South Christian continued its hot streak through the playoffs on a quest to Ford Field with a 28-21 victory over Whitehall in a back-and-forth affair in a D-4 regional final.
The Sailors’ senior quarterback and Western Michigan University basketball commit, Carson Vis, finished off the first scoring drive of the game with a 15-yard pass to Chuck DeHaan with 4:50 left in the opening frame. Whitehall closed out the first quarter with a 24-yard touchdown run to tie the game.
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
The second quarter went scoreless until the last play of the half as Vis found receiver Tyler Brinks for a 20-yard TD pass to put the Sailors up 14-7 to close the first half.
“We came in with the game plan of getting to the outside and hitting some short throws, but the field was slippery, so we had to adjust,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “The beauty of having someone like Carson and the receivers we have is you have the option to take what works. They were tough against the run and loaded the box. You still have to mix in the run, but you don’t have to bang your head against the wall. You take what they give you.”
South Christian wins another Division 4 Regional title. (Courtesy, David Kool)
Rowan DeKam scores on a fumble, adds 10 tackles
Whitehall scored on a two-yard plunge to tie the game at 8:58 in the third quarter. The South Christian defense then got on the board as they forced a fumble that was picked up by Rowan DeKam and taken 31 yards for the score, putting the Sailors up 21-14. DeKam led the Sailors with 10 tackles.
21-all to end the third
The third quarter ended in a 21-all tie as Whitehall put another touchdown on the board. The Sailor defense, however, took over from that point holding the Vikings scoreless in the final quarter.
“We got them in a situation where they had to throw with the clock running out,” Brown said. “That helps with a team that doesn’t like to throw the ball.”
Vis had 224 passing yards and two touchdowns and 56 yards on the ground.
Owen Burgess led the team with six catches and 77 yards, while running back Kasjen VanSolkema scored a rushing touchdown.
The Sailors will now play in their third consecutive Division 4 semifinal game.
“It’s a credit to the kids to have the belief that even when things weren’t looking good that if we could just find a way to right the ship anyone can get hot at the right time and we have done that,” Brown explained. “Winning three regionals is awesome. As a competitor it’s fun to win, but doing it consistently is a lot harder. The fact that these kids keep believing and buying in, keep doing the things during the season and in the off-season, being great teammates. It’s a credit to the team and the assistant coaches to keep this going.”
South Christian will meet a Niles team that is riding an 11-game winning streak into its first trip to the semifinals in school history.
“They have had some success in recent years, but I think the approach is about us,” Brown said. “What do we have to do to put the best product on the field. It starts in practice and in the details. You have to respect your opponent. Any team you see at this point is a really good football team.”
South Christian (8-4) and Niles (11-1) face off in a Division 4 semifinal at 1 p.m. Saturday at Three Rivers High School.
Carson Vis led the Sailors with a big game both passing and running. He connected on 12-of-16 passes for 171 yards and one touchdown and ran the ball 22 times for 127 yards and four TDs. (Courtesy, Murray Sports Photography)
When playoff season arrives, South Christian seems to find a way to play its best football. That was the case again in the Division 4 district final at Grandville Friday as the Sailors turned in one of their best performances of the year by taking down top-ranked and unbeaten rival Unity Christian 35-28 to win the district title.
Trailing 16-7 at the end of the first quarter, the Sailors rallied to defeat Unity and earn a spot in this Friday’s regional title game at Whitehall. The Sailor comeback win also avenged a 50-21 loss to Unity Christian suffered in Week 7 of the regular season.
“We found a way to win it,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “I’m just excited for the kids to get a big program win like that. Obviously, they (Unity Christian) are ranked Number 1 and they have a great team. We knew it was going to be a tough one, but we stayed the course and the guys executed.”
Unity jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead in the game as quarterback Jackson DeHoop connected with Sean VanderZwaag on a 26-yard scoring play. DeHoop then ran in the two-point conversion.
South, however, matched that score midway through the first quarter. Sailor quarterback Carson Vis ran in for a touchdown from six-yards out and Wyatt Sall added the point after cutting the margin to 8-7.
“Offensively, we executed so much more efficiently this time,” Brown said. “I told the guys that they would score early and we would have to answer and we did.”
Unity led 16-7 to end the first quarter
Unity stretched the lead to 16-7 at the end of the first quarter when Isaac Stienstra ran in for a touchdown from six-yards out and Nolan Vis ran in the two-point conversion.
South had the answer for that score with a pair of touchdowns of its own in the second quarter. At the 9:07 mark of the second quarter Vis hooked up with Chuck DeHaan for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Sall added the point after cutting the margin to 16-14. South then surged ahead with two minutes remaining in the first half as Vis ran in for a touchdown from three-yards out. Sall added the extra point putting the Sailors up 21-16.
Unity up 22-21 at halftime
Unity, however, quickly responded, and with 1:23 remaining before halftime Nolan Vis ran in for a touchdown from a yard out putting the Crusaders up 22-21 heading into halftime.
South leads 29-22 in the third
The defenses took over for much of the third quarter before South Christian broke through with a touchdown late in the period. The was when Vis ran in for a touchdown from two-yards out putting the Sailors up 27-22 with 2:20 remaining in the quarter. Vis then connected with DeHaan on the two-point conversion giving the Sailors a 29-22 lead.
Unity Christian closed the gap at the 8:21 mark of the fourth quarter. That was when Max VanKoevering rumbled 13 yards for a touchdown cutting the margin to 29-28. The Crusaders then went for the two-point conversion and the lead before getting denied by the Sailor defense.
