Photos by Kiara Mikkelsen for CatchMark
MONTAGUE — Montague’s football team went back and forth with Spring Lake in Thursday night’s 2023 season opener at Townsend Athletic Complex.
The Lakers’ running game, led by junior quarterback Reid Grimmer, proved to be the difference.
Grimmer rushed for a game-high 141 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries to lead Spring Lake to a 34-28 victory over host Montague.
Here are more details and notables from the game. Watch the video at the bottom of this story with video clips and interviews courtesy of Bill O’Connell.
- The teams traded the lead six times in the first three quarters. Spring Lake led 6-0 after one quarter and 12-7 at halftime. Montague led 21-20 through three quarters.
- A 5-yard pick-6 by Wren Dephouse in the fourth quarter was a turning point for Spring Lake.
- Grimmer scored on runs of 1 yard in the first quarter, 2 yards in the second quarter, and 9 yards in the third quarter for Spring Lake. He was 3-of-7 passing for 46 yards.
- Dephouse ran 10 times for 99 yards.
- Montague senior Isaiah Atchison made big plays. The Central Michigan University commit caught four passes for 116 yards, converting two of the catches into TDs covering 81 and 16 yards.
- Montague sophomore quarterback Mason Darke was 14-of-23 passing for 192 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. He also led the way on the ground with 113 yards and a TD on 16 carries.
- Montague senior Adam Baird ran seven times for 51 yards and a TD. He alsohad nine solo tackles and three assists.
- Montague senior Paul Olson caught six passes for 66 yards. He also notched nine solo tackles and three assists.
- Montague junior Ryver Jarka led his team with 13 solo tackles and one assist.
- Montague senior Austin Cook had eight solo tackles and eight assists.
- Next week, Montague hosts Ravenna in a West Michigan Conference nondivisional matchup at 7 p.m. Thursday (Aug. 31). Spring Lake hosts Belding next Thursday.
