Hudsonville, after their 35-6 win against Howell last week, was back in the State Semifinals for the first time since 2005. Standing on the other sideline was Rochester Adams, who entered on their own 6-game winning streak. The 2021 Division 1 State Finalists were unable to get past the Eagles this Saturday, as Hudsonville cruised to a 27-7 victory.
On the opening drive of the day, Hudsonville marched 80 yards down the field for an early score. Griffin Baker kept the football from a yard out, and the signal-caller gave the Eagles a quick 7-0 advantage.
Rochester Adams wasted no time in responding, as they marched 70 yards on their opening series. The Highlanders found their touchdown on an explosive pass, with quarterback Nolan Farris pairing up with Tommy Offer on a 39-yard touchdown strike. With less than a minute to go in the first quarter, the score was even at seven.
Early in the second quarter, a pair of turnovers stalled drives. Rochester Adams had the most crushing blow, as they fumbled the football deep inside the Hudsonville red zone. As a result of these miscues, the teams went to the half deadlocked, 7-7.
After forcing a turnover on downs to start the half, Hudsonville began a march toward the end zone. Once again, Griffin Baker provided the finishing touches on a scoring march. His five-yard keeper put the Eagles back ahead, 14-7.
In the closing seconds of the third quarter, Hudsonville got another big turnover. Ethan Carter hauled in a tipped interception and put the Eagles in motion again. This gave Hudsonville the football at the Adams 11, allowing a quick drive to commence. For the third time in the game, Griffin Baker kept the football and scampered for a score. With about ten minutes to play, Hudsonville held a 21-7 lead.
Looking for a knockout punch, Hudsonville’s defense forced another turnover on downs. This gave the Eagles the football near midfield, with an opportunity to seal the victory. Griffin Baker used his arm for the final touchdown, pairing with Jack Wills on a 5-yard touchdown.
With the victory, Hudsonville will return to Ford Field for the first time since 2005. They will take on Detroit Cass Tech in Saturday evening’s State Championship game. This is the fourth State Championship game appearance for the Eagles, who are looking for their first title. They fell against Farmington Hills Harrison in 1998, and against Birmingham Brother Rice in both 2000 and 2005.