South Christian’s Caleb Wieneke (No. 3) and Nathan Potter (58) wrap up a Crusader. (Courtesy, Murray Sports Photography)
The Sailor defense overall did a solid job on the Unity offense. Not only did the South defense limit Unity to 22 less points than the previous matchup, but the Sailor defenders held Unity to its second-lowest point total of the entire season.
“We had some different personnel on defense from the last time we played them,” Brown said. “We also did a few things differently on defense. Ultimately, you can make changes, but the kids have to execute and they did a great job of executing the game plan.”
South sealed the victory in the final seconds of the game. Vis ran for a touchdown from two-yards out making the final score 35-28 and sending the Sailors on to the regional final where they will face an 8-3 Whitehall team.
“I’m really excited about this group of guys,” Brown said. “The way they prepare is just awesome to see. After our win against Catholic Central in Week 9 you could definitely see a pep in their step at practice the last couple of weeks. The kids are laser-focused.”
Carson Vis had four TDs on the ground and one via air
Offensively, Vis led the Sailors with a big game both passing and running. Vis connected on 12-of-16 passes for 171 yards and one touchdown and ran the ball 22 times for 127 yards and four TDs.
“Carson was just phenomenal,” Brown said. “He is a big-time player and he made big-time plays for us. He has shown that for us time and time again.”
Owen Burgess led South Christian in receiving with five catches for 73 yards. (Courtesy, Murray Sports Photography)
Owen Burgess led the team in receiving with five catches for 73 yards. DeHaan caught three passes for 38 yards and a score, while Tyler Brinks caught a pair of passes for 48 yards and Bryce Kenyon caught two passes.
Rowan DeKam led South with 12 tackles
On defense, Rowan DeKam led the way with 12 total tackles, followed by Chuck DeHaan, seven and Caleb Wieneke, five. Brinks added an interception.
Rowan DeKam (No. 11) led the Sailors with 12 tackles. (Courtesy, Murray Sports Photography)
“Our defensive line also did a great job,” Brown said. “They did not make a ton of tackles, but what they did up front kept the Unity offensive linemen off of our linebackers. That was huge. Nathan Potter, Carson Joldersma, Ben Buiter, Cameryn Veltman, Greyson Hunderman, we had a rotation of guys that played their tails off. It’s not easy to do that against a big and powerful offensive line like Unity and those guys deserve a lot of credit.”
With the win, the Sailors improved to 7-4 for the season as they head to Whitehall to face a team they played in the regional finals two years ago.
“They have a great team,” Brown said. “They have some great athletes; they’re physical and they play hard. It will be a huge test for us.”
Like South, Whitehall has faced a rugged schedule this season with two of its three losses coming against Unity Christian and Zeeland West and the third against unbeaten and state-ranked Portland.
When November rolls around, it’s time for high school football playoffs in Michigan. This also means that a familiar program is gearing up for a shot at the state title.
South Christian has qualified for the MHSAA playoffs for the ninth consecutive year. The Sailors have reached the Division 4 finals in back-to-back years leading into the 2024 tournament.
This Sailor team took a different route on the drive to Ford Field, taking a 5-4 record into the playoffs. South Christian has only four losses the past two seasons combined while making the finals in both seasons and winning the state championship in 2022.
“We are young, so the biggest thing for this team is to try to figure out who we are,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “We started 4-0, we won a couple close games. Maybe we got a little bit ahead of ourselves, and who we were. The next four teams we played are all still in the playoffs, so they are good teams. We just had to take our lumps.
I’ll say the kids showed up at practice every week. Losing four games in a row in a season could go a different way, but they showed up every day still believing.”
Sailors forced five turnovers
South Christian advanced to the D-4 District Final with a 35-7 victory over Holland Christian Friday night. The Sailor defense turned in one of the best performances this season holding the Maroons to a season low in points and forcing five turnovers.
“We had to change up our scheme and personnel to see what makes this team click and it all came together,” Brown said. “Hopefully that’s a sign of good things to come.”
Sophomore Cody Jones recovered three fumbles on the night for South Christian.
“He’s a young guy with a high motor,” Brown said. “He’s getting comfortable with the speed of the game and what we want from him.”
Junior Ben Buiter intercepted two passes in the stellar defensive effort.
Senior quarterback Carson Vis once again led the Sailors offense, pacing the team with 123 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground and a passing touchdown.
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
Sophomore running back Isaac Osterhaven also hit the century mark on the ground.
“Issac had it going on; he seemed fast and was running physical,” Brown said.
South Christian (6-4) now meets a familiar foe in the District Final in undefeated OK Gold champion Unity Christian (10-0), who beat South Christian 50-21 in Week 7.
“Unity is big up front and has very physical running backs; they are very good at what they do,” Brown said. “We will have to be physical up front and not allow them to move us off the ball if we want to have success. They don’t turn the ball over, and they will gain some yards. We just have to have a bend and not break defense.”
South Christian kicks off with Unity Christian in a Division 4 District Final at 7 p.m. Friday at Grandville High School.
The East Kentwood football team made it a memorable playoff appearance for themselves and new coach Tyrone Spencer.
Taking on OK Red Conference champion Hudsonville (9-1 overall), the Division 1 District Semifinal contest came down to the final play of the game when the Eagles kicked a field goal as time expired to escape with a 25-23 win.
