It is the final week of conference play in a lot of leagues, and the final statements are set to be made with the clock ticking as teams vie to make the postseason or earn a higher seed come ‘week 10’… Here’s a look at all of the action that you can catch LIVE on MST tomorrow night!
GRANDVILLE (4-3) vs EAST KENTWOOD (5-2)
Two teams each in need of a different kind of bounce-back win on Friday as Grandville hosts East Kentwood in an OK-Red clash. The Bulldogs suffered an upset loss on the road to Grand Haven last week as they continue to try to find their feet after losing Jayden Terry in week four. Meanwhile, EK fell on a heartbreaking hail-Mary to Hudsonville after they had taken the lead themselves inside thirty seconds to go.
The Bulldogs have been mixing some of their personnel and that could continue on both sides of the field as they try to find their spark back against QB Kayd Coffman and a high-flying Falcons team that have proven to be one of the most explosive offenses and lock down defenses in the area. A game with a bit of a different vibe than what was likely expected, even a few weeks ago… But a chance for either team to right the ship with a big statement.
COOPERSVILLE (3-4) vs BIG RAPIDS (7-0)
Coopersville is in a fight for their playoff lives, and may need a couple of wins in the final two weeks to complete the turnaround after an 0-3 start and make the post season. This is not an easy non-con battle for them, however, as Big Rapids is 7-0 and has looked like a true state title contender in D4.
The Cardinals defense has only allowed double digits once and is coming off back-to-back shutouts, we’ll see if freshman QB Champ Kelly (coming off a 4TD performance last week in the Kenowa Hills loss) and the Broncos can unlock the key to the Big Rapids defense and come up with a huge fourth win of the season.
FREELAND (6-1) vs FRANKEMMUTH (6-1)
A classic rivalry game that also will be a deciding game in the Tri-Valley Red conference, both Freeland and Frankenmuth come in 6-1 on the season. Frankemuth racked up 77 points in their win over Bridgeport last week and are peaking at the right time. And Freeland has now won 4-0 and is riding high off a 35-14 win over John Glenn on homecoming last Friday. Something has to give, as the Eagles look to stay perfect in the league and all-but lock up the conference crown.
SPARTA (3-4) vs LOWELL (5-2)
The Spartans have lost 3 of 4 as they travel into Lowell to take on the 5-2 Red Arrows that snapped a 2-game skid of their own last week with a big win over Allendale.
Lowell sits two game back of the 4-0 mark set by Kenowa Hills leading the RCA Conference, but they do still have 2 winnable league games left to play as they look to make up ground, but the hungry Spartans need a statement bounce-back as they look to fight for the playoffs.
CHIPPEWA HILLS (3-4) vs CENTRAL MONTCALM (5-2)
Central Montcalm fell last week 46-14 in the CSAA-White title decider to Kent City last week, as they now will close the year with two crossover CSAA-Red games, to get their mojo back before the playoffs. They’ll host Chippewa Hills Friday, who have lost two-straight to Big Rapids and Tri-County, and sitting at 3 wins, really need to find a way to close the year with a couple of Ws to help their chances to sneak into the postseason.
ROCKFORD (5-2) vs CALEDONIA (3-4)
Caledonia’s hopes of making the post season took a bit of a shot last week with a tough OT loss vs West Ottawa, as they now look to try to get one back against the rolling Rams, who downed Jenison 38-7 last week. A trip to ‘the Ted’ is rarely a remedy for a team needing a win, but the Scots have now scored 4 TDs in back-to-back games and will try to replicate that vs one of the area’s most stout defenses.
GR CATHOLIC CENTRAL (7-0) vs NORTHVIEW (5-2)
GRCC and their lock-down defense have one last test as they hunt for the solo OK-Black title, and it’s against high-flying Northview and coach Oshnock’s Wildcats. Northview bounced back from back-to-back losses with a 42-0 triumph over Ottawa Hills last week, while GRCC made a statement 35-7 win over HC.
A win for CC and they will be solo league champs, a loss and they could fall into a tie for the top spot with EGR, who faces winless-in-the-conference Ottawa Hills.
TRI-COUNTY (5-2) vs KENT CITY (7-0)
Kent City’s big win over Central Montcalm won them the CSAA-White title last week, now they crossover with one of the top teams from the CSAA-Red with Tri-County coming to town for Eagle senior night. Kent City is averaging over 55 points per game in the last three weeks, all while giving up a total of 14 in that stretch. It will be a tall test for the Vikings to take home a road win Friday vs the Rolling Eagles.
ZEELAND EAST (4-3) vs FHC (2-5)
Zeeland East hosts senior night vs the Rangers as they look for a big fifth win of the season, the Chix have lost three of four coming into this game, and now see the 2-5 Rangers and then travel to Hamilton to close the season, so they still will be looking for 6 wins and some solid playoff positioning to close out.
FHC has had a tough retool year, and have dropped 3-straight vs the real meat of their schedule, it doesn’t get any easy for them playing EGR next week. So this could be a big chance for a statement win as they cling to any hope of 4 wins and the hoping dominoes to fall for the off-chance for them to make the playoffs.
NEWAYGO (0-7) vs NORTH MUSKEGON (5-2)
A tough non-con road trip on Friday for Newaygo, who still seeks win number one of the season, as they take on the 5-2 Norseman, who beat Ravenna 36-29 on the road last week.
HUDSONVILLE (7-0) vs GRAND HAVEN (2-5)
A magical week seven for each of these teams, Hudsonville stayed perfect with a hail-Mary win over East Kentwood, and Grand Haven upset the Bulldogs of Grandville at Gene Rothi Field – which will again play host to this game on Friday.
It’s senior night for the Bucs, who will look to replicate their offensive exposition from last week, but now have to do it against the vaunted Eagles defense, which has especially proven to be impossible to run the ball on all season.
UNITY CHRISTIAN (7-0) vs SOUTH CHRISTIAN (4-3)
Unity Christian is still perfect on the season, but South Christian – after a move to Brody Shilts at QB have won three-straight and have scored 40+ points in all of those wins, looking more like coach Brown’s typical high-flying Sailors. This could be a district playoff game preview (and rematch from last year). A lot of intrigue surrounds this game, a win for Unity and they lock up the solo league title in the OK-Gold, for a second-straight year, by the way.
FHN (3-4) vs BYRON CENTER (4-3)
Spurred on by a Mona Shores OT win, the Bulldogs of Byron Center have rattled of three straight wins and now seek win #5 with a road trip to Morris (IL) coming up next week. FHN is looking for a last stab at the postseason, but close with BC and then Northview – a tall task if they are going to close with a couple of wins to solidify their chances of playing week 10.
KELLOGGSVILLE (5-2) vs GODWIN HEIGHTS (6-1)
The Wyoming rivals Kelloggsville and Godwin Heights will play as highly-anticipated of game as they’ve seen in a while on Friday. The Rockets travel to Godwin Heights coming off three straight wins, and the Wolverines are 6-1 overall and have won 5-straight themselves.
MANTON (4-3) vs ROSCOMMON (0-7)
Lastly, we travel up north where Manton will travel to Roscommon. Manton have already beaten their win total from a year ago and look to further improve that in the final two weeks, and they’ll have a good chance to do if Friday vs a still winless Bucks squad.
