“I was shocked… shocked I tell you.” “Who are these guys?”
These two variations of movie quotes from “Casablanca” and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” might be the most appropriate reactions to Wayland’s awful trip to the woodshed in Middleville Friday night.
What WOOD-TV Channel 8 billed as a huge battle of unbeatens turned out to be a merciless 44-7 thashing at the hands of a Thornapple Kellogg team that was 2-7 a year ago and 0-9 in 2016 and hadn’t enjoyed a winning season since 2011. So how did such an ailing program get so well so fast?
The Trojans, now 4-0 for the season, were anything but the patsies they’ve been accused of being for the last 13 years, a span in which they’ve had only two winning
campaigns. Even worse, they ruined Wayland’s 3-0 season start, just like they did way back in 2003.
Virtually everything that occurred in the first half was shocking. Middleville on the fourth play of the ballgame scored an astonishing 48-yard TD pass from halfback Jordan Roobol to sophomore wide receiver Cole Schoobridge. And the game afterward for the Wildcats was all downhill.
After Wayland went three and out and punted, fullback Brendan Hood, who was hard to bring down all night long, broke a number of tackles like a bull in a China shop and rambled 40 yards, all the way to the Wildcats’ three-yard line. Quarterback Gabe Nelson wedged over the goal line from the two a couple of plays later.
It could be argued that the shock of the first five minutes never wore off Wayland for the rest of the evening.
After Caleb Wolf returned one of Mitchell Middleton’s long kickoffs to near midfield, he and QB Carson Sevigny hooked up on a nifty 38-yard pass play to the TK 22. Sevigny shortly afterward threw a 21-yard TD pass to Devin Jakey, but referees whistled both teams for penalties on the play, making the whole thing a “do over.”
Wayland gave up the ball on downs four plays later.
From their own 14, the Trojans proceeded to do a quality imitation of tackle-to-tackle smash mouth football former coach Bob White used to run many years ago at the stadium named after him. They methodically marched the ball down the field until Nelson capped the drive with a 28-yard scoring strike to Schoobridge, and suddenly the home team was up 20-0 early in the second period.
Wayland came up with its second ill-fated scoring threat on its next possession, Sevigny twice kept the drive alive with “run for your life” scrambles on third down and tossed a 21-yard pass to Seth Sevenski-Popma, but he was sacked on fourth down at Middleville’s 39.
Hood broke loose again and ran like a bulldozer to Wayland’s 16. Trent Johnson took a pitchout eight yards away from the end zone and took it in to make it 27-0 with just over three and a half minutes left before homecoming intermission.
Thornapple Kellogg scored on all four its first four possessions and would have added a fifth if it hadn’t run out of time.
Middleton, only a sophomore who will attract college scouts to watch his kicking prowess, polished another smash mouth exhibition early in the third quarter from two yards out and not long afterward wowed a very pleased homecoming crowd with a massive 40-yard field goal.
The Trojans scored their last TD of the night when Schoobridge, serving as backup quarterback, went in from five yards out.
Wayland put its only points on the board during a running clock that showed just 26 seconds left. Backup QB Zac Jones took it in from eight yards and McKenna Bruin booted the PAT.
That last drive was aided by a pass interference and a face mask penalty assessed against the Trojans.
Wayland, now 3-1 overall, will play home next Friday night against defending O-K Gold Conference champion East Grand Rapids. The heavily favored Eagles and Grand Rapids Christian might do well to sit up and take notice of easily the most improved team in West Michigan — Middleville Thornapple Kellogg.