Rockford Rams 42, Grand Blanc 13

Nearly everything goes right for rockford in rout
By Jane Bos / The Grand Rapids Press

It might be easier to describe what didn't go right in Rockford's as-good-as-it-sounds 42-13 Division 1 regional final victory over Grand Blanc on Saturday. Let's see. There were a few too many penalties, particularly in the first half, when the Rams were whistled for seven for a loss of 65 yards.

Oh, yeah. According to coach Ralph Munger, they had "trouble running a couple of their counter plays early."

That is it. No kidding. Everything else went perfectly.

The offense clicked, the defense swarmed, the 7,500 fans at the Ted Carlson Memorial Field had plenty to cheer about, the sun was shining and the hot chocolate did not run out at the concession stands.
Perfect. And now Rockford (10-2) heads to the semifinals at 1 p.m. Saturday against South Lyon (10-2) at Lansing Everett High School.

" It is awesome, isn't it?" said a smiling Munger, clutching the school's first regional trophy since 1999. "We get to play again next week. It doesn't get better than that."

Grand Blanc (9-3), which had sent the clocks running in at least three of its games this year (when a team is up by 35 points or more in the second half), had the favor returned to them Saturday. The Rams scored on five of its six first-half possessions to go up 35-0 at halftime. So the clock ran the until the Bobcats narrowed the score to 42-13 with 39.9 seconds left in the game. Grand Blanc coach Joe Delaney clearly was impressed with the Rams.

" Rockford is a tremendous team," he said. "They man-handled us up front on both sides of the ball. I have a feeling we are going to see Rockford in the Dome." If the Rams keep this up, why not?
The defense limited the Bobcats to 48 yards rushing. And if not for freshman tailback Mark Ingram's 74-yard touchdown scamper with time running out, the Bobcats would have posted negative rushing yardage.

In fact it was the defense, which recovered Ingram's fumble (Josh Rauser) on the fist play of the game, that set up the first score, an 11-yard run by senior quarterback Spence Klukowski. Klukowski, who totaled 194 yards in the air, also threw two touchdown passes -- a 16-yarder to Bryan Anderson and a 19-yarder to Rauser. Sean O'Rourke (9 yards), Kyle Osborn (9) and Tyler Rahn (2) scored, too.

But none of this would have been possible without the offense line -- tackles Jeremiah Readle and Kevin Keeney, guards Ben Helbich and Nate Host and center Bob Mills. The defensive line, led inside by tackles Ian Bartholomew and Brian Amey and nose guard Matt Kitler ruled, too.

" Rockford is far and above every team we have played this year," Delaney said. " Everything they did, they did well. They can run, they can pass, they did whatever they wanted on defense. They are bigger, faster, stronger and that is why they are moving on."