Well, that was a wild first week of the season – Plenty of top teams fell and plenty of other statements were made, all setting up for a week two that will shake up the already shaken rankings that much more. Here’s the four big stories I took from week one – in this week’s edition of Four Downs…
FIRST DOWN: Bulldog Bounce Back
I don’t know if you can ‘bounce back’ in week one, but after a 2025 season that was derailed by injuries and circumstance for Grandville, they may have done just that in week one. Coach Stiegel’s team was breaking in 10 new starters on defense, a new QB, replacing the OK-Red’s all-time leading rushing (Jayden Terry) and even dealing with s couple of early injuries… And they had to travel to Hackley Stadium to take on a state title contender in Muskegon.
The Dawgs were able to lean on a new-look defense to help manage a low scoring first half, and then overcome a 10-point 2nd half deficit as sophomore Luke Mulder ended regulation with a clutch FG to send the game to OT. Where the Dawgs scored before stopping a 2-point conversion attempt on from Muskegon after the Big Reds answered, sending the Bulldogs out 1-0 and 29-28 winners.
Life doesn’t get easier for either as they look to continue to restart momentum. Grandville host Donald Tabron and Cass Tech, and Muskegon travels to Rockford in week 2. Both games will have live video coverage on MSR!
SECOND DOWN: Bulldog Bounce Back
Rewrite the opening to the last section about not knowing if bounce backs can happen in week one, but the alliteration works again… This timer about the Byron Center Bulldogs. Maybe the area’s biggest statement win, as they defeated back-to-back OK-Red champs Hudsonville in dominate 41-20 fashion. The Bulldogs ended 2025 with a tough district finals loss, that ended their bid to return to Ford Field after making it there in 2024.
Senior RB Cam Payne was dominate and proved he’ll be one of the area’s most dangerous players again this season for coach Cisco and the BC Bulldogs… There may be some questions to answer for Hudsonville as well, they broke in a lot of new pieces (including QB) and will look to get in the win column vs. East Lansing next week… Byron Center will have their hands full as they look to take down the GR area’s #1 ranked team – East Kentwood.
THIRD DOWN: OK-Red Round-Up
I hate to only talk about the OK-Red, as I’ve highlighted two of their team’s games already, but there were plenty of other really interesting stories in maybe the state’s top league last week. There will not be any off weeks for anyone once conference play begins, and we could see some real shaken up final results.
Rockford fell big to Saline, and struggled (vs an elite team) on both sides of the ball, they can bounce right back vs Muskegon this week. Caledonia got d1 prospect Bryce Backus back at QB- who lit up Portage Northern for 48 points. Jenison gritted out a tough win vs 2025 playoff qualifier Kalamazoo Central. And Grand Haven won in double OT over rival Spring Lake as the drawbridge classic was resumed.
And all of this happened while East Kentwood dismantled Southfield A&T and set the early tone as the favorite to win a league that I think will have a lot of twists and turns along the way… And I don’t think will be won by a team with a perfect record…
FOURTH DOWN: Knights Test of Adversity
The Knights of Kenowa Hills are one of the state’s most loaded teams with top-end talent in the state within D4, and are needing to come back from adversity after a big week one loss at Wayne State to 2025 D3 champion Dewitt. MSR will have live home coverage of the Knights this season as they take on Big Rapids on MSR on Thursday. As we debut the our new home video coverage of every home game for K.H. in 2026 and beyond!
Big Rapids is a team with a lot of returning talent that went all the way to the regional round last season where they fell to Unity Christian, so this will be a real test for the Knights if tey are to get their three-headed offensive monster going in a game where they are really going to get their mojo back if they are going to regroup for a run at the Rivers Cities Alliance league crown this season, led b the expected gaudy offensive numbers they can put up.
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Week 2 will be just as (if not even more) loaded of a slate as week one. Be sure to tune in all weekend long to all of the big-time matchups!
