The GR Christian football team suffered a resounding loss at the hand of the Unity Christian Crusaders, 79-21 on Friday night. The loss brings a great season to a close for the Eagles, who were playing in the District Championship game in Division 4 of the MHSAA state playoffs.  The Eagles came out strong, driving the opening possession of the game right down the field, scoring what looked like a touchdown on a Buddy Hogan run - only to have it called back for a holding penalty. The penalty proved too much to overcome, as was the ensuing rushing attack of the Crusaders who took over the game quickly with two first quarter touchdowns and never looked back. The Eagles battled the entire game and never gave up, but the incredibly efficient Power Wing T offense of Unity was too much to overcome. GR Christian's offense was led by senior Ace Thomas who gained 81 yards rushing, 61 yards receiving, and scored 2 touchdowns - one on the ground and one through the air. Ever-consistent running back Buddy Hogan finished with 77 yards and a touchdown of his own. Wide receiver Amir Nixon compiled 109 yards on 4 catches while CJ Jones chipped in another 4 receptions. Quarterback Alek Wickstrom competed well, going 18 for 28 for 249 yards and a touchdown.  Defensively, Buddy Hogan, Alec Koval, and CJ Jones led the way in tackles while Ahmon Parks and Jaylin Garcia each chipped in a tackle for loss. As the season draws to a close, there is much to be proud of - this team had a great year! A 7-4 record, a second place finished in the very competitive OK-White, a playoff berth, and a home playoff win! We are so proud of our Block C Boys for how they competed, improved, and most importantly how they represented our school and our faith as Christian competitors on the football field. A sincere, heartfelt thanks is in order for our 13 amazing seniors - they have left a great legacy for us to build on! Go Eagles!

In Friday night's playoff win over visiting Spring Lake, the GR Christian football team followed a script it has written a couple times already this season: come out slow, make mistakes, dig a hole, create a small spark, never quit, make adjustments, build momentum, and come storming back. The strength of fortitude and character displayed by the Eagles this season has been tremendous as they continue to battle and compete - no matter the situation. Spring Lake came out hungry and physical, and the Lakers used a couple Eagle miscues to quickly build a 24-0 lead late in the second quarter in what looked like would be a blowout to end the GR Christian season. As they have before, the Boys in Blue and Black dug in their heels and refused to go away as quarterback Alek Wickstrom engineered yet another end-of-half drive to produce the first points of the game on a pass to senior Ace Thomas. Eagles down 24-7 at half. Receiving the opening kickoff, GRC used a balanced attack finished by a Buddy Hogan touchdown run to narrow the gap. Tyree Gamble ended the next Spring Lake possession early with an interception and the Block C Boys capitalized almost right away with an Ace Thomas fly sweep touchdown. After another defensive stop, Thomas would help the Eagles take the lead for good early in the 4th quarter on a beautiful 67-yard touchdown run. GR Christian would not look back and went on to score 27 points in the final quarter to pull away and extend their season into the next round of the playoffs. To score 48 unanswered points and to win by 24 after trailing by 24 are both incredible accomplishments and a testament to the grit and resilience of this team! Behind very strong play from the offensive line, the Eagle offense was paced yet again by senior running back Buddy Hogan who ran the ball 20 times for 204 yards with two touchdowns. Ace Thomas added 82 yards rushing and 58 yards receiving with 3 total touchdowns while Wickstrom went 13 of 19 for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns passing. CJ Jones also added a rushing touchdown from the Wildcat formation. The defense was led by the tenacious play of linebacker Alec Koval, who tallied 13.5 tackles, 5 of them for a loss. Linebacker TeQuan Culbreath also played well and registered a sack while defensive back Amir Nixon returned an interception for a touchdown. The Eagles advance to the second round of the state playoffs this coming Friday, where they will face talented opponent Unity Christian for the second time this season. The game will be played at Jenison HS, 7:00 PM on Friday, November 5. Go Eagles!

