By Randy Gregory, Michigan Sports Radio
Photo courtesy of Miles Postema
Nobody can say that Rockford was dealt an easy slate with the gauntlet they have encountered thus far in the 2025 football schedule. After opening the season with a top three team in the state in Saline, the Rams have also met a very talented and top ten squad in Division 2 in Muskegon, and squared off with another top ten team in East Kentwood. The schedule does not get even remotely easier this week as Rockford will head to Grandville on Friday, September 26 at 7:00 P.M. to take on yet another team ensconced squarely in the top ten in Division 1.
The Bulldogs are 3-1 on the season and suffered their only loss on the road in Detroit against the top-ranked and defending Division 1 State Champs in Detroit Cass Tech. It was a loss in overtime by the score of 31-28 against a team that is loaded with Division 1 talent in Cass Tech. The Bulldogs and Rams share one common opponent in Muskegon. Grandville opened the season with a 44-40 victory over Muskegon at home while Rockford staged an incredible second half comeback to defeat the Big Reds 30-26 at Muskegon.
The teams are definitively not strangers to each other as they have squared off no fewer than 81 times over the years. Rockford holds a 49-32 edge in the series and the teams split last year’s two meetings. Rockford won the regular season contest 37-20 and Grandville got revenge in the state playoff opener at Rockford by the score of 24-14. There is no love lost in this heated rivalry and the passion is embraced by the players, coaches and fans of both teams.
Grandville is coached by Eric Stiegel, who is entering his twelfth year at the helm. There is little mystery to what you will get when the Bulldogs take the field on offense. There is a misconception that they run the Wing T. But in reality, it is a power T with seven linemen (including the two tight ends) and a straight T formation in the backfield. There is a series of fakes in the backfield and the defense is left having to account for anyone of four different backs who may have the ball on every snap. To spice things up a bit the Bulldogs will also throw the ball on occasion to give defenses another thing to focus on.
Grandville is led by senior running back Jayden “Tank” Terry. Terry is somewhat diminutive from a height perspective, but packs a huge lower body combined with breakaway speed who could bust one at any time. Terry had multiple Division 1 offers but spurned them all to commit to the defending NCAA Division 2 National Champs from Ferris State. His father was a star for Ferris and still holds the all-time single game record for rushing at the school. He is joined in the backfield by another pair of very dangerous runners in D.J. Hardiman and Braylen Haney. The quarterback for Grandville is Jeffrey Fogelsonger, who has passed for multiple scores while also being a threat with his legs.
Keegan Kroll and Garret Nawrocki are a talented duo at tight end as well as doubling as linebackers for Grandville. Daniel Wylie and Lincoln Schachermeyer are also returners on the offensive line. Many of these same players in addition to the two tight ends will also see considerable time on defense including Terry at defensive back and Haney at linebacker. Even Wiman and Jayden Brown are also starters on defense for Grandville.
The winner will help themselves considerably in playoff points for positioning, but these two behemoths will both almost certainly make the field again in 2025.
