Week four gave us some of the biggest surprises we are going to see this year – as we set the hierarchy of the conference races right away in some leagues, and completely shook up the fabric of the race in other conferences: let’s get into this week’s four downs – the four biggest stories from week 4.

 

OK-Red in Chaos

Rockford came into week four without a loss in the regular season in coach Brent Cummings’ entire career, dating back to the 2020 season. A 37-game streak that was fresh off a big second half pull-away win over expected number two in the OK-Red, Grandville, last week. Hudsonville decided they wanted to make some history – and snapped that streak, 28-21.

Now an OK-Red that seemingly was somewhat sorted out is in utter chaos and most of the conference feels like they could have a shot at winning it all, and week-in-week-out we’re learning how deep this conference is – more than ever.

East Kentwood has joined Hudsonville at the top at 2-0 with wins over Caledonia and West Ottawa, Jenison and West Ottawa sit at the bottom at 0-2, and everyone else is 1-1.

But, look beyond the standings, Grandville needed a comeback win to fend off the new-look Jenison Wildcats to get their first win of the year, EK and WO were competitive all night and Grand Haven nearly knocked off Caledonia, before the Scots finished it off down the stretch.

We on GAME NIGHT talked a lot on and off air about how tough the Red was going to be this year because of the depth of the league, along with the top-end teams in 2024. It turns out that depth has come along even faster than we thought it might. Rockford and Grandville are still right in the mix, Hudsonville has been a true statement-maker with three straight big wins over East Lansing, Jenison, and Rockford. East Kentwood has Ty Spencer back to his winning ways immediately, Caledonia and Brody Better can still throw the ball around and are only a season separated from their trip to Ford Field in 2022. And, even the teams that have been at the bottom of the league the past few years (WO, Jenison, GH) have already picked up wins and/or taken some of the league’s best to the brink to start the year.

Look out because the OK-Red is in chaos, and we all are going to be winners for getting to watch this play out!

 

Sailing On The Lakeshore

Before the season, we had our annual picks and preview special podcast on our MGN ‘Behind the Call’ show (Find all episodes and simulcasts of GAME NIGHT broadcasts on our YouTube page – Michigan Game Night). My bold pick was that I felt Mona Shores wasn’t just a dark horse pick, but that they were going to knock off expected favorites Byron Center and Muskegon to win the tough OK-Green.

They took their first step in making me look smart (or, less dumb – based on who you ask) on Friday, winning a 14-12 slugfest over Byron Center, capped off by a Micah Carefelle interception in the end zone to survive the late attempt to steal the win by the stout Bulldogs offense.

Mona Shores features what could be one of the more dynamic show-gun offenses that coach Matt Koziak has put together, once things come together for this group. Starting in the backfield, the duo of QB Jonathan Pittman and RB Tomarion ‘Ike’ Steward is as good of a duo as you’ll be able to find in the state of Michigan.

The Sailors haven’t gotten any reprieve in their schedule so far, but they haven’t relented themselves. Wins over Grand Blanc, River Rouge and Flint Hamady preceded Friday night, and now they have a chance to put a stranglehold on the OK-Green this coming week as they take on Muskegon.

The Big Reds were able to pick up their first win of the year over FHN last weekend, now they have a chance to prove that they aren’t going away quietly – hosting their rival Sailors on Friday. We’ll see if Mona Shores will be able to continue to Sail on at the top the Green, or if the Big Reds can sink the Sailors momentum.

D4’s Finest – On MSR

Division four in Michigan is always one of the most interesting divisions, it seems to provide an interesting mix of private and public schools that create great competition on both sides of the state, typically meeting in classics at Ford Field. Harper Woods defeated South Christian last year, and led by 5-star WR prospect Dakota Guerrant, the Pioneers will be a force to be reckoned with again when it’s all said and done.

But, three of the schools that could be at the absolute point of that title fight are teams that we cover weekly or regularly on MSR and all will be in action this coming week on MSR.

Freeland is the team that has flown under the radar likely for most west Michigan football fans that don’t see them often, but the Falcons are good – really, really good. They are the type of team that you can just look at the scoreboard to the story. They defeated Flint Powers Catholic in big fashion on Friday night, 61-6. That brought their season tally up to  193 points scored and 12 total points allowed. Our Lou Gamelin has a fun team to watch every week out there in Freehand, and they may be ready for a trip that gets them to Detroit on Thanksgiving Weekend.

In West Michigan the team that were runners-up last year in D4 are back at it: South Christian controlled Wyoming 42-6 on Friday night to move to 4-0 and an early tie atop the tough OK-Gold. The story here is QB Carson Vis, the athletic WMU basketball commit has put himself in the Mr. Football conversation with the way he has dominated this season. If Carson keeps it up, the Sailors very likely will be back at Ford Field where he will look to break some of his own records set in the 2023 title game.

And then there is Unity Christian, who are resurgent this year for coach Tibbe and scoring in bunches against very stout defenses, and we are going to talk a little bit more about in the next section.

T’ing Off

The Power T offense (it’s NOT a Wing-T; The Wing T is a completely different formation and offense than the straight/power T it’s often mistaken for) has developed a legacy of dominance in this state and there are some real powers using the T that have been beyond impressive through the first couple weeks of the season.

Two of the leading examples of that will play each other in a game we will have live on MSR in week 5: Unity Christian and Zeeland West.

The Dux moved to 4-0 with a ‘Bird Bowl’ win over rival Zeeland East win Friday – despite an injury that kept their star QB Trey Sloothaak out, as the Dux dynamic senior FB Keaton Hendricks ran for 3 TDs. The Crusaders made a statement to join ZW at 1-0 in the OK-Gold with a big win over reigning D3 champs FHC 43-20.

The chess match that will pit caches John Shillito for West and Craig Tibbe for Unity against each other will be fascinating one, as both teams veteran RB groups will be prepared to cause some havoc for the other’s stout defenses. Chandler and myself will be live from Hudsonville for that one, and I cannot wait to get to call this one.

But, don’t forget about coach Gus Kapolka and Cedar Springs, after missing the playoffs last year – they also have not yet lost this year and are ready to duel with Coopersville for the first ever league title in the new Rivers Cities Alliance Conference this year.

Add in Grandville, who led by 5 TDs from star back Jayden Terry were able to finally get in the win column after their brutal schedule to start the year, Freeland who runs some T (along with some Wing-T and flexbone), and a whole list of other impressive T starts, and you’ll find a lot of teams that are really ‘T’ing’ off on the competition to start this season.

 

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After this coming week we will already be past the halfway point of the regular season, which is near impossible to believe – But it always seems to be that way. Be sure to check back in with us throughout the week. We’ve got a new RE/MAX Power Poll Tuesday, preview article and show on Wednesday and a ton of other content all week long leading up to double digits live games again next Friday – Right here on you one-stop shop for everything HS football: MichiganSportsRadio.com