KALAMAZOO, MI – Kalamazoo United unveiled their pair of spry signal callers on Friday night, and while shades of youth were flashed in the beginning, both performed like savvy senior veterans down the stretch.
One kickstarted the comeback train and the other called game.
After trailing by 21 points after just one quarter, Kalamazoo United stormed back on the shoulders of both Keegan McCue and Jackson Herder, scoring 21 unanswered points and stringing together the game-winning drive with under two minutes left in regulation to complete a thrilling and valiant 28-27 come-from-behind season-opening victory over Berrien Springs.
“This game says a lot about their character,” head coach Troy Ayotte said. “I just thought they stuck together and Keegan made some mistakes early and the rest of the team didn’t get down on him. He started making plays and that says a lot about the team and the team as far as staying together and not falling apart. They just did a really nice job.
McCue would bounce back from a shaky start with a pair of scoring drives, using both his arm and his legs, and Herder came up clutch with an interception returned for a touchdown on defense that all culminated to bringing the Titans level at 21-all in the third quarter. Berrien Springs responded with their own scoring drive in the fourth to retake the lead 27-21 but missed the ensuing extra point.
That was when McCue was forced out of action due to cramps, and it was Herder that flexed ice water in his veins, commanding the offense down the field and connecting with junior wideout Jack Ayotte on a 15-yard drag route touchdown over the middle that proved to be the game-winning score.
It just so happens that Jack is Troy’s son, too.
“He bobbled it a little bit and it got tipped a little bit so I couldn’t tell if he caught it or dropped it,” Troy said. “I was just happy because he’s put in a lot of hard work and it was a nice deal to see that happen for him. It was fun.”
Berrien Springs would have enough time to get into plus territory, but the Titans would stand tall and force a turnover on downs, essentially icing the game.
“They grew up a lot in this game because we started off with some jitters and then we really calmed down and got into it,” Ayotte said. “Things went really well after that.”
McCue finished with 185 yards passing and 120 yards rushing with two total touchdowns, while adding seven tackles on defense. Herder collected 65 yards passing and one interception, junior wideout Nate Fetterly finished with over 100 yards receiving and senior running back Eli Backman added 65 kickoff return yards and 49 yards receiving.
Kalamazoo United (1-0) hosts Otsego on Thursday, while Berrien Springs (0-1) travels to Paw Paw on Thursday.
Paw Paw 34, Big Rapids 13
Paw Paw football took the first punch and came back swinging on Friday night.
The Red Wolves overcame an early 13-0 deficit and proceeded to rattle of the next 34 points unanswered, shutting out Big Rapids in the second half and cruising to a 34-13 home-opening victory.
And largely, it was running back PJ DeYoung that ignited the furious comeback rally.
The junior tallied three consecutive rushing touchdowns in the second and third quarters to give Paw Paw a lead they never relinquished, as his biggest scamper came in the fourth quarter, dancing his way for a 52-yard gain. Junior quarterback Gunner Goodell found tight end Nathan LaMere for an 18-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, while sophomore running back Ben Miller finished off the scoring with a 17-yard rushing score in the waning moments of the game.
DeYoung was Paw Paw’s leading rusher, finishing with 176 yards and three touchdowns, while Miller added 69 yards rushing and Goodell finished with 87 yards passing. LaMere was the Red Wolves’ leading tackler, collecting 14 including two tackles for loss, as Dominic Hernandez and Darrin Strey each added seven tackles of their own.
Paw Paw (1-0) travels to Berrien Springs next Thursday, while Big Rapids (0-1) hosts Newaygo on Thursday.
Lawton 51, Benton Harbor 20
If Week 1 is any indication, Lawton’s rushing attack will be a problem in 2023.
The Blue Devils lit up the first half scoreboard with a 37-point eruption, compiling an eye-popping 458 yards on the ground that dispelled Benton Harbor, 51-20, on Friday night.
Senior running back Kal Motter kicked off his senior year with style, leading the Blue Devils’ lethal rushing onslaught by racking up 224 yards rushing on just 17 carries with two touchdowns and added 43 yards receiving, too. Senior fullback Caleb Mallory added 63 yards rushing and a score, while senior quarterback Aiden O’Brien finished with 9-of-15 passing for 111 yards and two touchdowns, adding 88 yards and one more score with his legs.
Senior offensive lineman Nolan Collins grabbed a pair of receiving touchdowns on the night as well.
