West Michigan Conference football roundup: Hart, Mason County Central collect Week 8 wins

The more Hart’s football team wins, the more milestones the Pirates achieve this season.

Hart’s 44-6 homecoming victory over Hesperia Friday night gives the Pirates a 6-2 record, marking the best eight-game record in 30 years. They also surpassed the program’s single-season scoring record Friday, surpassing last year’s mark of 250 total points by reaching 253 this fall with at least one more game to play.

Hart takes a 4-1 West Michigan Conference Rivers Division record into next Friday’s big game at Ravenna (5-3, 4-1 WMC Rivers), where the Pirates are hoping to earn their first playoff berth in school history. Should Hart reach seven wins, it would be the first time in 54 years. The last time Hart beat Ravenna was 1992, when the Pirates last reached six victories in a season.

Senior Trayce Tate led Hart against Hesperia with a game-high 127 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries. He added a two-point conversion run.

Sophomore Eman Hertzler added 81 yards on 10 carries for Hart. Senior quarterback Trenton Swihart was 3-of-7 passing for 64 yards with a pair of two-point conversions. Senior Revin Gale made two receptions for 61 yards.

Junior Adrian Tice paced the Pirates’ defense with six tackles, including a whopping four sacks. Junior Austin Martinez had eight tackles, while Swihart notched seven stops. Senior Zane Thomas had four sacks as well. Senior Bryce Jorissen and junior Connor Edwards each snagged an interception.

No stats were submitted for Hesperia, which slips to 1-7 overall and 0-5 in the WMC Rivers. The Panthers are scheduled to host rival Holton in the regular-season finale next Friday.

MASON COUNTY CENTRAL 52, SHELBY 6: Visiting Mason County Central jumped on Shelby in the first quarter, outscoring the Tigers 29-0 and building a 36-6 halftime lead. The Spartans put the game away with 16 fourth-quarter points.

Peyton Merz had another big game for MCC (3-5, 3-3 WMC Rivers), totaling a game-high 128 rushing yards and five TDs on only 13 carries. Will Chye was 4-of-7 passing for 84 yards for the Spartans. Brayden Overmyer paced MCC’s defense with four tackles, including a sack and three stops for lost yardage.

For Shelby (2-6, 2-3), Lalo Garcia completed 5 of 16 passes for 37 yards, including a 21-yard TD toss to Bishop Lee. Travis Boughan paced the Tigers’ defense with 6.5 tackles, while Treyjin Waller had 4.5 stops.

Next Friday, Mason County Central travels to face rival Ludington, while Shelby hosts North Muskegon as the Norse look to lock up the outright WMC Rivers Division title.

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