We were under the lights in Hudsonville tonight as the Eagles played host to the Grandville Bulldogs. Coming into tonight’s clash the Bulldogs stood at 4-4, 2-2 in the OK Red while Hudsonville had a game lead coming in at 5-3, 2-2 in the OK Red.

Right out of the gates the Bulldogs established themselves on the ground behind the legs of Brian Cappiello. Cappiello did it twice for Grandville on 4th down making use of a 38-yard dash down into Eagle territory. Four plays later, facing a 4th and 8 from the Hudsonville 19-yard line, quarterback Ryan Koorndyk placed a tear drop 4-yard pass over the blindsided defender and right into the hands of Brian Cappiell and he took it the rest of the way into the end zone. The Bulldogs missed the 2-point conversion and took a 6-0 lead.

Opple headed the offense for the Eagles on the ensuing drive as he handed the ball off to Kyle Toth gaining 9 yards (being the longest play of the half for Hudsonville). The Bulldogs showed some muscle on the defensive side of the ball on the first drive as they took Opple down for a sack twice, at the hands of Daniel Shanley.

Hudsonville figured things out a bit as they were able to take advantage of Grandville’s risky season long mentality, as the Bulldogs went for it again on 4th and long, turning the ball over on downs.

Grandville’s defense compiled 4 sacks in the first half as Eppe Saarenheimo and Daniel Shanley went back-to-back driving the Eagles into a 4th and very long. Shanley (3) and Saarenheimo (2.5) had 5.5 sacks on the night as they led the way with 6 tackles each.

Sinclair got in on the action next for Grandville, ripping off a 27-yard run with 5:20 to go in the second quarter bringing the Bulldogs into Hudsonville territory. Nolan Meekhof capped off the drive as he completed the third part of the three-headed monster that is Grandville’s backfield. Meekhoff scored from 13-yards out to put the Bulldogs up 14-0, with 4:14 left in the half. The Bulldogs, led by their lightening quick defense, took a 14-0 lead into the half as Cappiello had 103 of his 125 rushing yards in the first half.

Hudsonville came out of the gates quickly as Opple found Kaden Kempker for 28 yards and then Kyle Toth ran it in from 16 yards out to cut Grandville’s lead to 14-7.

Meekhof got a bulk of the Grandville carries in the 2nd half and had 24 carries on the night for 108 yards and a TD. Grandville wore the Eagles down in the 4th quarter as they converted on a handful of 3rd and 4th downs. In the 4th quarter, Grandville put together a drive lasting longer than 8 minutes. Cappiello kept his legs pumping through the defensive line of Hudsonville converting on a 4th and 2, as it looked that he was going to be stuffed at the line of scrimmage. The Bulldogs got the ball down to the 3-yard line while milking the clock. On 3rd and goal, Ryan Koorndyk fooled every one of the 5,012 fans in the stadium, with a play action quarter back keeper, trotting into the end zone. It was one of two rushes for Koorndyk on the night; he added 30 yards and a TD through the air.

The Eagles, with their back against the wall, used their passing game as Mason Opple connected with receiver after receiver driving the Eagles all the way inside the Grandville 20-yard line. With 2:35 left in the game, Opple tossed a ball into the end zone that was intercepted by Danil Young and that sealed things for Grandville.

The story of the game was the tenacity of the Bulldogs defensive making Opple and company uncomfortable all night conceding just 109 yards of total offense. Cappiello, Meekhoff, Sinclair, and Koorndyk stayed hot for the bulldogs as they dug out a road victory in convincing fashion finalizing the score at 22-7.