The GR Christian football team closed out the regular season with a big win over conference opponent Northview High School by a score of 48-17. The win came on a rainy senior night - we are so thankful for our wonderful seniors and all they have poured into Eagle football over the years! The Eagles started slow, throwing an interception on the first play from scrimmage and then giving up a touchdown on the ensuing Northview drive. Not to be discouraged, the Block C Boys continued to compete and worked their way into a 21-10 lead at halftime. The third quarter saw the teams trade touchdowns, and then GR Christian came on strong, scoring 20 unanswered points in the final period punctuated by a beautiful Ace Thomas strip and fumble return for a touchdown.  The Blue and Black offense was led by phenomenal running from senior Buddy Hogan, who tallied 222 yards on just 16 carries to go along with an astonishing 5 total touchdowns - 4 on the ground and one touchdown reception. With his final carry of the evening, Hogan went over 1,000 yards rushing on the year - an amazing accomplishment in a 9-game regular season. Much of the credit for this milestone should be given to the offensive line of James Baker, Ahmon Parks, Luke Selfe, Jaylin Garcia, and Scott Stockwell - they have paved the way for the Eagles all season! Quarterback Alek Wickstrom threw for 163 yards on 15 of 19 passing, including two touchdowns and two interceptions. Senior receivers Ace Thomas and Amir Nixon both contributed 4 catches each, with Nixon chipping in a touchdown catch.  Defensively, GR Christian produced an incredible 5 turnovers - 4 fumble recoveries and an interception. Thomas registered one fumble recovery along with the interception while junior TeQuan Culbreath led the Eagles with 10 tackles to go along with a sack and two tackles for loss. Senior CJ Jones was also dominant in amassing a sack, two tackles for loss, and multiple physical tackles. Amir Nixon was fantastic in the secondary defending a very talented Northview receiver.  GR Christian is now poised to enter the playoffs with a bit of momentum and a solid chance to host their first round playoff game. The focus will be on improving each day and continuing to compete with joy as we seek to give God glory through our efforts - Go Eagles!

The Varsity football team took their second road trip in as many weeks to face conference opponent Forest Hills Northern in the penultimate game of the regular season on yet another rainy evening. The Eagles came out of the gate fast and furious, using a pass from QB Alek Wickstrom to Ace Thomas on the first drive of the game to score only minutes into the game. After an efficient stop by the defense, the boys in Blue and Black used their next possession to move right down the field again, this time utilizing a bit of trickery as Thomas took the toss and, instead of running with the ball, lofted a beautiful pass downfield into the waiting arms of senior Eli Klunder, who did the rest with his legs en route to a 31 touchdown reception.  The Block-C-Boys then traded field goals with the Huskies (the 31-yarder from Eagle kicker Jordan Rodgers was right down the pipe) before putting a long drive together at the end of the first half that was capped off by a Wickstrom to Alec Koval passing touchdown with under a minute to play. GR Christian took a 24-3 lead into the locker room and didn't look back.  The defense used consistent play from many players to hold the home team at bay most of the evening - with Alec Koval leading the team in tackles while Jaylin Garcia and Kanye Elliott each produced a big sack. Not to be outdone, the special teams also provided a spark as Junior Tyree Gamble returned a kick 94 yards to the house for an exciting Eagle touchdown in the third quarter to answer the Huskies' lone touchdown. Offensively, Wickstrom had the best game of his young career, going 18-23 for 280 yards and 4 touchdowns in leading a proficient attack in which GR Christian scored points on every possession throughout the game. Koval led the Eagles with 6 receptions (2 for touchdowns) while senior Amir Nixon chipped in 4 catches and a touchdown to go along with those by Klunder and Thomas. Strong play by the O-line of James Baker, Ahmon Parks, Luke Selfe, Jaylin Garcia, and Scott Stockwell paved the way for senior running back Buddy Hogan to rumble for 102 yards on 17 carries. GR Christian will host Northview High School on Friday at 7:00 PM for senior night and the final game of the regular season. Go Eagles!

The GR Christian football team traveled to Byron Center to face a tough Bulldog team that was previously undefeated, and came away with a hard-fought win in a game marked with rain in the first half and an extra long halftime due to lightning delay. The Eagle offense came out swinging and struck first, while the defense was stingy and opportunistic throughout the entire game.  GRC started the game by using long throws from quarterback Alek Wickstrom to Ace Thomas and Tyler Porte to march down the field and score on a 14-play opening drive capped by a short Buddy Hogan touchdown run. The Eagles successfully executed a fake PAT kick to score the two point conversion and take an early 8-0 lead. The rest of the first half was marked by ball control as rain fell consistently; the boys in Blue and Black took a 8-7 lead into the locker room at half. After a scoreless 3rd quarter, the two teams went back and forth in the final period as Byron Center converted a field goal early in the 4th quarter to take their first lead of the game, 8-10. Not to be discouraged, Wickstrom and Hogan responded on the very next drive for the Eagles with a beautiful screen pass that went for 69 yards and a touchdown - giving the visiting team a lead it would not relinquish. The defense turned up the heat and took over the game as Junior TeQuan Culbreath extinguished the next Bulldog drive by delivering a furious QB sack in the Byron Center end zone for a safety. Later in the 4th quarter Thomas struck again, this time on defense, by intercepting a pass and returning it deep into Bulldog territory. The offense used the good field position to score on the next play with Hogan's third touchdown of the evening, a short run behind great blocking from the offensive line. The final score of 24-10 was truly the result of a full team effort! The defense was led by the blazing play of linebacker TeQuan Culbreath, who registered 11 tackles, a sack, and 2.5 tackles for loss. Buddy Hogan, Tyree Gamble, Jaylin Garcia, and Tyler Porte all registered sacks as well and Amir Nixon, Ace Thomas, and Alec Koval each contributed an interception for the dominant Block C Defense. Incredible play by senior running back Buddy Hogan was the catalyst for much of GR Christian's success on offense. Hogan finished the night with 109 yards and 2 touchdowns rushing, while adding 69 yards and another touchdown receiving. Ace Thomas was incredibly dynamic, carrying the ball 9 times for 53 yards and also added 3 catches. Amir Nixon led the Eagles in receiving with 4 receptions for 55 yards. Wickstrom was solid under center, throwing for 203 yards on 12 of 22 passing with 1 touchdown and 1 interception - certainly an impressive performance given the challenge of the rain in the first half! Junior center Luke Selfe also deserves big time kudos for his consistency providing great snaps and thunderous blocks in the midst of sloppy conditions. The Eagles hit the road again this week as they travel to face talented conference opponent Forest Hills Northern on Friday at 7:00 PM. Go Eagles!

