- All
Grand Rapids Christian rolls past Cedar Springs to improve to 5-0
CEDAR SPRINGS — It was a contrast in football philosophies.
On one side of the field you had Grand Rapids Christian and coach Don Fellows’ wide-open offense that relies on speed and athleticism.
On the other side, you have Cedar Springs and coach Gus Kapolka’s grind-it-out wing-T offense that relies on misdirection and grit.
In the end, it was the wide-open offense of Grand Rapids Christian that came out on top in this key OK Conference crossover game.
The visiting Eagles beat Cedar Springs 41-16 at Red Hawks Stadium Friday night.
"They are completely opposite of what we do," said Fellows, whose team improved to 5-0. "We always worry about, don’t turn the ball over, make sure we get some stops and when we had the ball, score."
On the most part, the Eagles played a clean game, especially in the first half when GR Christian raced out to a 21-13 lead.
The key to the solid first half was the play of junior quarterback Isaac Dykema, who finished the first half by completing 13 of 16 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown. One of his incompletions was a spike fo the ball to stop the clock late in the half.
"I tihought Isaac Dykema was the key," Fellows said. "I don’t know what he ended up for the night, but I don’t remember too many incompletions. I thought our line gave him time up front, and I think we scored every time we had the ball but twice. We were efficient tonight."
Dykema eneded his night by completing 18 of 22 passes for 229 yards and two scores.
While the Eagles were basking in the play of their quarterback, that same feeling wasn’t hapening on the other side of the field.
Three-year starting quarterback Collin Alvesteffer was leading his offense efficiently, including an opening-game drive that went 14 plays for 63 yards and took just over five minutes off the clock in the first quarter.
In fact, Alvesteffer had his team driving for a potential game-tying touchdown midway through the third quarter. He had just rushed the balll for 33 yards and had the Red Hawks in GR Christian territiory, but he limped off the field after that run with a severe ankle injury.
Cedar Springs did kick a feild goal on that drive, to make the score 21-16, but the offense was turned over to junior Nick Campione.
After a defenisve stop, Campione had his team driving, but a fumble gave the ball and momentum back to the Eagles.
"It’s a five-point game heading into the fourth quarter and we have possession and are driving and we turn the ball over," Kapolka said. "They then drive the ball down and score and its a two-score game and we have a backup quarterback and an offense that is not designd to come from behind."
And it didn’t, and that was a shame according to Fellows.
"My heart goes out to Cedar Springs,:" Fellows said. "Gus does such a great job, and they play so hard. And (Alvesteffer) seemed to have a bad injury there, and our prayers go out to him."
