MONTAGUE — Oakridge’s football team made it very clear from the start that there would be no repeat from 2021 at Montague.
The Eagles capitalized on turnovers and exerted their will throughout the contest in a 45-7 victory over the host Wildcats on their senior night in the North Grove Brewers West Michigan Conference Game of the Week Friday at Townsend Athletic Complex.
Oakridge avenged last year’s 33-7 defeat to Montague on the same field and now the Eagles (8-1, 5-1 WMC Lakes Division) carry momentum into the playoffs that kick off next week.
Montague (3-6, 2-4) looks to be a safe bet to make the playoffs, but the Wildcats will have to regroup after suffering their fifth loss in six games.
Watch a replay of CatchMark SportsNet’s livestream at the top of this story. Below, check out the photo galleries, video highlights and reaction, TikToks and more details from the game.
Photos by Emily Vanderstelt for CatchMark
- Oakridge finishes second in the WMC Lakes Division behind unbeaten Whitehall. Montague finishes fifth in the division.
- According to playoff projections, Oakridge could host at least two playoff games in Division 5 and possibly another as long as the Eagles can keep on winning. Montague is still expected to be in the Division 6 playoff field at 3-6 because of strength of schedule, but the Wildcats will almost certainly be on the road.
- Oakridge outgained Montague in total offense, 347-226.
- Only one flag was thrown all game: Encroachment on Montague for five yards.
- Montague lost all three of its fumbles and threw an interception, while Oakridge had no fumbles and one pick.
- Oakridge was 5-for-5 on red-zone scoring chances.
- Oakridge senior quarterback Matt Danicek was 11-of-20 passing for 191 yards and three touchdowns. He hit senior Chris Knapp on 47- and 15-yard scoring strikes and lofted a nice 15-yard TD pass to senior Ty Maitland. Danicek capped Oakridge’s scoring on a 6-yard run to make it 45-0 with 7:47 remaining. He finished with 60 rushing yards on 10 attempts.
- Oakridge junior Trever Jones rushed 14 times for 70 yards with TD runs of 5 and 7 yards.
- Oakridge sophomore Evan Miller made three receptions for 56 yards, plus he caught three two-point conversion passes.
- Montague senior QB Chase Gowell finished 12-of-27 passing for 106 yards.
- Montague junior Austin Cook ran 14 times for a game-high 80 yards.
- Montague junior Paul Olson scored his team’s lone TD on a 5-yard toss from sophomore Eli Petersen with 3:01 left in the game.
- Montague junior Isaiah Atchison made five catches for 87 yards.
Photos by Kiara Mikkelsen for CatchMark
- Oakridge senior Riley Bean and junior Julian Primmer led their team with eight tackles apiece. Primmer also had an interception, while Bean had a pass breakup.
- Oakridge junior Brody Jennings notched seven tackles, while Jones and senior Brian Elizondo made six tackles each. Jones registered a sack for a loss of 14 yards and he recovered a fumble.
- Oakridge senior Kyle Weaver had five tackles with a forced fumble and recovery. Eagles senior Wyatt Douglas also had recovered a fumble.
- Montague senior Silas Jancek, the West Michigan Conference’s leading tackler, made seven stops including a sack for a loss of nine yards.
- Montague senior Michael Moore also had seven tackles, two for lost yardage.
- Montague junior Joe Winkelman made five tackles.
- Montague senior Izac Jarka picked off a pass.
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