The air was full of excitement as the OK White-leading Rangers of Forest Hills Central visited Eagle Stadium on Homecoming night for an important conference clash. Living up to the scouting report, FHC came out with a fast and physical brand of football that caught the hesitant Eagles under the chin to start the game. Nearing the end of the second quarter, a pick-six in the shadow of their own goal line put the boys from GR Christian in a 21-0 hole and what looked like an early celebration for the Rangers. However, flexing what has now become the characteristic grit and toughness of this year's team, the Eagles were not going to lay down and quit. With just under two minutes to go in the first half, the Eagles marched 85 yards in 8 plays - sparked by an amazing 45-yard catch and run by CJ Jones, and capped by a 4 yard TD strike from Alek Wickstrom to Jones. After a failed PAT, the Eagles went into halftime down 21-6 and ready to fight. Two long Wickstrom throws to Amir Nixon set up an 8 yard Wickstrom to Nixon TD on the first drive of the second half to cut the Ranger lead to 21-14. The two teams battled back and forth, trading touchdowns until late in the fourth quarter, when a big 4th down stop by the Eagle defense gave the ball back to the offense, down 28-20 with just over three minutes left and 75 yards to the end zone. The ensuing 14-play drive was punctuated by a 3-yard Buddy Hogan touchdown run, and when Jones stretched around the left side of the defense to the pylon for a successful two point try, the Eagles had fought their way all the way back to tie the game - with only 34 seconds remaining.  The Rangers quickly punched in the first touchdown of overtime and the Eagles could not answer, ending a fantastic football game and a valiant battle by the Block C Boys, who went toe-to-toe with a very good program that is two classifications bigger in size. Of note, the Eagle offense has now had three late-game, long drives this year with the game hanging in the balance and needing to score - and have come through each time with drives of 93, 80, and 85 yards respectively. Alek Wickstrom and Buddy Hogan joined to lead the offensive resurgence, with Wickstrom going 20-33 for 228 yards and 2 TDs while Hogan rushed 18 times for 133 yards and 2 scores of his own. Ace Thomas led the Eagles in catches (6) while Amir Nixon and CJ Jones each chipped in several long receptions, including one touchdown each.  Aek Koval turned in another fantastic performance on defense, registering 7.5 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and yet another quarterback sack. Scott Stockwell continued his impressive play in the trenches to go along with strong contributions from linemen Ahmon Parks, Luke Selfe, and Jaylin Garcia. GR Christian continues to battle through the strong OK White conference as they travel to face 6-0 Byron Center this Friday at 7:00 PM. Go Eagles!