“They (Hudsonville) got it off just as time expired,” Spencer said. “Our guys played great; they played fantastic. They played through a lot of adversity and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
The game was close throughout, much different then the Week 5 game between the two OK Red heavyweights that Hudsonville won 35-6.
“The last time we played them we gave them some cheap stuff,” Spencer said. “They are 85 percent run and I told my defensive backs that they will probably throw about 10 passes. I told them they are going to have to defend those passes and not give up any big plays. We did a pretty good job of tackling and we didn’t give up any cheap plays down the field. Our guys were ready to play and in sync.”
East Kentwood football Coach Tyrone Spencer 2024. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
Hudsonville took the early lead in the game when quarterback Griffin Baker scored on a short run putting the Eagles up 6-0 in the first quarter.
East Kentwood shaved the lead in half in the second quarter when Jayden Garcia connected on a 32-yard field goal making the score 6-3.
The two teams then traded scores later in the second quarter. Hudsonville scored when Brady VanLaecke broke through a hole in the Falcon line and raced 37-yards for a touchdown putting the Eagles up 13-3.
13-10 Hudsonville in the second quarter
East Kentwood responded with a drive led by their standout running back Elijah Jones, who capped it with a touchdown run and extra point from Garcia closing the gap to 13-10.
Late in the half, Hudsonville extended the lead to 16-10 on a field goal.
East Kentwood running back Elijah Jones. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
Edmonds TD kickoff return called back before halftime
On the next play, the Falcons seemed to have turned the tide when Ahman Edmonds returned the kickoff for a touchdown. The score, however, was nullified from a penalty.
“At halftime we should’ve been leading as we returned the kickoff for a touchdown,” Spencer said. “There was a penalty called that didn’t even have an effect on the touchdown. That held us back a little.”
Eagles up 22-10 after Baker’s 51-yard run
Hudsonville added to its lead in the second half. Baker again provided the big play for the Eagles as he found an opening and took off for a 51-yard touchdown run. Hudsonville missed the two-point conversion leaving the Eagles with a 22-10 lead.
Jones gets Falcons within five on 80-yard TD run
Facing adversity again, East Kentwood showed it was not about to fold. Again, the Falcons turned to Jones, their explosive running back. This time Jones broke through a hole in the Hudsonville line and raced 80 yards for a touchdown. Garcia tacked on the extra point and the Falcons were within five at 22-17.
East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
Kayd Coffman strike to Murphy-Ware puts Falcons up in fourth
In the fourth quarter, Kentwood struck again. After a Hudsonville turnover, the Falcons went to the air. Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman dropped back and aired a pass out deep down the field to Christopher Murphy-Ware. Murphy-Ware caught the ball in stride and sped into the end zone completing the 51-yard scoring strike and putting the Falcons up 23-22.
Ian Jenkin’s 34-yard field goal gives Hudsonville the win as time expired
With 1:31 remaining in the game, Hudsonville began a final drive at its own 39-yard line. The Eagles managed to move the ball into field-goal range and with the clock winding down, Ian Jenkins booted a 34-yard field goal as time expired giving Hudsonville the win.
With the loss, the Falcons ended the season with a 5-5 record.
“I’m really proud of the kids”
“I’m really proud of the kids,” Spencer said. “It would’ve been great to cap the season off with this win, but I think the life lessons the kids learned through football this year are more important. I’m really proud of them and how they competed all season. They came out and competed every day and battled through adversities. I’m really proud of our players, our coaches and everybody that is a part of this program.”
Spencer, in his first year as head coach of the Falcons, laid a solid foundation for the future.
“I feel the foundation has been laid,” Spencer said. “We had a lot of young sophomores and juniors who came into the year inexperienced and now they have a lot of experience. I think that will be beneficial for us. We also return seven starters on defense next year and four starters on offense. Any time you have 11 starters returning you should be a decent football team.”
Offensively, Jones led the Falcons this season with 1,208 yards rushing (7.2 per carry) and 12 touchdowns. Coffman led the team in passing with 56.5% completions for 1,594 yards and 11 touchdowns against just two interceptions.
A trio of Falcon receivers totaled over 400 yards receiving this season. Edmonds caught 29 passes for 479 yards and four touchdowns. Caiden Holt caught 22 passes for 476 yards and five touchdowns, while Murphy-Ware caught 32 passes for 451 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively, Terence Kabanda led the way this season with 71 tackles, including four tackles for loss. Donavan Jones added 50 tackles, two tackles for loss and an interception. James Jones Jr. totaled 44 tackles including seven tackles for loss and a sack. Defensive linemen Syncere Hobson-Washington and Tyler Meeuwsen both totaled seven tackles for loss with Hobson-Washington adding two sacks and Meeuwsen one. Javani Overstreet and Major Barnes both finished with 31 tackles apiece. Lloyd Nelson finished with 25 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.
Halloween is just around the corner and in high school football that means the state playoffs are also set to launch.
With the final week of the regular season in the books, a pair of local heavyweights, East Kentwood and South Christian, are both set to begin what they hope will be long playoff runs.
East Kentwood (5-4 overall) travels to Hudsonville (8-1) in the first round of the playoffs in Division 1 Region 1 at 7 p.m. Friday, while South Christian (5-4) hosts Holland Christian (6-3) at East Kentwood High School in Division 4 Region 1 at 7 p.m. Friday.
The Falcons finished the regular season with a 5-4 record after falling 45-27 to Rockford in the regular-season finale. The Falcons clinched a playoff berth with a 31-7 win against Jenison in Week 8.
