Rockford digs deep, stops Hudsonville
By Jane Bos / The Grand Rapids Press
HUDSONVILLE -- Points, possessions and parking
spots, nothing was easy to come by Friday night.
Not exactly certain how the Rockford football faithful fared
zooming their vehicles into available spaces around the Eagle
Athletic Complex, but the Rams football team fought for just
enough points.
The No. 1-ranked team in the state in Division 1, Rockford scored
late and hung on to capture a 15-12 victory against host Hudsonville,
the No. 1-rated team in Division 2.
Sometimes these amazing matchups between unbeaten teams live
up to the hype. Sometimes the fans -- nearly 10,000 folks crammed
in the stands and sprawled on the hillsides -- get there early
and stay until the decisive play.
That play, a 40-yard interception return by Rockford's Brogan
Bibler with 1:25 left, sealed the win.
"Points were just brutal to come by, it was a tough battle
up and down the field," said Bibler, a rare three-year starter
for the Rams. "They hit hard, they came back and we tried
to hit them hard, too. Hudsonville is a great team, and it's
great to come out on top of this (game) one time."
The win, the first for Rockford at Eagle Stadium and the second
all-time against Hudsonville, was a first for Bibler. But that
does not mean the Rams have not done well.
The last three seasons, Hudsonville and Rockford have captured
at least a share of the O-K Red Conference title. Since 2004,
both teams have made trips to the state finals, and Rockford
won it all twice.
Both teams, both programs are right up there. And Friday night
did not disappoint.
Well, maybe it did for the Hudsonville parents, fans and players.
"We are proud of our guys, they did a nice job, it would
have been nice to win," Hudsonville coach Dave Duram said. "They
are the No. 1-ranked team in Division 1, and there are many reasons
why.
"There was a lot of great hitting on both sides, both teams
battled, and we had one or two less breaks than they got."
One of those breaks came early in the second half with Rockford
leading 7-3, and a flag was thrown while Hudsonville was attempting
a field goal. The officials gave the ball back to the Eagles
and put them half the distance -- the 3-yard-line -- to the goal-line.
Hudsonville thought the roughing-the-kicker penalty gave it
a whole new set of downs, and ran the next play 1 yard. But the
officials said, no, it was a rushing-the-kicker penalty, which
meant the Eagles had only one down. And so Rockford got the ball.
The Eagles did take their first lead of the game, 12-7, on a
32-yard run by Jordan Jonker. But Rockford went back on top 15-12
after Jordan Morren ran in a 10-yard TD with seven minutes left.
The decision came down to the final play.
"I don't pay much attention to rankings, quite honestly,
but this was a very hard-hitting affair, and our guys were up
to the task," Rockford coach Ralph Munger said. "To
be able to hold on, to stymie them, to stifle them, that is something.
"It was a great game (with) two outstanding programs, and
tonight was our night."
