After week three conference play is now ready to commence across the area, and we learned a lot again this past week as the jockeying for playoff position and league titles is already now beginning. Let’s take a look at the four biggest stories from this past week.
1st DOWN: OK-Red Holds Serve at the Top
The race for the Red is officially underway and will likely be the biggest story throughout this season, as the area’s biggest conference in terms of school size truly does not have one true frontrunners, and the league also is somehow deeper now than it has even been in recent years.
The presumptive favorites: EK, Grandville, Hudsonville, and Rockford were all able to jump out to a 1-0 start in the first night of Red play on Friday. Grandville picked up a 2 score win on the road vs a hard-nosed West Ottawa team, while Rockford and Hudsonville each also impressed vs Grand Haven and Caledonia, respectively. Although the biggest statement may have been made by coach Spencer’s EK Falcons, as they too on a 2-0 Jenison team that looks to be one ready to make a big leap this season and dominated, winning 54-7 on Jenison’s home field.
It still is too early to fully go ahead and pick a favorite in the Red, but EK with that type of performance certainly has jumped out as the most impressive so far. Now, we start to get some answers though, Rockford and Kentwood will meet this week starting a stretch where the Rams will see all three of their fellow top-contenders in three consecutive weeks. So things will shake out one way or another for the Rams essentially by the time the calendar turns to October.
2nd DOWN: Big Reds Bounce Back in Ohio
After tight losses to a pair of teams we just discussed – Grandville and Rockford – the path forward before OK-Green play began did not get any easier for the Muskegon Big Reds. They traveled down to Garfield Heights, Ohio. To take on a very stout Cleveland-area team on Saturday afternoon. The Big Reds were able to grind out 15-8 win in a. very different style of game to a couple of shootouts that they played in the opening two weeks of the year.
One note to watch, senior QB Lamar Bradford suffered an injury down the stretch vs. Rockford after running wilds against the Bulldogs and Rams before the nick-up. Muskegon went to Lou Gressett, the highly touted sophomore, to run the offense on Saturday after some uneven play vs Rockford in his chances in that one. Gressett was able to find the end zone and found quite a bit of stability – his growth along with the return to full health for Bradford will be key to watch this season for Muskegon.
3rd DOWN: Wildcats Stay Winning
Northview just refuses to lose in the regular season, after a perfect 9-0 regular campaign in 2024, coach Oshnock’s team is right back at it this season. A high quality win week one over West Catholic, followed with a tight 2-point win over Vicksburg week two was given an exclamation mark in their final non-con game last Friday. The Wildcats dominated Sparta 49-0.
It’s been impressive the way that the Wildcats have reloaded from some key lost pieces last season, one of those spots has been QB where Hudsonville junior transfer Braylon Jefferson has been one of their key cogs in the attack. And makes you wonder what type of role and maybe further strength the Eagles could have had if he had stayed put into his junior and senior year – But, the Wildcats are happy to have him and looking for another OK-Black crown this year – they start that chase vs 3-0 Holland Christian on Friday night.
4th DOWN: D5 Runs Through GR
A common trait in the past several years has been Catholic Central and West Catholic each being major factors in the state championship hunt every season. The intensity on their rivalry has only been heated up since both teams made a move into D5 a few seasons ago, and this year may lead to some massive fireworks in what will very possibly be a huge playoff matchup that could be looming.
You hate to get too far ahead, but the performance of each team so far have lived up to a billing that D5 might just run through GR and it’s two major catholic schools once again this year. The Falcons opened with a tough loss vs D2 Northview (who we just discussed is playing pretty good ball…) before rattling off a shutout win over Coopersville and a 27-20 win over South Christian last weekend.
CC has been rolling, two big out-of-state wins to open and then a 28-14 win over D6 reigning champion and likely favorite Jackson Lumen Christi last Friday. The ‘Cougs and Falcons will not meet in the regular season this year, but it seems a heavyweight battle, that could determine. the fate of the D5 state crown could be still looming…
—
Week four is on deck, we already are a third of the way through the season and now things really get fun with league play. Be sure to turn to MSR as your source for everything HS football (and volleyball) this fall. Rankings, previews, podcasts, live games, recaps, highlights – it’s all right here on MichiganSportsRadio.com and our social media pages on IG, FB, and X!
