Connect with us

Football

West Michigan Conference football roundup: Ludington tops long-standing rival Manistee

Take a trip around the league in Week 6.

In one of the oldest high school football rivalries in the state, Ludington got back at Manistee Friday night in West Michigan Conference Lakes Division action.

Host Ludington defeated Manistee, 45-21, thanks to a balanced offensive attack and a strong second half. The Orioles had lost the last two meetings again the Chippewas.

Ludington-Manistee is tied for the fourth-oldest rivalry in Michigan based upon the year the series started, which for the Orioles and Chippewas was 1895. Friday’s matchup was the 145th meeting all-time. Ludington leads the series, 70-64-11.

Ludington outgained Manistee in total offense, 406-209. The Orioles rushed for 258 yards and passed for 148.

Trey Forfinski rushed 17 times for a game-high 131 yards and one touchdown. Chase Hackert was 7 of 9 passing for 148 yards with two TDs and one pick. David Shillinger ran three times for 83 yards and two TDs. Nathan Gilchrist caught three passes for 100 yards with two TDs.

Forfinski paced the Ludington defense with 10.5 tackles, including a sack and three stops for lost yardage. Gage Jones had 10 tackles for the Orioles.

Kaden Kott and Nick Hornkohl scored rushing TDs for Manistee, while Jeff Huber tossed a scoring pass to Hornkohl. Braydon Sorenson and Hornkohl led the Chippewas with six stops apiece.

Ludington improves to 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the WMC Lakes with the win. The Orioles head to Whitehall next Friday to take on the undefeated, second-ranked Vikings (6-0, 3-0 WMC Lakes) in their homecoming game.

Manistee (3-3, 1-3 WMC Lakes) hosts Shelby next week in a WMC nondivisional game.

FREMONT 38, ORCHARD VIEW 16: Justin Dirheimer rushed for 172 yards and three TDs on 30 carries to power visiting Fremont to the WMC Lakes Division win over Orchard View.

Owen Hertel added 115 yards and a TD on just three carries for the Packers (4-2, 1-2 WMC Lakes). Talen Reichert-Slater completed 9 of 14 passes for 73 yards and a TD toss to Gabe Curtice, who finished with four catches for 46 yards.

Connor Pettis led Fremont’s defense with eight tackles, while Michael Romero had 7 ½ stops. Gabe VanVleet, Andrew Steger and Owen VandenBerg had 5 ½ tackles apiece for the Packers.

Alex Theile led Orchard View (0-6, 0-3 WMC Lakes) with 75 yards and a TD on six carries. Stephon Oakes recorded three solo tackles and four assists for the Cardinals.

The teams were close in rushing yards, as Fremont held a 299-296 edge. OV had no passing yards.

Next week, Fremont plays at Montague while Orchard View renews its rivalry with Oakridge.

Members of Fremont’s 2022 football team posed for a group photo during West Michigan Conference Media Day hosted by CatchMark SportsNet and MLive and sponsored by VanDyk Mortgage Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, at the VAC in Whitehall, Mich. (Amy Yonkman | CatchMark)

RAVENNA 62, HESPERIA 30: Ravenna built a 56-0 halftime lead en route to a homecoming victory over Hesperia in a WMC Rivers Division game.

Homecoming king Hunter Hogan ran five times for 82 yards and two touchdowns on five carries, plus he completed 5 of 7 passes for 96 yards and a score. He also led Ravenna defensively with four tackles.

Drew Mabrito caught two of those passes for 62 yards and a TD. Mabrito also scored on both of his carries on the way to an 80-yard night on the ground. Nathan Kooiman scored two rushing TDs for the Bulldogs as well.

It was the fifth straight win for Ravenna (5-1, 4-0 WMC Rivers), which travels to North Muskegon next Friday in what could determine the divisional title. It will be the North Grove Brewers WMC Game of the Week. CatchMark SportsNet will produce a free livestream as part of its comprehensive coverage.

No stats were submitted for Hesperia, which slips to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the WMC Rivers Division. The Panthers visit Mason County Central next week.

Photos by Scott Robar for CatchMark

HART 22, MASON COUNTY CENTRAL 16: Visiting Hart got back on the winning track with a balanced offensive attack and strong defensive effort against Mason County Central in a WMC Rivers matchup.

The Pirates (4-2, 2-1 WMC Rivers) rushed for 253 yards and passed for 151. Eman Hertzler ran nine times for 118 yards to lead Hart. Trayce Tate ran 11 times for 57 yards with a TD and a two-point conversion. Connor Edwards also scored a rushing TD. Trenton Swihart completed 4 of 7 passes with one TD and a two-point conversion for the Pirates. Chase Gale caught three passes for 148 yards and a TD.

Swihart also did the job defensively with eight solo tackles and an assist. Adrian Tice had eight solos and two assists, including a sack, for Hart. Tate also notched eight solos and an assist.

No stats were submitted for Mason County Central (1-5, 1-3 WMC Rivers).

Next week, Hart hosts Holton and Mason County Central welcomes Hesperia for homecoming night.

Members of Hart’s 2022 football team posed for a group photo during West Michigan Conference Media Day hosted by CatchMark SportsNet and MLive and sponsored by VanDyk Mortgage Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, at the VAC in Whitehall, Mich. (Amy Yonkman | CatchMark)

SHELBY 26, HOLTON 6: Host Shelby earned the WMC Rivers Division victory on homecoming night for the Tigers’ first two-game winning streak since the middle of the 2014 season.

The Tigers’ Travis Boughan completed 11 of 28 passes for 206 yards with two touchdowns and he rushed 14 times for 72 yards. Bishop Lee caught six passes for 145 yards and a TD. Lalo Garcia ran four times for 61 yards and a TD. Treyjin Waller made four receptions for 11 yards and a score.

Boughan also led Shelby defensively with 4 ½ tackles and an interception. Griffin Olmstead had 3 ½ stops for the Tigers (2-4 overall, 2-2 WMC Rivers).

No stats were submitted for Holton (0-6, 0-3 WMC Rivers).

Next week, Shelby is at Manistee and Holton travels to Hart.

Members of Shelby’s 2022 football team posed for a group photo during West Michigan Conference Media Day hosted by CatchMark SportsNet and MLive and sponsored by VanDyk Mortgage Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, at the VAC in Whitehall, Mich. (Amy Yonkman | CatchMark)

RELATED CONTENT:

Lead writer for CatchMark SportsNet and Web Services leader for CatchMark Technologies.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Must See

More in Football