We moved Four Downs back a bit this week… as we’re going to preview the three live battles for regional hardware you are going to be able to catch on MSR this weekend… Along with a quick look at some of the other West Michigan and GR-area action taking place.
1st DOWN: D4 – Unity Christian vs. Big Rapids
One of two games you can catch LIVE on a beautiful Friday night for football that’s setting up after last week’s chilly and rainy clashes. This is the game that myself and Chandler with the GAME NIGHT on MSR broadcast will be at.
This will be a fun game, Big Rapids was dominant in winning the CSAA-Red title and are looking for their first trip to the semis since 2003. And Unity Christian won a second-consecutive OK-Gold Title and are looking for their first regional title since they did it en-route to a Ford Field trip in 2021.
Unity has a dynamic Power T attack, that goes 7+ deep at RB and shows multiple tempos and formations all around dynamic senior QB Justin Febus, who accounted for four TDs and over 250 yards of offense last week in a district win over Spring Lake.
Big Rapids was led by a dominant defense that gave up fewer than 10ppg in the regular season and a dynamic up-tempo spread option attack around senior QB Cole Haist, who was the team’s second leading rusher along with throwing for over 1300 yards this season. It’s an interesting clash of styles on Friday, and whoever suffers their second loss of the year will see their season end, while the other moves just a game from Ford Field…
2nd DOWN: D3 – EGR vs Mt Pleasant
Our second game you can catch live on Friday night will be played up at Mt Pleasant, where the Oilers have put together a dominant start-to-finish season thus far, they are 11-0 and haven’t yet played a one-score game. They’ll take on a battle-test East Grand Rapids squad that have rattled off seven-straight wins after a 2-2 start.
Mt Pleasant is a stout running team that piles up the points controlling the trenches on that side, all while allowing 14 or less in 9 of their 11 games this season on the other side. EGR’s defense also has been their calling card, a shutout win over dynamic Coopersville last week to win a district title proved that.
This could become a smash-mouth and defense-first affair, and whoever best controls the trenches will likely see their season extended another week…
3rd DOWN: D1 – Hudsonville vs East Kentwood
We save the best for last – One of the premier matchups of the season on MSR will take place on Saturday afternoon at Eagle Stadium (the same location as the D4 game the night before). Hudsonville won in hail-mary walk-off fashion against EK the first time around and are a perfect 11-0 on the season after taking down Rockford for a second time last week.
East Kentwood is playing some of their best football of the season, their offense hummed for over 600 yards of offense last week against Howell, after they put up over 500 yards the week before in their playoff opener vs Grand Ledge.
There are so many great matchups to watch, I’ll highlight the QBs with Ferris State commit Brady VanLaecke for the Eagles and MSU commit Kayd Coffman for EK. Coffman’s play in the playoffs so far, namely firing for over 400 yards passing last week is further cementing his name toward the top of player-of-the-year and Mr. Football lists. But the dynamic playmaker VanLaecke has also been playing some of his best football of the season down the stretch. In short, expect some fireworks in a rematch of what was already the game of the year last time…
4th DOWN: Other Games to Watch
There are a few west-side matchups also going on that MSR will not be at this week, but will have an impact on the teams we are covering this week and may see in future weeks.
In D3, traditional area powers Lowell and Zeeland West will do battle, they matched up in the first round of the playoffs back in 2022, where the Dux won 36-28. Lowell will try to reverse those fortunes against the reigning champs. The winner here will play the winner of EGR/Mt. Pleasant.
After their wild OT win over GRCC last week, West Catholic’s season also rolls on in D5. Senior QB Grady Augustyn and the Falcons will host 9-2 Kalamazoo United.
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It’ll be another great weekend of action, as the drive to Detroit and the state finals at Ford Field is drawing close to the end and we’ll whittle further away to the final four next week. Be sure to tune in live on Friday night and Saturday afternoon here on the MSR website or via the Michigan Sports radio app!
