There was a little rain to begin the game as East Grand Rapids (5-3, 2-2 in OK White) celebrated Senior Night with a matchup against crosstown rival Grand Rapids Christian (5-3, 2-2 in OK White).

The Eagles got things going early and marched down the field on their first drive with a 20-yard pass from QB Luke Thompson to Alex Bos and then Thompson busted a 22-yard run into the red zone. The Eagles ended up with 1st and goal from the 3-yard line, but the Pioneers' defense stuffed three consecutive runs and a pass from Thompson to Bos on 4th and goal from the 6 fell incomplete with 7:19 left in the 1st.

East Grand Rapids took over and used their run game to move down the field. An 18-yard run from Bryce Henkey took the Pioneers down to the Christian 41-yard line and a personal foul tacked on 15 more yards. Two plays later, Henkey ripped off a 15-yard run down to the 6-yard line. The Eagles were able to hold until 4th and goal as the game moved into the 2nd quarter, but the Pioneers used a play-action rollout pass and QB Mikey Roth hit Mason Banbury for a 2-yard TD with 11:54 left in the 2nd.

Once again, Grand Rapids Christian was able to drive and set themselves up on a 1st and goal, but Malik McLaughlin slipped near the line of scrimmage on 4th and goal from the 3-yard line.

After trading punts, the Pioneers used a 41-yard run down the sideline from Bryce Henkey and a 13-yard run by Drew Hollerbach to reach the Eagles' 24. After two runs for short yardage, Mikey Roth was sacked and then Noah Salasky knocked through a 37-yard field goal with 5 seconds left in the half. The Pioneers headed into the locker room up 10-0.

The 2nd half started with three and outs for each team before East Grand Rapids used a 33-yard pass from Mikey Roth to Sam Matthews that took the Pioneers all the way down to the 1-yard line. Roth then used a QB sneak to give EGR a 17-0 lead with 3:54 left in the 3rd quarter.

Grand Rapids Christian fought right back putting together a 76-yard TD drive capped by a 37-yard TD run by Malik McLaughlin with 15 seconds left in the 3rd to make it 17-7.

On their next possession the Eagles were forced to punt and East Grand Rapids' Carter Masek blocked it, caught it, and then returned it for a 13-yard TD giving the Pioneers a 24-7 lead with 9:19 left in the game.

Jon Olsson then picked off Luke Thompson on the first play of the next possession on a deep ball down the middle of the field. The game stayed 24-7 as each team punted back and forth until the Pioneers struck one more time with 1:21 left in the game. This time it was an 8-yard TD run by Mike Johnston giving East Grand Rapids a 31-7 win.

NOTES:

Grand Rapids Christian RB Malik McLaughlin ran for 113 yards and a TD.

EGR's Bryce Henkey had 136 yards rushing on the night.

QB Mikey Roth was 2/3 for 35 yards and a TD for the Pioneers.

Jack Bates lead the Eagles defense with 8.5 tackles, while Qi'antae Ewing added 8.

Ben Wollett had 7 tackles for East Grand Rapids and Mike Johnston had 6.