Here’s my four biggest stories from week seven….
1st DOWN: Eagles Soar Above Falcons
Another week, and another gutsy Hudsonville win, that’s been the story with this group for going on two seasons now. Dating back to a tough playoff loss where they leaned on their run game and defense and nearly knocked off Grandville in 2023, this team has found an identity of being a physical team that finds a way to win.
And they did it again Friday, this time in shootout fashion vs the high-powered Falcons. EK scored with inside 30 seconds to go and the Eagles never panicked down 6, getting a big return, quickly moving into scoring range and then scoring a tip drill 25-yard hail mary after senior QB Brad VanLaecke was able to buy time and have the prayer answered by receiver Andrew Meerman on the tip drill.
Hudsonville now controls their own destiny for another solo OK-Red championship and have all-but locked up a very important one seed in he OK-Red ‘district of death’ that likely will include Rockford and one or both of East Kentwood and Grandville.
2nd DOWN: You Can’t Score on C.C.
Speaking of controlling your own destiny in a loaded conference – Grand Rapids Catholic Central has a one game lead over the rest of the league (OK-Black) and is now 7-0 on the year with just one conference game left to play. They were able to stay perfect by holding the explosive Holland Christian Maroons to just 7 points in a 35-7 win at HC last Friday.
The C.C. defense is one of the best units you’ll find in the state, and coach Kolster has a hard-nosed group that will be able to contend in any game they play all the way to Ford Field because of the strength of that unit. They have never given up more than 14 points in a game – and that was against reigning D6 champs Lumen Christi in week 3. And since that, the Cougars have given up a total of 14 points over 4 conference games.
They close with Northview in conference play and then South Christian the week after in a non-con playoff tune-up. Catholic Central seems fully back to state title front-runners in 2025, and it’s on the back of one of the state’s most stand-out defensive units.
3rd DOWN: D5 District Collision Looming
While we are looking at D5 contenders, we can add West Catholic into that mix, the Falcons have been quietly going about their business after a week one loss to Northview and have not suffered a defeat since, despite playing in a few closer-than-expected contests along the way, and now sit a win away this week against FHE from capturing the OK-White title for the season.
Again though, all eyes will be pointed at a likely collision course district title game between the Falcons and the Cougars squad we just talked about in second down. I won’t turn this into a discussion on the pros and cons of seeding through the entire region and all of the other details about the playoff structure that many bring up, but instead let’s just prepare for the two GR Catholic schools to star in a playoff matchup that ultimately could decide the state title… And what a war it will be, C.C. has played in tough and close defensive affairs all year and W.C. has been able to win in a variety of ways and pull some magic when needed on more than one occasion.
4th DOWN: Air Fellows
High School football often is dominated by teams that have an ability to first-and-foremost run the football and dominate in that capacity, and rarely do we see teams (especially in traditionally cold and rainy west Michigan) build a winning offense around being a pass first team, but the father son Coach/QB duo of Don and Grayson Fellows have turned Kenowa Hills into a 7-1 winner that’s a perfect 4-0 in R.C.A. league play and been willing to air it out with regularity.
The duo of Fellows and fellow junior WR Will Fussman are a dynamic duo stretching defenses every week down the field for one of the area’s most exciting attacks that has been known to be able to put up over 400 yards of passing offense in earlier games this season
. A tight 34-31 win over last week Coopersville left them in control of their own destiny in the Rivers Cities Alliance conference chase., with a one game lead over Cedar Springs – who the Knight’s won head-to-head against already. Kenowa Hills closes with Greenville and Sparta before headed off to the playoffs… where they seek the school’s first playoff win since 1992… when they went to the state title game.
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Two weeks left, with plenty of big-time games on-deck this Friday night. We’ll have the Power Poll up tomorrow, preview of the games on Thursday, live coverage Friday with highlights and recaps to follow throughout the weekend!