The Falcons have made steady progress in their trek to the playoffs while playing a rugged schedule full of playoff teams.
“Our team has gained a lot of confidence the last couple of weeks,” said East Kentwood coach Tyrone Spencer. “I like where we are going right now and we are starting to hit our peak.”
The Falcons have a good mix of passing and running on offense and have been playing strong defense.
“I think we have done a good job of establishing the run and mixing in the pass,” Spencer said. “The last couple of weeks our defense has also been pretty stout, especially against Grand Haven and Jenison. Even the Grandville game our defense did a pretty good job at times containing that explosive offense.”
Offensively, the Falcons are led by quarterback Kayd Coffman and running back Elijah Jones. Jones rushed for 186 yards against Jenison after running for over 180 yards the week before against Grand Haven.
East Kentwood running back Elijah Jones. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
On defense, the Falcons have been receiving solid play at all three levels.
“Our linebacker, Terence Kabanda, leads us in tackles,” Spencer said. “Our defensive line is a pretty stout group with Syncere Hobson-Washington, James Jones and Tyler Meeuwsen all doing a good job. Our sophomore safeties Donavan Jones and Major Barnes have done a good job of making plays.”
Kentwood is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022 after missing out on the playoffs last year.
South Christian makes playoffs with win over Catholic Central
South Christian kept its string of playoff appearances going with a big 26-20 win against Catholic Central in the Week 9 finale to guarantee a spot in the playoffs. The Sailors have qualified for the playoffs the past eight years, including winning the Division 4 state championship two years ago and reaching the Division 4 state title game last year.
The Sailors improved to 5-4 for the season with the win against the Cougars.
The Sailors clinched their playoff berth in thrilling fashion as they trailed Catholic Central 20-10 at halftime before rallying in the second half with a pair of touchdowns to win the game.
In the third quarter, Carson Vis tossed a 26-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Kenyon and then connected with Tyler Brinks on a two-point conversion pass to cut the deficit to 20-18.
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis committed to play basketball at Western Michigan University. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
In the fourth quarter, the Sailors took the lead when Vis hit Brinks for a one-yard scoring strike for the winning touchdown. Vis then connected with Brinks for the two-point conversion.
Vis completed 24-of-31 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns and ran the ball 18 times for 59 yards.
Chuck DeHaan led the receiving corps with four catches for 93 yards.
Like East Kentwood, South Christian has faced a rugged schedule loaded with playoff teams. The Sailors opened the season with four consecutive wins before falling the past four weeks to bring their record to .500.
South Christian entered the Catholic Central game with a high-powered offense led by quarterback Vis, who passed for 219 yards and a touchdown in last week’s loss against Zeeland West. Vis also rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown. Vis has a variety of targets to pass to including Brinks, who had six catches for 99 yards against West and Owen Burgess, who caught 13 passes for 81 yards and DeHaan, who caught four balls for 35 yards and a score.
The MHSAA Football Playoffs conclude with the 8-Player Finals on Nov. 23 at Northern Michigan University’s Superior Dome and 11-Player Finals to be played Nov. 29-30 at Ford Field.
Carson Vis tosses a 12-yard TD pass to Noah Funk to close the Harper Woods lead to 33-27 with under five minutes left in the game. (Courtesy, David Kool)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
The South Christian football team may not have returned home with the state championship trophy, but its fans will never forget the effort the Sailors gave in the Division 4 state championship.
Despite falling behind early and trailing the entire way, the Sailors never looked to tap out, and in the end came just three yards from winning a second consecutive state championship before falling short 33-27 to Harper Woods in the Division 4 Final at Ford Field in Detroit.
Harper Woods jumped out to a 14-0 lead and led 27-7 midway through the third quarter, but couldn’t put the Sailors away until the final play when they stopped South Christian on fourth down at the Harper Woods three with three seconds remaining in the game.
“It was a heck of a high school football game,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “It was one of those games between two great teams that came down to the final play. They (Harper Woods) took control of the game early and we could’ve folded, but the kids just kept fighting. Ultimately, we found a way to get back in the game and had a chance at the end, but it just didn’t come through.”
Carson Vis with a memorable, state-finals record performance
While the Sailors were stopped short on the final play of the game, the comeback was one South Christian fans will never forget. Junior quarterback Carson Vis was a big part of that comeback as he turned in a memorable performance. Vis completed 30-of-44 passes for a new state-finals record of 441 yards passing along with two touchdowns.
“Carson set finals records for completions and passing yards,” Brown said. “He came through the same way he has all year. The bigger the game the better he played. We ended up putting a lot on him. He threw 44 passes. Even when things were breaking down, he made plays and tried to will us to the win.”
Not only did Vis make plays with his arm, but he used his legs when they needed them. Vis finished the game rushing the ball 17 times for 72 yards and a touchdown.
Memorable game for Jake Vermaas as well; 10 passes for 196 yards
South Christian needed all the offense that Vis could generate as the Sailors were in a 14-0 hole at the end of the first quarter. The Sailors closed the gap to 14-7 early in the second quarter when Vis capped a 90-yard scoring drive by hooking up with Jake Vermaas on a 39-yard touchdown pass. Vermaas, like Vis, turned in a memorable day as he caught 10 passes for 196 yards. Drew Bruinsma added the extra point cutting the deficit to 14-7.
