Rockford Rams 35, Traverse City West 7

Klukowski leads Rockford in pounding TC West
By Jane Bos / The Grand Rapids Press

Hey, Spencer Klukowski, you just led the Rockford football team to a crushing 35-7 win over Traverse City West at Thirlby Field Saturday afternoon, where are you going now? Somewhere exotic, like Hawaii? Or how about Disney World? Nope, Klukowski is going home to Ted Carlson Memorial Field for a Division 1 regional final next Saturday.

After playing its first playoff games on the road -- Grandville and then Traverse City -- Rockford (9-2) heads home. The Rams host because they have a higher playoff-point ranking than their opponent, Grand Blanc (9-2). " That is the best feeling in the world, that's awesome," said Klukowski, the Rams quarterback, who accounted for 190 yards in the air and three touchdown passes. "Going home. We're going home to The Ted."

Rockford clearly earned the home field advantage Saturday. While the defense grabbed three fumbles in the first half -- two of which they turned into scores -- and added an interception in the fourth, the offense posted a 28-0 first-half lead. Then midway through the third quarter, after Klukowski tossed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Zach Van Setters and Steve Kamphuis added his fifth straight point-after boot of the game, the score was 35-0, which sent the clock running.

With 5:51 left in the game, Titans quarterback Tony Thompson scored on a 6-yard run to stop the running clock, but it was too little, too late. Traverse City West, ranked third in the state, ends its season 10-1. " Without a doubt, this team can play when it decides to play," said Rockford coach Ralph Munger. "I could not be more proud. It was a decent effort in all three phases of the game. It's a great day in Traverse City for the Rams."

The great day began on the opening drive when they marched the ball 65 yards on eight plays and into the end zone. Sophomore Zach Breen finished the drive with a 17-yard touchdown.
On their subsequent drive, the Titans traversed the field in 14 plays. Then on their 15th down, they fumbled the ball on the Rockford 4-yard line, and the Rams' Josh Rauser recovered it. The Rams failed to convert on this turnover.

With 4:42 left in the second quarter, Rockford's Billy McDonald snapped up a second Titans fumble and raced back 54 yards for a score. The Titans fumbled on their next possession and the Rams' Kyle Rozema recovered it. Four plays later, Klukowski threw a 14-yard TD pass to Breen with 2:52 left.
The Rams final score of the first half, an 11-yard pass from Klukowski to Bryan Anderson with 13.3 seconds left came on a drive that took five plays and 46 seconds.

" Rockford did a great job on us," said TC West coach Matt Prisk said. "But you can't turn the ball over three times in one half. That led to our demise. We rushed the ball well against them, but we just can't turn the ball over like that and expect to win. That's what hurt us the most."

TC West, in its eighth year of existence, won its first-ever playoff game last week against East Kentwood, 27-23. Saturday, the Titans managed 169 yards on the ground, led by quarterback Thompson with 90 yards. He also threw for 31 yards, connecting on two of eight attempts.
" Our kids played the kind of defense today that we like to see," Munger said. "They just flew to the ball. I am proud of them."