Photos by Emily Vanderstelt and Scott DeCamp | CatchMark
WHITEHALL — Slowing Whitehall quarterback Kyle Stratton with his dual-threat ability is difficult enough, especially with the Vikings’ bevy of talented receivers.
Throw in a running game and that adds another set of issues for opponents.
Whitehall put a balanced offense on display, plus its typically stingy defense, in a 48-7 victory over visiting Oakridge Friday night in West Michigan Conference Lakes Division action. The Vikings rushed for 227 yards and passed for 210.
The victory keeps Whitehall, ranked second in The Associated Press Michigan high school football Division 4 poll, unbeaten at 6-0 overall. The Vikings are 3-0 in the WMC Lakes and have outscored those three opponents by a combined tally of 118-7.
With the loss, Oakridge is now 3-3 overall and 2-2 in the WMC Lakes.
Here are more details and notables from the game:
- Whitehall junior Ryan Goodrich and senior Darnell Mack provided a lift in the running game. Goodrich finished with a team-high 71 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. Mack, in his return from injury, added 43 yards and a TD on three carries. Goodrich opened the scoring with a 15-yard TD run in the first quarter, then he added another 15-yard scoring run in the third. Mack busted loose up the middle for a 35-yard TD run in the fourth to cap the game’s scoring.
- Stratton finished 9-of-14 passing for 210 yards with four TDs and no picks. He connected with senior Trannon Aylor on scoring passes covering 31 and 57 yards. Stratton also hooked up with senior Ca’Mar Ready on a 35-yard scoring play and with senior Malcolm Earvin on a 50-yard TD pass. Stratton added 70 rushing yards on eight carries, but he did not score a rushing TD.
- Aylor finished with three receptions for 96 yards, while Earvin had three catches for 62 yards and Ready three grabs for 52 yards. From his safety spot, he wrestled the ball away from a Oakridge receiver in the end zone for an interception early in the game.
- Whitehall senior Trenton TenBrock registered four solo tackles and four assists. He had a tackle for loss.
- Goodrich played well from his linebacker spot, too, finishing iwth four solo tackles and five assists, including a tackle for loss.
- Whitehall junior linebacker Parker Mott was all over the place as per usual. He totaled three solo tackles and 11 assists.
- Whitehall senior noseguard Jamar Hill had three solo tackles and four assists.
- With junior quarterback Evan Miller’s beautifully thrown 26-yard TD pass to junior Michael Wambaugh on the final play of the first half, Oakridge became the first WMC Lakes Division opponent to score on Whitehall this season. Arturo Romero-Serrano made the PAT kick to pull the Eagles within 20-7 at halftime.
- Oakridge running back Trever Jones was a workhorse as usual. The big and physical senior rushed for a game-high 109 yards on 24 carries. He attempted a halfback pass, but it was intercepted in the end zone.
- Miller finished 4-of-10 passing for 51 yards.
- Oakridge junior Braydon Peterson led his team with four solo tackles.
- Oakridge seniors Arnando Raap and Jullian Primmer each had three solo tackles and an assist. Primmer also notched a tackle for loss.
- Whitehall outgained Oakridge in total offense, 437-181.
- Next Friday, Whitehall heads north to take on Ludington (3-3, 2-2), which is coming off a 44-23 loss at Manistee. Meanwhile, Oakridge hosts neighboring rival Orchard View (3-3, 1-2), which picked up a 32-13 road win over Fremont Friday.
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