Lawton (1-0) will welcome Division 7 powerhouse Traverse City St. Francis on Friday, while Benton Harbor (0-1) hosts Constantine on Thursday.
Portage Northern 54, Vicksburg 17
From the opening boot, Portage Northern emphatically made their presence felt, electrifying the scoreboard with the game’s first 30 points that churned a dominant all-around performance and an eventual statement-making 54-17 season-opening trounce over Vicksburg on Friday night.
Huskies senior quarterback Braylen Amos floated a 60-yard touchdown bomb to senior wide receiver Jadyn Walker on the second play from scrimmage and Jamiere Warren and Vaughnzell Tyus each finished with a pair of rushing touchdowns that highlighted a 319-yard rushing night for the Huskies.
Walker would tally another long receiving touchdown in the first quarter – a 40-yard dart from Amos over the middle that allowed the Toledo commit to showcase his game-breaking speed.
Vicksburg’s Zachary Kline bolted for an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter, and added a rushing touchdown in the second half to pace the Bulldogs.
Amos finished 7-for-11 passing for 165 yards and two touchdowns, Warren finished with nine carries for 162 yards and Tyus added 82 yards rushing as well. Austin Walburn tallied two sacks, Jackson Altwies added two more and Walker added one, while also registering 94 yards receiving.
Avery Kucharski connected on a 49-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter.
Portage Northern (1-0) kicks off their home opener against West Ottawa next Thursday, while Vicksburg travels to Gull Lake.
Martin 62, Colon 6
Martin senior wide receiver Taegan Harris returned the opening second half kickoff 89 yards and added another 49-yard receiving touchdown as Martin kicked off their quest for an 8-player state title defense with an emphatic 62-6 rout over Colon on Friday.
“It was a good team win and we executed on offense and played physical on defense,” Martin head coach Brad Blauvelt said. “We need to get in better shape and clean up our mistakes going forward. Overall, a great start to the season.”
The Clippers rushed for 271 yards on 32 carries, paced by Bryce Robinson and Mikey Branch. Robinson ran for 42 yards, while Branch scored on a 56-yard scamper. Quarterback Gavin Meyers compiled 86 yards passing on 3-of-6 attempts.
Abe Dykstra also collected a 32-yard rushing touchdown, while finishing with a team-leading 12 tackles – including one behind the line of scrimmage and a forced fumble – on defense. Haylen Buell added nine tackles, while Harris and James Jager each collected five.
Martin (1-0) will travel to Lawrence on Friday, while Colon (0-1) travels to Mendon on Thursday.
Mendon 66, Bangor 20
Senior running back Jack McCaw rushed for four touchdowns and over 200 yards, helping an impressive 44-point first half Mendon outburst as the Hornets took down Bangor 66-20 on Friday night.
McCaw tallied three of his four touchdowns in the first half, highlighted by a 60-yard score in the second quarter that gave the Hornets a 22-12 lead. Sophomore running back Owen Gorham’s 10-yard rushing touchdown late in the first quarter gave Mendon a 14-6 lead – a lead they would never let up.
Bangor junior fullback Liam Mortenson put the Vikings on the board in the first quarter on a 1-yard rushing touchdown, and quarterback Eloy Martinez Jr. would throw an 11-yard touchdown in the second quarter that pulled the Vikings within 14-12.
But Mendon would rip off the next 38 points unanswered, as senior Dylan Cupp would break loose in the fourth quarter for the game’s longest play – a 66-yard rushing touchdown to cap off the Hornets’ 66-point night.
Linebacker Alex Zagon paced the Hornets on defense with a team-leading 13 tackles, while Nick Stiver added 11 of his own and Gorham finished with nine. Martinez Jr. finished with 164 yards passing and a touchdown for Bangor.
Mendon (1-0) will host Colon on Thursday, while Bangor (0-1) hosts Gobles on Friday.
Sturgis 34, Coldwater 12
Sturgis football gobbled up four takeaways, Dalton Tisdel had a three-touchdown day and the Trojans defeated Coldwater 34-12 on Friday night.
The Trojans beat the Cardinals for the first time since the 2020 playoffs, bringing home the Silver Football in the 98th rivalry meeting between the two schools.
Junior linebacker Brock Fergison forced a first half fumble, and Kaiden Waldron scooped it up and ran his way for a 90-yard fumble recovery touchdown that broke open the game. Senior quarterback Taner Patrick found Fergison later on in the half on a 30-yard touchdown strike to give the Trojans a 21-6 lead at the break.
