With less than two minutes to go before halftime at Eagle Stadium this past Thursday, things looked bleak for the home team. After suffering a resounding loss to rival South Christian in week 1, the boys in Black and Blue found themselves in an unfortunately familiar situation against the visiting Trojans of Fruitport High School - down 34-7 just before the mid-game break. Fruitport had come out firing as they took the first play from scrimmage for an 80-yard trap right through the middle of the Eagle defense. GRC wasted no time responding as junior Tayvarie Heard used elusive moves and breakaway speed to return the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. It was all Trojans from there and the visitors used strong execution and more than a couple Eagle miscues to rack up the aforementioned 27 point lead.

Not to be dismayed, the team from GR Christian did not quit. Just before halftime, a 50-yard strike from junior QB Alek Wickstrom to senior tight end Tyler Porte planted a seed of hope for the Eagle faithful. The first drive of the second half sprinkled a little water on the seed of belief as a balanced drive was capped off by a 13-yard scamper by Heard - now reporting for duty in the offensive backfield. At this point, all of Eagle Nation could smell blood in the water and the stadium came alive as the defense turned in stop after stop of the previously potent Trojan attack.

A subsequent Eagle touchdown and 2-point conversion were turned in by junior receiver Jude Klunder and Porte. Even with all the momentum, the Black & Blue D still needed the play of the night from junior DeWayne Goree who came flying off the edge late in the 4th quarter to intercept an errant option pitch, thwarting what had looked like the game-sealing drive Fruitport needed. Still down by a score, and with less than two minutes left, the Eagles were fueled by a rabid and loyal student section to finish the job - starting with a Zay Caviness touchdown run, great defense, a big punt return by senior Tyree Gamble, and a calculated last-minute drive engineered by Wickstrom and capped off by Gamble... the final Eagle score coming with under 30 seconds left to finish the amazing comeback. 

The game ended in high style with Eagle Nation joining the team on the field for the post-game talk and the start of a new tradition - the ringing of the victory bell at Eagle Stadium following a GRC win! We are proud of our players and thankful for the support of our community. The team will be back in action next Friday with another home contest against OK White foe Forest Hills Northern.