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TOP 10 GAMES OF ALL TIME by Tim Saunders Before
I get to the list, I want to give some criteria for how I came up with
it. First of all, I tried to pick those games that meant the most to
the community and to the program. Second, I looked to see that the game
was close. Third, I tried to even out the list so that one season/team
isn't represented 7 times. Finally, I limited the games to those I had
been to or played in, a span that covers 11 years. Also,
since this season is still in progress, I decided not to include any
games from this year. And that is a good thing, otherwise half the list
may be very familiar and fresh in our memories. Ok,
enough stalling. Here is my list. 10)
Rockford at West Ottawa 1992 The
Rams of '92 featured as powerful and tough a team as any of the past
10 years. While they didn't possess the athleticism and speed of the
teams that followed them, they did something no other Rockford team
prior had done: win the OK-Red tittle. Seniors Seth Yon, Jason Grutter,
Chad Klaver, and Jason Schaub led Rockford through a tough conference
season and into the playoffs. Tim Saur hauled in a key touchdown pass
on a cold and windy night, and the Rams prevailed 18-8. 9)
Rockford at Brighton 1999 Regional Final A
late blooming Ram squad of '99 finally came together to shock Midland
and Grand Haven on the road in the playoffs. The Rams won their fourth
straight regional final on this day, dealing Brighton a physical pounding
that may have no equal. The Rams found themselves down at halftime and
came out in the second half determined to play on one more week. Playing
in an unseasonably warm November afternoon, the Mike Lundberg-led defense
unloaded on a talented Brighton spread-offense. The Rams made a mark
on the east side of the state and won 40-20. 8)
Rockford at Jenison 1996 Things
did not look promising heading into this game. The Rams had eeked out
a win the week before over class BB Catholic Central, and carried a
four game losing steak to the Wildcats into the contest. Each team looked
tentative with their first few possessions, and then the game broke
wide open. J.R. Rhode blocked a Jenison punt in their end zone, recovered
the ball for a touchdown, and the Rams never looked back. The Rams had
a 42-0 halftime lead, en route to a 42-8 win. This win was the springboard
for much greater things for this team. 7)
East Kentwood at Rockford 1995 The
'95 Rams had a lot to accomplish heading into their season. Consecutive
losing seasons had brought down the Rams, yet the '95 Rams didn't flinch
at their opportunity to turn the program around. With one of the most
dominating defenses the Rams ever fielded, Rockford equaled a previous
best for a conference mark by winning a close game over the Jon Anes
led Falcons, 14-7. This win also marked the return of the Rams to the
playoffs, propelling Rockford to a second ever playoff berth. 6)
Rockford at Jenison 1998 The
Jenison faithful printed t-shirts the week before the game that had
the unbeaten Rams listed with a 6-1 record after facing the Wildcats.
Rumor has it that those shirts are the brightest in Jenison since they've
only been worn and washed once. Jenison had a chance to make their T-shirt
prophecy a reality until a late fumble was recovered by senior Courtney
Yon at the Ram 15 yard line. Rockford finished up unbeaten in conference
play and captured their third straight OK-Red conference title. Rams
win 7-6. Rockford
would match up with the Wildcats again in the first round of the playoffs,
this time beating them 35-14. 5)
Grand Ledge at Rockford 1997 Regional Final The
'97 Rams were the first (and only) Rockford team to post a 9-0 regular
season record, the first to go 7-0 in the OK-Red, and the first (and
only) to be ranked in USA Today's football poll. There were a lot of
great things that this team accomplished on and off the field. They
have a lot to be proud of. One
of those things is capturing a second straight regional title. The Rams
dismantled Lansing Eastern the previous week 49-7, scoring 42 on the
Josh Thornhill led team before halftime. So shocking was this that Grand
Ledge coach Pat O'Keefe claimed on Lansing TV that it was a fluke that
would not be repeated against his Comets. He
was right. The
Rams scored 45 before halftime. The
greatest assembly of football talent that Rockford has ever fielded
enjoyed a fitting home finale before 9000 snow covered fans. Final
score, 45-13. 4)
Rockford vs. Detroit Catholic Central 1998 State Final I
had a really hard time wondering where to place this game on my list.