Tisdel would score twice in the second half on runs of 11 and three yards. Gibson Cary and Rasean O’Tey intercepted passes for the Trojans in the win. Tisdel led the Trojans rushing attack with 75 yards on nine carries, while Patrick was 8-of-14 passing for 85 yards.
Sturigs (1-0) will host Kalamazoo Central next week, while Coldwater (0-1) travels to Plainwell.
Climax-Scotts 26, NorthPointe Christian 14
Luke Lawrence rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns, Ashton Matrau added 102 yards and two scores and Climax-Scotts took down Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian 26-14 on Friday night.
The Panthers used their impressive ground game and forced three turnovers to dethrone NorthPointe Christian, who hadn’t lost a game in a year. Lawrence put Climax-Scotts on the board on their opening possession with a 2-yard run, and Matrau broke free for rushing touchdowns of 32 and 29 yards in the second and third quarters to give the Panthers a lead they wouldn’t let go of.
After NorthPointe Christian scored with just over two minutes remaining in regulation, Lawrence delivered the knockout punch, bolting free for a 60-yard rushing touchdown with just under a minute to go to put the game on ice.
Junior linebacker Jackson Bagwell was a force on defense, finishing with 17 total tackles, while Chase Vanmiddlesworth added two catches for 68 yards receiving and one interception on defense, and senior receiver Miles Shannon finished with 12 total tackles and 42 yards receiving.
Lawrence added eight solo tackles on defense, while Matrau tallied a dozen himself.
Climax-Scotts (1-0) travels to Burr Oak on Thursday, while NorthPointe Christian (0-1) hosts Wyoming Tri-unity Christian on Thursday.
Gobles 67, Lawrence 0
Mason Mansfield broke free for four rushing touchdowns, Eli DeYoung added a pair of touchdowns himself and Gobles blanked Lawrence 67-0 on Saturday.
The Tigers held Lawrence to just five total yards of offense, which setup Mansfield and DeYoung’s work in the rushing department. Mansfield finished with 135 yards rushing on just four attempts, DeYoung finished with 179 yards on 10 attempts, Tony Lisowski added 51 yards rushing and two touchdowns on just two attempts, and Preston Misak rounded it out with 57 yards rushing and two touchdowns on four attempts.
Xavier Wilkes led the way defensively, finishing with nine tackles and 1.5 sacks, while Tristan Harbaugh added six tackles and 2.5 sacks, DeYoung tallied six tackles and Jakob Monks finished with seven tackles including two for loss.
Gobles (1-0) travels to Bangor next Friday, while Lawrence (0-1) hosts Martin next Friday.
White Pigeon 36, Reading 14
White Pigeon football pitched a second half shutout and used Caleb Lane and Taylor Stewart’s combined five rushing touchdowns to run away with a 36-14 victory over Reading on Friday night.
After a back-and-forth first half, the Chiefs set the tone and broke free in the third quarter with Evan Rudolff’s game-changing defensive safety, retaking the lead and adding to it on a 14-yard touchdown run by Stewart to make it a 22-14. Lane would add 4 and 17-yard rushing scores in the fourth to further put a stamp on an impressive victory.
White Pigeon’s win over Reading marks two in a row dating to last year’s playoff game, after the Chiefs lost to the Rangers on their season-opener last year.
Lane had the Chiefs’ longest scoring play in the first quarter, rushing toward the end zone with a 24-yard run. Stewart added another rushing score in the second quarter – a 5-yard touchdown run.
Lane finished with 99 yards on the ground and three touchdowns, Stewart added 85 yards and two touchdowns and senior running back John Bontrager finished with nine carries for 59 yards.
Six different Chiefs carried the ball at least four times, as they finished with 293 total rushing yards on the night.
White Pigeon (1-0) hosts Galesburg-Augusta next Thursday, while Reading (0-1) takes on Quincy on Friday.
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
Lowell 56, Mattawan 28
Portage Central 17, East Lansing 7
Charlotte 52, Three Rivers 22
Coopersville 49, Otsego 6
Hamilton 41, Plainwell 6
White Pigeon 36, Reading 14
Constantine 35, Detroit Southeastern 21
Marcellus 58, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian 8
Gull Lake 28, Marshall 21
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
Decatur 14, Galesburg-Augusta 6
Union City 18, Centreville 16
Allegan vs. Cassopolis, 7 p.m. (still waiting on score)
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