The same Wayla
nd football team that was just plain awful against East Grand Rapids a week ago nearly pulled off the upset of the year Friday night.
The Wildcats, who were clobbered by the O-K Gold Conference champion Pioneers 42-0 in just one half Oct. 7, scared the daylights out of the 7-1 league runner-up, Grand Rapids Christian, in a wild and crazy 41-36 loss.
And if it weren’t for one bizarre play, a horrible four and a half-minute stretch to start the second half and too many penalties, Wayland would have recorded the most startling football frenzy event of the year.
The Wildcats, recalling a phrase from 1960s youth political scene, dared to struggle and dared to win.
Coach Mike Doupe very smartly revamped his offense to maximize the passing talents of junior Carter Morse and the running of senior Kyle Jansen. The result was a more diverse, wide open and entertaining offensive effort.
Wayland drew first blood in its opening possession after defensive back Caleb Wolf came up with his first of two interceptions deep in his own territory.
The shocking first play from scrimmage set the tone for the rest of the evening. Morse tossed a short flare pass to wide receiver Gage Stancell, who deftly flicked it behind him to lineman Chad Stoepker, who rambled down the sidelines for a 39-yard gain to midfield. It was the classic hook-and-ladder play.
Morse then connected with Jansen for a 21-yard pass play to the Eagles’ 32. Three plays later Morse tossed a 27-yard scoring strike to Stancell and Chuck Wroblewski’s extra point made it 7-0.
Grand Rapids Christian wasted little time in answering. Quarterback Isaac Dykema tossed a high pass 33 yards down the middle to the end zone and 6-5 wide receiver Emmet Warners wrestled the pigskin away from defender Lee Misak in what looked like two guys going up for a jump ball.
Christian, behind the bruising rushing attempts by Matt Ellis, mounted a successful running drive, with Dykema faking to Ellis and instead giving the ball to Anthony Ladd for a far too easy 34-yard run untouched into the end zone.
But the Wildcats didn’t roll over. Buoyed by a 28-yard run by Jansen to midfield on third and two at their own 22, they pushed the football deep into Eagles’ territory, helped by a couple of pass interference calls. Morse took it into the end zone himself from two yards out to knot the count at 14-all at intermission.
But the first four and a half minutes of the third period were a nightmare.
Ellis intercepted a pass at the Wildcats’ 31 and the home team was whistled for a personal foul to boot. Ellis waltzed into the end zone untouched by bewildered Wayland defenders on the next play. The second half wasn’t even 30 seconds old.
Doupe gambled and lost on fourth down and one just moments later and paid dearly. After Ellis picked up two nice gains, Dykema fooled everybody by keeping it himself and scoring from seven yards out.
So with 7:44 remaining in the third quarter, Christian was up 28-14.
Not long afterwar
d Wayland launched its most impressive drive on the ground, with Jansen and Brody Place picking up bruising yardage behind some key blocks by tight end Ian Carpenter, Stoepker and Mike Velting. Jansen toted the ball all the way down to the Eagles’ 20, where Ladd somehow managed to wrestle the football away from him and race 80 yards down the sideline to the end zone. So instead of pulling to within seven points at 28-21, the ‘Cats suddenly were down 35-14.
Once again. Wayland did not roll over. Morse pulled off a couple nifty quarterback draws to quickly move the ‘Cats down to the 24, tossed a pass to Jake Omness at the four and then hit Devin Jakey with a TD pass on the next play.
Then two personal fouls on the same play wrecked the Wildcats. The 30-yard gift and a pass to Warners enabled Christian to get close to the end zone again, again aided by yet another penalty, so Ellis went in from two yards out.
It looked bleak for Wayland with 7:24, especially not long afterward on a failed fourth down play.
But Villareal came up with an interception deep in his own territory and the ‘Cats marched magnificently and heroically down the field 85 yards, with the help of a pass interference call and Morse’s passes. The QB scored on a sneak with 1:56 remaining to cut the deficit at 41-29 after a two-point conversion pass to Logan Bishop.
The Wildcats somehow recovered the ensuing onside kick and then Morse threw a short pass to Jansen, who looked like he was on a mission in his 45-yard TD effort.
But the next onside kick attempt was recovered by the Eagles, thereby halting this season’s most astonishing upset bid and leaving Wayland with a 3-5 overall season record.
PHOTOS: Carter Morse tossed a couple of TD passes and ran in another.
Chad Stoepker (50) had a couple of electric hook-and-ladder plays in his last home game as a four-year varsity member. Codey Clewell (75), besides prowling for running backs and quarterbacks, has the unusual distinction of performing with the marching band at halftime.
Mike Velting (60) had another solid night in the blocking department and some nice defensive plays.
(Photos courtesy of Terry Ellis and Kenny Ritz)
