Football Roundup: Week VII

A track meet in Montague and a bad week for Cats as Tigers, Lions and Panthers go down

Grant Photos by Josie Lowry
Newaygo Photos by Alexis Mercer

Montague 70 Fremont 64
Going into the last two weeks the Packer record for most points in a game was 61.
In 1999 they pasted Grant 61-0 and in 2005 they also reached 61 when they knocked off Tri County 61-24.
Then last week they broke the mark with a 62-28 win over OV. The new record lasted only a week because on Friday the Packers put up 64.
And lost. 
Montague stuck an even 70 on the board to snap their 3 game losing streak and keep their slim hopes alive for a playoff spot.
It was a wild one that saw the Wildcats score on 2 onside kicks as well as a 95 yard pick 6. And the defenses? It was as if they were in trial court and declared “The defense rests.”
Not to say the effort wasn’t there. For the Packers, Tritan Corrigan tallied 10 tackles and picked off a Wildcat pass and Noah Hanson was in on 13 tackles. But big plays were the theme of the game  and 10 of the 18 TDs on the night were from 20 yards or more.
Coach Hudson: "I am very proud of our kid's effort to continue to battle late into the game.  We made some great strides with our offense output over the last couple of weeks and we are beginning to buy-in to what we are trying to do here in Fremont.  We obviously have plenty to clean up within all facets of the game, but to see the fight our boys showed gives me reason to believe our culture is beginning to change for the better.
Karter Frens was a workhorse piling up 246 yards with a TD  and Khai Noordyke pounded out another 172 finding the endzone twice.Brayden Crosley snuck in a pair of scores and passed for 3 more, hitting Cuyler Cook-Hanson, Noordyk and Jacob Burns.
But putting up a record number of points, while impressive, doesn’t always get you a win.
Fremont (1-4, 2-5) will host Lakes Conference leader Whitehall (5-0, 5-2) on Friday.

Reed City 40 Grant 6
The Tigers went on the road to face a tough Reed City squad who took over early, building a 33-0 halftime lead behind their vaunted running attack.
“Proud of how our boys kept fighting for all four quarters against a really good Reed City team,” said Tiger Head Coach Gabe Lowry. “We showed a lot of grit tonight and that was what the coaching staff wanted to see.” 
Eddie Beight led the Tigers in rushing with 55 yards and powered in a one yarder for the lone Tiger score. Jayden Newton connected on 8 of 15 passes splitting the receptions between Sincere Hatch and Paul Bonney. Gavin Kiliszewski led the defense with 5 solo tackles while Aiden Booth and Ethan Delong collected four apiece
Grant (.0-4, 2-5) will host Chippewa Hills (0-4, 1-5) on Friday.

Mason County Central 50 Hesperia 13
The Spartans notched their 4th straight win and improved their playoff standing in a rout of the visiting Panthers. Blake Sayer tossed a pair of TDs for Hesperia with Zach Loughridge and Ian Fox on the receiving end. Skyler Stalbaum rushed for a rugged 68 yards against a formidable MCC front line.  Sayer also led his team on defense with 10 tackles and Thor Klaus finished with 8.
Hesperia (0-4, 2-5) will finish conference play Friday when they visit the Pirates of Hart (1-3, 3-4)

Big Rapids 41 Newaygo 20
The Cardinals sewed up the CSAA Red title Friday. After BR took a 14-0 lead early in the first Porter Slominski put the Lions on the board to make it 14-7,  the visitors broke open a one score game with a pair of passing TDs in the second to take a 28-7 lead into intermission.  Following another Cardinal score Slominski found paydirt again pounding it in from 2 yards out to make it 34-14. Both teams scored again in the 4th as the Cards clinched the top spot as well as improving their chances for a home playoff game.
Newaygo (3-2, 5-2) takes on Lake Odessa Lakewood  (2-5) Friday at Central Michigan University.


Kent City 50 White Cloud 6
A huge homecoming crowd watched the Eagles keep their playoff hopes simmering as they routed the visitors from White Cloud.
Reece Johnson carried the load for the Cloud, piling up 235 yards and scoring the lone WC TD. Jayden Robinson passed for 181 yards and along with Johnson led the team in tackles with 9 with  Connor Stockwell finishing with 8.
White Cloud (0-3, 1-6) will visit Central Montcalm (3-0, 6-1) on Friday.