This state final appearance is the pinnacle of Rockford football. Not
only that, but it was probably one of the best state final games I've
ever seen, Rockford or otherwise. Even though it wasn't a Ram victory,
this game is the high water mark for the football program. It
was a high water mark for the community as well. A sea of orange covered
half of the Silverdome, impressing even Shamrock fans. I was purchasing
a book a year later at GVSU's bookstore when the teller, noticing my
Ram pullover, asked if I graduated from Rockford. Her brother played
for Detroit Catholic Central, and she noted, 'None of us could believe
how many fans you had and that they all wore orange. We were embarrassed
that there weren't more of us there for our team. You guys must really
love football.' Dan
Richards and Tony Savickas each had great games, as did the entire Rockford
defense. It's no mean feat to hold the defending state champs in check
on the ground, especially one that boasts as much talent as the Shamrocks
did. High school football Internet-guru 'Searn' has this Detroit Catholic
Central squad listed as the states all-time best at his web site. The
Rams pushed them to the limit, and came up five minutes short. In fact,
this was one of those games that they could still be playing, exchanging
touchdowns and the lead. Unfortunately, time ran out on the Rams, 27-23.
3)
East Kentwood at Rockford 2000 First Round Playoff Don't
let their record, or (relatively) early playoff exit fool you; this
team is among the best that Rockford has ever fielded. A field goal
as time expired in the regional final against eventual state champion
Grand Ledge was the difference between a 9-3 record and who knows what
might have been. East
Kentwood must also wonder what might have been following the frantic
finish to this first round playoff classic. The Rams spotted East Kentwood
at 24-8 lead before realizing that the season ends with a loss. Jarad
Smith's two touchdowns helped the Rams pull even with the Falcons. Vance
Nardin rumbled 70 yards to give the Falcons the lead with less than
5 minutes to play in the game. Kentwood ended up with the ball, and
the game, seemingly in hand before a fumble with 1:25 to play gave the
Rams life. Converting
on 4th down not just once but twice on the final drive, the
Rams marched 70 yards with only one timeout in hand. Nate Teft scored
his second touchdown of the game with just :09.5 seconds to play. The
Rams win an electrifying playoff thriller, 32-30. 2)
Rockford at East Kentwood 1998 Why
rank this game as high as I did? It's not a playoff game. It wasn't
a league championship game, either. Plus, Kentwood's record wasn't that
great. Well,
simply put, what Dan Richards did in this game is what every child who
ever touches a football dreams of and practices in his backyard; throwing
a game winning touchdown pass as time expires. East
Kentwood took the lead with :54 seconds to play, 26-21. Rockford had
only one time out to spare, and 60 yards to go. The drive started with
a 40-yard pass from Richards to Mike Oaks. Another completion to Andy
Segard brought the Rams closer to the end zone, but only :08 seconds
remained in the game. With 15 yards to go, Richards took the snap from
under center and dropped back. Scanning the field, Richards had five
receivers probing the Falcon secondary for an opening, and one Kentwood
defensive lineman with a hand reaching out for a game ending sack. Richards
somehow managed to elude the defender, and began sprinting towards the
line of scrimmage. More Kentwood down linemen were closing in and only
two options remained; run for the end zone, or hope for a receiver to
come open. As
it appeared to all that Richards would attempt to scamper into the end
zone, he quickly fired the ball at Segard in the back of the end zone.
Lying out along the grass, Segard slid across the field with the ball
tucked safely away in both of his arms. Game over. Rockford wins, 27-26.
1)Bay City
Central at Rockford 1996 Regional Final This
is the greatest game in the history of Rockford football. When
the season began, no one expected this team to do anything. They
had graduated a very strong senior class and were woefully short on
players with game experience. Some questioned whether there was any
senior leadership to be found among them. They
barely beat class BB Catholic Central in their first game. Some were
expecting a blow-out the next week at defending league champion Jenison.
They were right, although few would have predicted Rockford to win 42-8.
Fewer still would have believed that prediction. As
the season wore on, these Rams were faced with more of the same doubts.
'Are they for real?' After a dominating win against eventual class A
state champion Grandville, the Rams still hadn't been totally accepted
among fans, the media, or other teams as a legitimate playoff contender.
The
'96 Rams equaled previous school records for regular season record,
conference record, and won a conference title. Yet still there were
doubters. Not so much about the team, but about Rockford. 'Are they
for real?' Following
a frantic playoff selection Sunday, the Rams found that they would host
their first playoff game ever against traditional power Muskegon. A
new tradition would start for Rockford the next Saturday, as the team
that everyone questioned answered back the only way they knew how: beating
Muskegon 41-6 and winning the school's first playoff game. Rockford
now had the chance to play in the regional final against a crafty team
from Bay City Central. This is what the playoffs were about. This was
exciting and new. Who was Bay City? What was their mascot? What colors
were they? Would their band be any good? Would they bring a lot of fans?
