Photos by Scott DeCamp | CatchMark
WHITEHALL — Whitehall’s football team faced a couple of formidable challenges in the 2023 season opener Thursday night on its home field.
As if beating a disciplined and well-coached Hudsonville Unity Christian squad weren’t enough, the Vikings were hit hard by cramps as the teams battled through sweltering heat.
Whitehall was the last team standing, however, in a 34-28 victory.
Here are more details and notables from the game. Don’t miss the highlights and reaction video below.
- Whitehall senior quarterback Kyle Stratton seemed most affected by legs cramps. He went to the ground several times as his right calf seized up. Despite that, the 5-foot-9, 175-pound playmaker still led the way for the Vikings. He finished 13-of-17 passing for 244 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Stratton also paced the ground game with 64 yards and a TD on 19 carries, including a 15-yard scoring run in the second quarter.
- Stratton connected with junior Camden Thompson and senior Malcolm Earvin on 39-yard TD passes in the second and third quarters, respectively. His scrambling 9-yard scoring pass to senior Trannon Aylor with 5:13 remaining gave Whitehall a 34-21 lead for a little cushion.
- Whitehall built a 27-7 lead early in the third quarter on the scoring pass from Stratton to Earvin, but Unity Christian did not go away. The Crusaders scored consecutive TDs to pull within 27-21 by the end of the quarter.
- Unity Christian denied Whitehall on fourth-and-goal from the 1 on the game’s first series. The Crusaders then drove the length of the field and got on the board first on Max VanKoevering’s 5-yard TD run with 2:56 remaining in the first quarter.
- Whitehall scored the next 27 points, sparked by senior Darnell Mack’s 15-yard TD run up the middle to tie it at 7 with 58 seconds left in the opening quarter.
- Thompson had a big night for Whitehall. The 6-foot-5, 190-pounder, who is receiving Division I offers in basketball and football, finished with five receptions for 106 yards. He also stepped up as the Vikings’ backup QB when Stratton was dealing with cramping. Thompson guided the offense with confidence, showing speed and agility with 18 rushing yards on two carries.
- Aylor, the other half of Whitehall’s dynamic 1-2 receiving punch, finished with 64 yards on four catches. He also notched five solo tackles and two assists from his safety position.
- Whitehall senior Ca’Mar Ready made three receptions for 35 yards. He also led the Vikings defense with six solo tackles, including one for loss.
- Earvin finished with 55 rushing yards on six carries.
- Whitehall junior linebacker Parker Mott recorded four solo tackles and eight assists.
- Whitehall sophomore Hunter Osborne had two solo tackles and three assists in his first game as a Viking.
- Whitehall senior Trenton TenBrock delivered two solo tackles and five assists.
- Whitehall seniors Everett Napier and Kadin Waller each had two solo tackles and four assists, with Napier notching a tackle for loss.
- In Week 2, Whitehall travels across the state to take on Tecumseh in a nonleague game scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday (Aug. 31). Meanwhile, Unity Christian takes on another West Michigan Conference team when it travels to Oakridge for a 7 p.m. game next Thursday.