The Sailor receiving crew also had big efforts from Austin Tiesma and Noah Funk. Tiesma caught eight passes for 120 yards, while Funk caught five passes for 61 yards. Sailor running back Charlie Schreur caught five passes for 41 yards.
Harper Woods grabs 27-7 lead in third quarter
Harper Woods, however, upped its lead to 20-7 late in the second quarter and then expanded the lead to 27-7 with a touchdown midway through the third quarter.
South Christian quarterback hands off to Charlie Schreur who scampers into the end zone for a 1-yd touchdown to cut the Harper Woods lead to 27-14 in the third quarter. (Courtesy, David Kool)
The 20-point deficit, however, did nothing to curtail the Sailors’ resolve as South Christian continued to battle back. South Christian answered that score with a seven-play, 67-yard scoring drive of its own. Running back Charlie Schreur capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run and the extra point from Bruinsma cut the deficit to 27-14.
South cuts Harper Woods lead to 27-20 in the fourth
The South Christian defense then came up with a big stop and the Sailor offense mounted another scoring drive. This time Vis capped a seven-play, 80-yard march with a 22-yard touchdown run closing the gap to 27-20 early in the fourth quarter.
“We found some things offensively that worked,” Brown said. “Our motion created some plays for us and we were able to sustain some drives. Early in the game we wanted to run to set up the pass but after they went up 14-0, we had to make some adjustments. We had to turn to our passing game and try to extend the game to make it a longer game. We tried to create some things with our passing game.
“Our defense also stepped up and made some stops. I can’t say enough about our kids. They never quit and kept fighting the entire game.”
Harper Woods added a touchdown midway through the final quarter to make the score 33-20.
Sailors keep roaring back
South, however, continued to battle. The Sailors answered that score with a seven-play, 64-yard scoring drive of their own. Vis capped the drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Noah Funk and the extra point from Bruinsma cut the margin to 33-27 with 4:52 remaining in the game.
In a similar situation that South Christian faced earlier in the season, in the Week 2 game against East Grand Rapids, the Sailor defense again came up big with another defensive stand to get the ball back for the offense with 2:45 remaining in the game.
Starting on their own 15-yard line, the Sailors marched the ball down the field to the Harper Woods three-yard line with three seconds remaining in the game. In the end, the Harper Woods defense made the final stand as a heavy pass rush forced Vis into making a hurried throw while being tackled that fell just short of the goal line.
“This game was a reflection of our season,” Brown said. “At the beginning of the year there was the hype of us being the returning state champions, but a lot of people didn’t think we would get that far again. We had an up and down season with three losses and two at the end. No one thought our kids would do it, but every Monday they would show up at practice rip roaring and ready to go.
“They were always ready to go at practice and kept improving throughout the year. They kept believing in each other and loving each other like brothers and when you are able to do that you can accomplish anything.”
South finished the season with a 10-4 overall record after winning district and regional championships along the way.
Defensively, Tanner Raak led the Sailors with 11 tackles including one tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Tiesma finished with nine tackles, while Vermaas and Tyler Brinks added seven apiece. Vermaas and Brinks each also had one tackle for loss. Luke DeJager and Colin Vugteveen both recorded a sack with DeJager totaling four tackles and Vugteveen, three. Daniel Niewiek and Rowan DeKam both added five tackles while Ben Mulder had four tackles and a pass breakup.
“I’m super proud of our kids and our coaching staff,” Brown said. “Our coaching staff had to do a lot of things in that game to keep us in it. Being down 14-0 and 27-7, everyone had to make adjustments on the fly. At the end of the day the kids executed and we were in a position to win.
“We fell just short, but that happens sometimes. It’s a lesson I hope they can take with them through life. To keep believing and leave it all on the field.”
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis connects with Jake Vermaas on a 19-yard touchdown. (Video Courtesy, David Kool)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
The South Christian football team has turned in some solid defense during this year’s state playoffs, but their effort in the state semifinal game against Portland Saturday was arguably the best of the entire season.
The Sailors defense picked an opportune time to turn in the big effort as the 21-6 win against Portland sends them to Ford Field and a berth in the Division 4 state finals at 1 p.m. Saturday against Harper Woods.
“I’m excited for the kids,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “It’s a credit to their perseverance. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs this season and we seem to be clicking at the right time. I’m excited for the coaches who have put in a lot of time game-planning this season.
“I’m also excited for our community. It’s great to see our community come together for such a memorable community event.”
The South Christian defense played its part right from the beginning of the game. After the Sailors fumbled the opening kickoff, their defense stepped to the plate and kept Portland out of the end zone.
“Our defense stepped up right from the start,” Brown said. “Fumbling the opening kickoff is not the best way to start, but our defense came out and stopped them. That set the tone for the rest of the game. We were very disciplined on defense and had a ton of guys flying to the football.
“Their (Portland’s) lone touchdown came on a long touchdown run off a reverse. Outside of the one long run I thought we limited them pretty good.”
Carson Vis puts the Sailors on the scoreboard in the first quarter with a 5-yard run. (Video Courtesy, David Kool)
Carson Vis gets the first score
South Christian took the initial lead of the game in the first quarter. That was when quarterback Carson Vis capped a scoring drive with a five-yard touchdown run. Drew Bruinsma tacked on the extra point giving South a 7-0 lead.
Portland’s only score comes in the first quarter
Portland scored its lone touchdown on a 66-yard reverse later in the quarter cutting the South lead to 7-6.