The
most exciting thing that the '96 Rams brought us (in addition to this
game) was the fun that the playoffs are. There's mystery in who the
opponent is. There's finality in the games: win and you're in, lose
and the season is over. Big crowds come out to the games. The Ted is
rocking. The air is electric. Sometimes it snows. There is nothing like
playoff time in November. This
particular playoff game was a classic. Mike Segard threw three touchdown
passes for the Rams, but Bay City's quarterback proved that he could
equal Segard. With a tricky play-action passing attack, the Wolves overcame
a 14-0 deficit to take a 21-14 lead. Jeff
Wilson led the Rams back in the second half to keep the Rams in the
game. Actually,
Wilson did more than lead the Rams back. He carried the Rams on his
back. He rushed past, over and through anyone who stood between him
and the end zone. With time running out in the fourth quarter, Wilson's
two touchdowns brought the Rams back from the edge of defeat to tie
the game at 28-28. The
Ram defense, one the best Rockford defenses in school history, surrendered
yards to Bay City on their final drive, but no points. With a minute
to go in the game, the Rams, paced by Dan and Tom Hosford, held firm
with a goal line stand and forced Bay City to attempt a field goal for
the win. Intense pressure from the Rams extra point block team caused
a Wolf defender to inadvertently block his own teams kick. The
Rams took possession of the ball and quickly marched down the field
behind runs by Segard and Hosford, but a field goal attempt of their
own came up short as time expired. It was time for overtime. Rockford
struck quickly as Segard connected with a wide-open Pete Buurstra in
the end zone on only their second play. The Rams looked cool and poised
on offense, and seemed to have the game in hand, but a missed extra
point looked as if the Ram's season could be doomed to an overtime loss. Bay
City took possession at the Ram 10, in the south end zone of the Ted.
Their first play, a sweep to the outside, was met by Tom Hosford one
yard deep in the Wolves backfield. Second down and 11 almost proved
disastrous for Bay City. Senior defensive lineman Mike Saunders knocked
the ball loose from the Wolves quarterback, but an alert Bay City lineman
covered the ball before the Rams could claim it. Third
down and 11 was the crucial play of the series. Bay City had damaged
Rockford's defense all day long with their play-action pass, and it
was only natural to do what worked best when the game was on the line.
The Ram's defense was prepared though, and the defensive secondary was
ready. The
Wolves quarterback took the snap from under center, faked the hand-off
to his running back, and rolled back to pass. An alert Rockford secondary
held to their assigned coverage, and there were no open receivers for
Bay City. Pressure from Rockford's interior line forced the Wolves quarterback
away from his protection, and he scrambled back from the line of scrimmage.
Away
from the play, Saunders was blocked and knocked to the ground by the
Wolves offensive line. There is a reason that coaches teach their players
not to give up on a play, and that reason is what Saunders did next.
Picking
himself up off the ground, Saunders spied the Wolves quarterback and
bolted after him. They met 18 yards later at the Rams 28, as the Bay
City quarterback was hit and dropped for a game breaking sack. With
4th and 28, the Wolves called timeout and lined up with three
receivers to the right of their formation. It was presumably one of
many Hail Mary's called in the moments before the snap. Bay
City's line held firm, and the Rams couldn't pressure the Wolves quarterback.
The pass was delivered and seemed to hang in the air. One thing was
certain as soon as it was thrown: it would reach the end zone. As
the pass arced down, a crowd of Rams and Wolves camped underneath. Rising
above all others was the Ram who carried the team on his back in the
fourth quarter. Wilson jumped up and calmly batted the ball down to
the earth. Game
over, 34-28. Like
nothing that had ever come before, the Rams of '96 set the precedent
and expectations of all Rockford teams that would follow them. They
rallied a community around high school football and inspired a massive
following and support that few schools enjoy in Michigan or in the Midwest.
Five straight regional final appearances, four semi-finals, three conference
championships, and one state finals appearance; all of these started
with this group, and this game was their finest moment. This was the greatest game in the history of Rockford
football. This
doesn't have to end here! Send me your own list, and why, of Rockford's
10 best games of the past 10 seasons. If you can make a case of some
other compelling moments in Rockford's football history, aside from
the past 10 years, send those in too. Email those thoughts and comments
to me at tim_saunders41@hotmail.com
and we'll feature the best replies here in a future column. Go RAMS! Honorable
Mention Games: 2000
Grand Ledge 27-30: Tough loss to eventual state champs 1997
East Kentwood 14-12: Big win over classic conference rivals 1997
Jenison 35-23: 'You Got
Rockford' 1996
East Kentwood 6-7: Defensive battle that EK wins on blocked FG 1996
Grandville 23-13: Only loss for state champion Bulldogs 1996
Muskegon 41-6: First ever playoff win, first home playoff game 1994
East Kentwood 7-3: Another
EK gem decided in the last minute 1993
Grandville 28-38: First ever game at the Ted is a close loss to Bulldogs 1992
Grand Ledge 0-24: Battered Rams lose first ever playoff game |
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