The way Oakridge’s football team has been playing, all the Eagles have to do is focus on themselves and the rest should take care of itself.
They put forth another businesslike performance Friday night.
Oakridge captured a third-straight Division 5 district championship with a 30-8 victory over visiting Belding at Russell A. Erickson Stadium.
Now, Oakridge (10-1) sets its sights on earning its first regional title since 2013. The Eagles have home-field advantage for the regional finals regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s district final between Gladwin (10-0) and Kingsford (7-3).
Belding, which went unbeaten in the OK Silver Conference, finishes with a 9-2 record.
Photos by Emily Vanderstelt for CatchMark
Here are notables and highlights from the Oakridge-Belding game:
- Oakridge outgained Belding in total offense, 325-132, including a 232-98 advantage in rushing yards.
- There were no turnovers in the game.
- Oakridge took an 8-0 lead five minutes into the game on senior Matt Danicek’s 27-yard touchdown pass to senior Chris Knapp, combined with Danicek’s two-point conversion run.
- Oakridge led 14-0 on Danicek’s 9-yard scoring run seven seconds into the second quarter.
- Belding answered midway through the second quarter on Jack Ward’s 9-yard TD run. Drew Donovan’s two-point conversion pass from Anthony Szubinski pulled the Black Knights within 14-8 with 5:45 left in the half.
- Oakridge wasn’t finish in the first half. Junior workhorse Trever Jones scored on a 3-yard run with 1:57 left in the second quarter and he added the two-point conversion run to put the Eagles ahead 22-8.
- Jones put the game away with 3:24 remaining when he scored on a 9-yard run. Ty Maitland’s two-point conversion pass from Danicek accounted for the final margin.
- Jones finished with 150 yards on 21 carries. He also racked up 11 tackles to help lead the Eagles’ defense.
- Danicek went 9-of-11 passing for 93 yards with no interceptions, plus he averaged 38.5 yards on two punts.
- Knapp caught four passes for 57 yards.
- Oakridge junior Brody Jennings recorded 13 tackles to pace his team.
- Oakridge senior Brian Elizondo had nine tackles, while junior Julian Primmer notched eight stops.
- Ward led Belding on the ground with 32 yards on seven carries.
- Szubinski completed 3 of 7 passes for 34 yards. Owen Meinke caught two of those passes for 27 yards. Szubinski averaged 38.8 yards on four punts.
- Belding’s Hunter Conrad led his team defensively with 13 solo tackles. Isai Badded had six stops for the Black Knights.
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