South Christian added a touchdown in the second quarter. The Sailors cashed in on the scoring drive when Vis hooked up with Jake Vermaas on a 19-yard touchdown pass. Bruinsma added the point after increasing the Sailor lead to 14-6.
Final TD in the third comes on a 54-yard run by Vis
South Christian padded the lead in the third quarter. Vis provided the points as he reeled off a 54-yard touchdown run. Bruinsma tacked on the final point of the game giving South a 21-6 lead and leaving the game in the hands of the Sailor defense.
Noah Funk “unbelievable” on defense
Noah Funk led the Sailor defense as he totaled six tackles, eight assisted tackles and an interception.
“Noah had an unbelievable game on defense,” Brown said. “He was coming down hill from his safety position and making a ton of tackles. His impact was felt on the field. He was hitting hard and making plays against the run and making plays against the pass.”
Vermaas with three tackles, two assists and an interception
The Sailor defense also received solid efforts from Vermaas, who totaled three tackles, two assists and an interception, Daniel Niewiek, two tackles, six assists, including a quarterback sack, Tanner Raak, two tackles and two assists, and Andrew Baartman, two tackles, two assists, including two sacks.
Vermaas (photo from earlier this season) caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown, and had three tackles, two assists and an interception against Portland. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
Portland had 232 total yards; 162 rushing and 70 yards passing.
South Christian totaled 248 yards; 132 through the air and 116 rushing.
Vis completed 7-of-13 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. Vermaas caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. Vis and Charles Schreur both rushed for 60 yards.
“Offensively, we did enough to win the game,” Brown said. “Our offense did enough to win the game and at the end of that day that is all that matters in the playoffs. You just want to win and move on to the next game.”
Brown credited the Portland defense with a big effort of its own.
“It was not our best offensive effort, but part of that is the defense we faced,” Brown said. “They are very physical on defense. They played tough defense throughout the season. They were very tuned in to what we do and they did a good job of slowing our offense down.”
Portland wrapped up the season with a 12-1 record.
South improved to 10-3 for the season. The Sailors face a Harper Woods team in the championship game that also sports a 10-3 record. Like South, the record is deceiving as Harper Woods played a schedule that was loaded with Division 1 and Division 2 schools.
One of Harper Woods’ losses was a 34-28 defeat to a Southfield A & T team that is playing in the Division 1 championship game. Harper Woods also dropped a 28-6 decision to Division 1 Lake Orion who finished the season with a 10-1 record. Harper Woods defeated a Division 1 Clarkston team 34-7, who reached the regional finals after defeating Lake Orion 38-37 for the district title.
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis connected with Jake Vermaas on the first touchdown of a 55-35 regional championship win over Big Rapids Friday. (Video Courtesy, David Kool)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
While there was some rain in the area Friday night, there was definitely some lightning in the Byron Center area. That lightning was provided by the South Christian football team as the Sailors put on a dazzling outburst of points in the first quarter of the regional title game against Big Rapids.
South Christian scored an amazing 41 points in the first quarter en route to a 55-35 win over Big Rapids. The Sailors advanced to the Division 4 regional semifinal next Saturday where they face undefeated Portland at 1 p.m. at Forest Hills Eastern High School.
South Christian chalks up another regional crown. (Photo Courtesy, David Kool)
Familiar fashion; Vis to Vermaas
The points in the regional title game came fast and furious with the Sailors striking with big plays on both sides of the line. South scored their first two touchdowns of the games in familiar fashion. Sailor quarterback Carson Vis hooked up with wide receiver Jake Vermaas on touchdown passes of seven and 13 yards. Drew Bruinsma added both extra points giving the Sailors an early 14-0 advantage.
Jake Vermaas earlier this season. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
“We came out with guns a blazing,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “It was a good one. It was probably our best half of football that we’ve played all year. Offensively and defensively, we were just clicking. Defensively we were flying to the football and offensively, we were making big plays. It was a game that was a lot of fun to be a part of.”
South takes early 21-0 lead
South used a big play via the ground game to up the lead to 21-0 as Charles Schreur broke loose for a 25-yard touchdown run.
Big Rapids answered with a big play of its own as Cardinal quarterback Riley Vennix tossed a 65-yard touchdown pass cutting the deficit to 21-7.
Sailors up 41-7 to end the first quarter
South closed out the first quarter with three consecutive touchdowns to go up 41-7.
Vis tossed a 20-yard touchdown to Noah Funk for the fourth touchdown of the quarter and Schreur added a two-yard TD run. The Sailor defense provided the final points of the opening quarter when Vermaas intercepted a Cardinal pass and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown.
South Christian QB Carson Vis in an earlier game this season. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
While the Sailors seemed to do everything right in the opening half, it was the preparation in practices the past few weeks that produced the results on the field.
“Our practices have been so good the past few weeks,” Brown said. “Everyone is so dialed in. We’ve changed some things in practice and the energy at practice is absolutely great. Once you get in the playoffs there is more of a do or die mentality. We won a couple of games and the confidence is really high.”
While the first quarter produced a total of 48 points, the second quarter was a total offensive lull as neither team was able to light up the scoreboard.
The two teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter. South scored on a nine-yard touchdown run by Schreur while Big Rapids countered with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Vennix.
Vennix, who passed for 222 yards in the Big Rapids’ district title win against Whitehall, turned in an even more productive game against South Christian. Vennix finished the game completing 22-of-35 passes for 358 yards and five touchdowns. Vennix tossed three of those touchdowns in the fourth quarter when the Cardinals outscored South 21-7 to make the final score 55-35.
