Noah Salasky booted East Grand Rapids to a 17-14 season opening win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central on Thursday night at Memorial Stadium in East Grand Rapids. Salasky nailed a 25-yard field goal as time expired to give the Pioneers a 1-0 start to 2014.

It was a game built on momentum to say the least as East Grand Rapids used big plays to build a 14-0 lead over Grand Rapids Catholic Central at the half. Mikey Roth's 9-yard TD pass to Gourney Sloan gave the Pioneers a 7-0 lead with 4:11 in the 1st quarter. Then, after Noah Salasky pinned Catholic Central at the 1-yard line with a perfect punt, the Pioneers forced Nick Marosi to fumble in the endzone and linebacker Mike Johnston jumped on it extending the lead to 14-0.

The East Grand Rapids defense was strong in the 1st half, especially when they stopped Catholic Central on 4th and goal from the 1-yard line late in the 2nd quarter.

Catholic Central was physical to start the 2nd half, using Marosi to rack up 45 yards on the ground on the first drive, including a 29-yard run down to the Pioneers 16-yard line. Dominic Forbes was then able to punch it in from 12-yards out to cut the lead to 14-7.

After trading punts back and forth, Catholic Central's Nick Marosi shined again. This time he caught a 10-yard hitch near the sideline and took it 64-yards to the house, tying the game up at 14-14.

The 4th quarter was filled with defensive stops and penalties for both teams.

After a possible EGR game-winning drive was stalled with just over a minute to play, Noah Salasky's punt bounced off of a Catholic Central defender at the 10-yard line and was recovered by Jon Olsson with 56 seconds left.

East Grand Rapids ran the ball twice with AJ Zawacki to run the clock down and then Salasky hit a 25-yard field goal with 2 seconds left giving East Grand Rapids a 17-14 win.

BOX SCORE

EGR Notes:

Mikey Roth threw for 86 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown to Gourney Sloan with 4:11 left in the 1st quarter.

AJ Zawacki had 19 carries for 70 yards.

Rusty Swanson had 1.5 TFL and a sack.

GRCC Notes:

Nick Marosi did a little bit of everything in the 17-14 loss. He had 98 yards rushing, 123 yards receiving with a TD, and 86 return yards. He returned a kick 66-yards deep into EGR territory in the 1st quarter.

Joe Ens was 8-14 for 164 yards and a TD.

Catholic Central outgained EGR 299-208 on offense.

The Cougars started the 2nd half with a 4-minute 62-yard TD drive capped by a 6-yard touchdown run by RB Dominic Forbes.