“They (Big Rapids) are a real good football team,” Brown said. “We were fortunate in the first half that we were able to get up on them. They have a lot of firepower and they are able to put up points.”
South played everyone on the roster for most of the second half with everyone on the team getting extended minutes.
“That was the fun thing about it,” Brown said. “We were able to play everyone in the second half. Anytime you are able to do that and give everyone playing time in a regional game is pretty special. We were able to play everyone and it was a total team effort.”
South Christian sophomore Kayd Coffman closed out the scoring for South with a 53-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Balance was the key for the South Christian offense. The Sailors finished with 241 passing yards and 237 yards rushing. Vis led the way in the air as he completed 12-of-19 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Schreur led the Sailor ground game as he carried the ball 17 times for 103 yards and three touchdowns. Coffman added 68 yards rushing on six carries.
On defense, the Sailors received a big game from senior Tanner Raak. Raak totaled five tackles and one assist along with a pass interception. Ben Mulder added three tackles and an assist, while junior outside linebacker Tyler Brinks added three tackles including two tackles for loss. Funk also had one tackle, three assists and a tackle for loss.
South Christian wide receiver Jake Vermaas has 79 catches for 1,395 yards and 17 touchdowns. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
After playing a pair of familiar conference rivals to open the playoffs, the South Christian football team is busy focusing on an unfamiliar opponent it will face in Friday’s regional title game that will be played at Byron Center High School.
South Christian, which improved to 8-3 for the season after defeating Forest Hills Eastern 22-14 in the district title game, takes on a 10-1 Big Rapids Cardinals team in Friday’s regional title match slated for 7 p.m. at Byron Center.
Champions of the Central State Activities Conference Gold Division, Big Rapids has been on a roll since opening the season with a 34-13 loss to Paw Paw. The Cardinals flew through the conference season with an unbeaten record. Big Rapids is continuing the winning streak in the playoffs where it defeated Spring Lake 27-20 in the first round before stopping undefeated Whitehall 28-27 in last week’s regional final.
The 10 wins by Big Rapids are the most since the 2003 squad that turned in a 10-3 record before falling in the state semifinals. Big Rapids has an offense that is averaging 34.7 points per game, while the defense is allowing 14.5 points per game.
Big Rapids is similar to South Christian in that the Cardinals are led by a talented dual-threat quarterback. Senior QB Riley Vennix is coming off a big game against Whitehall where he completed 24-of-35 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns. Vennix also ran the ball 11 times for 27 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown. Vennix also is a mainstay on defense and provided a game-saving play on special teams at the end of the district title game when he blocked a 32-yard Whitehall field goal attempt on the final play of the game.
“Their quarterback is really good,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “He is very elusive and is a dual-threat type of player. They know who they are as a team and their kids play hard. They have a group of good athletes and it should be a fun game.”
Big Rapids has a pair of talented receivers in the passing game in senior Kaleb Dubowski and junior Garret Foster. Foster hauled in nine passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns while Dubowski added seven catches for 56 yards and a touchdown against Whitehall.
“They have the ability to run the ball and they also have the ability to throw it,” Brown said. “Defensively, they bring a lot of pressure. They put opposing offenses on edge. We definitely have our work cut out for us.”
Leaning on V Squared: Vis and Vermaas
South counters with an outstanding offense of its own led by junior quarterback Carson Vis, who has completed 127-of-199 passes for 2,244 yards and 28 touchdowns this season. Wide receiver Jake Vermaas is putting up big receiving totals with 79 catches for 1,395 yards and 17 touchdowns.
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis. (Courtesy, Louis Murray)
After closing out the regular season with losses to Catholic Central and Wayland, the Sailors have regained their footing with the two playoff wins. A big part of that success has been the improvement of the defense.
“I think our biggest growth has been our defense,” Brown said. “Our focus has been on defense the last three weeks and they have shown improvement. To keep advancing in the playoffs we have to continue to improve on defense. The key for us is to slow down their offense.”
Athletic Director David Kool says they’re excited and grateful
With a district title in hand, the Sailors are excited about the opportunity to add a regional title and keep the tournament run going. That excitement is spilling over into the school, according to Athletic Director David Kool.
“We are very excited as a school and a community to be playing on Friday nights still,” Kool said. “We are very proud of our athletes and coaches for all of the work they have put in to be in this position again this year. We are also very grateful for another opportunity to make a deep run in football. We know this does not happen all the time so we are enjoying the moment and celebrating with this group of kids, but we also are striving for more.
“This is a group of kids and coaches who have put in tons of work and believe in what we are doing at South Christian so we could not be more proud of them. Everyone believes in each other and special things can happen when you put the other things aside and play for your brother and that is what we do.”
While making a return trip to Ford Field to defend their state title is the ultimate goal, the Sailors are solely focused on the next obstacle in their way.
“Our philosophy is to focus on that week’s opponent,” Brown said. “We bury the outside noise. Obviously, we had a great season last season, but that is no indication on how you will do this season. We put the focus on what we can do now. We have to focus on working hard today to improve.”
The Division 4 playoffs began where the regular season left off: South Christian vs. Wayland at East Kentwood’s Falcon Stadium.
The rematch of the regular season finale, which saw both teams combine for nearly 1,000 yards and 89 total points, looked a lot different Friday night as South Christian controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball to cruise to a 34-7 playoff victory.
South Christian struggled out of the gate
The Sailors elected to receive the opening kickoff and proceeded on a 15-play drive that saw junior quarterback Carson Vis struggle to pass the ball. Vis went 1-4 and took a sack before turning the ball over on downs.
Wayland started its first drive at the 25-yard line. On the second play, Wildcat running back Cameron Bogart burst out of the backfield and streaked down the sideline for a 74-yard touchdown run.
South Christian Coach Danny Brown had flashbacks of the week prior.
“That was not how we anticipated it starting,” said Brown, whose team improved to 7-3.”We envisioned coming out getting a defensive stop and scoring.
“We knew that if we could all come together and trust each other and do what we’re supposed to do, we would have a chance.”
Sailors grind it out on offense
Vis finished off a 14-play, 70-yard drive that took over seven minutes off the game clock with a 4-yard dart to Jake Vermaas that tied the game at 7.
Vis threw an interception to Wayland’s Kaharrie Pureifoy on the next drive.
South Christian grabs lead for good
The final drive of the first half was capped off by an 8-yard touchdown run by Vis to give South Christian a 14-7 lead at the half.
“All year, we have been scoring in a hurry; this game, we had to grind it out,” Brown explained.
A week after giving up 453 yards, South Christian stood stout and gave up the lone touchdown on the opening drive.
South Christian’s Cam VanSolkema. (WKTV/Ty Marzean)
“We took it personal”
Senior defensive lineman Cam VanSolkema has been an anchor on the Sailor defensive front since he’s been a freshman.
“I think the energy at practice changed the whole game,” VanSolkema said. “We all trust each other and love each other, and that was the topic we worked on during practice this week.
“We took it personal and we got it done on defense.”
South Christian controlled the second half as Vis went a perfect 6-for-6 with another touchdown pass to Vermaas while adding a second running score.
“He was a little off schedule to start the game,” Brown said. I don’t know if he was just excited. We went up to him and said settle down and get back to basics.”
Vis completed 11-of-16 passes for 188 yards and two scores, including an interception. He also ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
South Christian receiver Jake Vermaas earlier this year. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
His favorite target, Vermaas, had six catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns.
South Christian advanced to the district finals against Forest Hills Eastern next Friday.
Last meeting, the Sailors beat Forest Hills Eastern 32-29 in Week 4.
“They’re a good team up front they’ve got some really good linemen, and their backs run hard, so we’re going to have a challenge,” Brown explained. “We’re going to need another great week of practice like we had this week.”
The winner of that matchup faces the winner of Whitehall vs. Big Rapids on November 10 in the regional finals.
The Sailors hope to continue their winning playoff ways from last year, where they finished a perfect 14-0 season with a D-4 state title with a 28-0 win over Goodrich. It was South Christian’s fourth state championship in football.
The high school football season has moved into playoff mode and so has WKTV’s featured football coverage — this week will be a rematch matchup as Wyoming Godwin Heights (7-2) again travels to Wyoming Kelloggsville (9-0) for an opening-round Division 4 game on Friday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m..
Other local teams in the football playoffs include Grand Rapids South Christian (7-2) hosting Plainwell (7-2), also Friday at 7 p.m., at Byron Center High School. And Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (6-3) will be traveling north to Suttons Bay (6-3) for an 8-Man Division 1 playoff game Saturday, Oct. 28, at 2 p.m.
Currently, WKTV sports events will be broadcast the night of the game on Comcast Channel 25, usually at 11 p.m., and repeated on Saturday at 11 a.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/
Local high school sports events this week are as follows:
Tuesday, Oct. 24
Girls Volleyball
Wyoming @ Christian
Wyoming Lee @ Algoma Christian
Kelloggsville @ Muskegon Orchard View
Zion Christian @ Grand River Prep
TBD @ Tri-Unity Christian – Rivertown/Crossroads Tri
Boys Soccer
TBD – MHSAA Regionals
Wednesday, Oct. 25
Girls Volleyball
O-K Red Conference Meet @ East Kentwood
Thursday, Oct. 26
Girls Volleyball
South Christian @ FH Eastern
Middleville T-K @ Wyoming – Senior Night
WMAES @ Wyoming Lee – Senior Night
Boys Soccer
TBD – MHSAA Regionals
Friday, Oct, 27
Boys Water Polo
@ East Kentwood – MHSAA Regionals
Football
Wyoming Godwin Heights at Wyoming Kelloggsville (playoffs)
Plainwell at South Christian (at Byron Center High School) (playoffs)
Saturday, Oct. 28
Boys/girls Cross Country
Wyoming @ Allendale – MHSAA Regionals
Wyoming Lee @ Allendale – MHSAA Regionals
Godwin Heights @ Allendale – MHSAA Regionals
Tri-Unity Christian @ Allendale – MHSAA Regionals
TBD – MHSAA Regionals
Boys Water Polo
@ East Kentwood – MHSAA Regionals
8-Man Football
Tri-unity Christian at Suttons Bay (playoff)
Monday, Oct. 30
Girls Volleyball
Wyoming vs TBD @ Christian – MHSAA Districts
Wyoming Lee vs TBD @ South Christian – MHSAA Districts
Godwin Heights vs Kelloggsville @ South Christian – MHSAA Districts
@ East Kentwood – MHSAA Districts
Tuesday, Oct. 31
Halloween
Girls Volleyball
Zion Christian vs Holland Calvary @ Tri-Unity Christian – MHSAA Districts