It was a tale of two halves as the GR Christian football team visited the Lowell Red Arrows for an important OK-White conference matchup. The hosts started strong, running the ball effectively in the first half, shutting down the Eagle offense, and dominating all phases of the game. Lowell finished the first half by completing a late touchdown pass to go up 20-0 and creating what looked to be a deficit that was too much to overcome for the boys in Blue and Black. Not to be dismayed, the Eagles re-organized themselves in the locker room at half time, played Lowell to a 0-0 draw in the 3rd quarter, and came storming back - scoring three unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter, drawing to within one point on a touchdown with about 30 seconds left. Deciding to go for the win, GR Christian lined up to go for a two point conversion; senior CJ Jones took the snap in the wildcat formation and broke a tackle around the left side of the defense to deliver a dramatic come-from-behind victory - Eagles 21 Red Arrows 20. The defense controlled the second half, shutting out the Lowell offense in the 3rd and 4th quarters. Senior linebacker Alec Koval lead the way with 9.5 tackles (2.5 for loss) and a QB sack. Linebackers CJ Jones and Buddy Hogan were also fantastic, contributing 8 and 7.5 tackles respectively. Defensive back Dahvey Moody put the finishing touches on the game by shutting Lowell's final drive down with a beautiful interception. The offense was lead by gutsy play from sophomore quarterback Alek Wickstrom and dynamic late-game heroics from senior wide receiver Amir Nixon. Wickstrom completed 16-32 passes for 217 yards and 3 touchdowns (no interceptions) against a stingy Red Arrow defense. Nixon was dominant with 6 catches for 126 yards and a touchdown while also drawing a key pass interference call on the game-winning drive. Alec Koval and senior Ace Thomas each caught touchdown passes, and running back Buddy Hogan worked hard to find what little space there was to run the ball against the stout Lowell defensive front. The true, ultimate warriors of the day were in the trenches - particularly the trio of Scott Stockwell, Ahmon Parks, and Jaylin Garcia. Those three played the entire game on the offensive and defensive line, with essentially no breaks - this is nearly unheard of in the game of football. A tip of the cap to Scott, Jaylin, and Ahmon for battling so well! The Eagles look to face down another significant challenge when the conference-leading Rangers of Forest Hills Central visit Eagle Stadium on Friday. Go Eagles!

The GR Christian football team took to the field on Friday night looking to notch their first win in Eagle Stadium of this young season. The Eagles looked athletic and dominant in all phases of the game, earning a 49-19 win over visiting Greenville. Greenville was able to start the contest by finding a bit of success through the air, which lead to an opening-drive field goal and an early 3-0 lead for the visitors. It was all Eagles from there. Senior phenom Ace Thomas returned the ensuing kick off 56 yards for a touchdown and then ended the next Greenville drive by intercepting a pass and returning it for a touchdown as well. The GRC offense finally got to take the field for the first time with just over two minutes left in the first quarter, with the luxury of a 14-3 lead thanks to the Eagle special teams and defense. It took only three plays for quarterback Alek Wickstrom to find senior CJ Jones streaking down the seam for a 57-yard touchdown pass. The home team established a 21-3 lead after the first quarter, having only run 3 plays on offense. A long Ace Thomas touchdown reception and a physical CJ Jones TD run increased the lead to 35-6 at halftime. The touchdown catch gave Thomas the elusive football "hat trick" of scoring a touchdown in each phase of the game in the same contest (offense, defense, and special teams). The second half was the "Buddy Hogan Show" as the senior running back burst through the line for scoring runs of 65 yards and 25 yards in the third quarter. With the "running clock" mercy rule in effect, many Eagles got the opportunity to play in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. Wickstrom finished the day a blistering 9 of 11 passing with 204 yards and 2 touchdowns. Hogan notched his third consecutive game of over 100 rushing yards - toting the rock 11 times for 156 yards and two scores. CJ Jones, Ace Thomas, and Amir Nixon all recorded multiple catches for GR Christian.  Alec Koval lead the the defensive effort with 6.5 tackles and a quarterback sack to go along with numerous hustle plays. Defenders Jaylin Garcia, TeQuan Culbreath, and Marcus Smith also turned in strong performances. Of note, Garcia sniffed out a screen pass to register his first career interception! The Block C Boys will look to continue making improvements as the schedule begins to get more difficult again from here; GR Christian hits the road this week to take on the Lowell Red Arrows at 7:30 PM. Go Eagles!

The GRC football team traveled to East Grand Rapids High School to take on the Pioneers in a cross-town rivalry game that did not disappoint. The Eagles came in eager to continue competing as they look to develop and improve as a team. The boys in Blue and Black showed a truckload of guts as they overcame several key mistakes to secure a dramatic victory in the final minutes of the game. In a game that went back and forth, the defense pitched a shutout in the second half and the offense continued to show improvement - but it was the special teams that proved incredibly clutch. Sophomore kicker Jordan Rodgers stepped to the tee with just over two minutes to play and the Eagles down by 1. A soccer player by trade, Rodgers calmly stepped into the spotlight of a tremendous high school football moment and calmly knocked the game-winning 27 yard field goal straight through the uprights. Not to be overlooked, sophomore Jude Klunder also delivered in the big moment with a great snap and Alek Wickstrom, also a sophomore, excellently secured the hold for the kick. Defensively, the Eagles were opportunistic against a powerful Pioneer run game - forcing two fumbles in critical situations, and recovering both. CJ Jones lead the way for the Eagles with 7.5 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and very physical play. Noah Funk stepped into a new role in the secondary and performed especially well alongside Amir Nixon, who showed up big time in his return from injury. Alec Koval and TeQuan Culbreath both played the role of hero at the end of the night by snuffing out EGR's final gasp of offense with a pass break up and big time sack on 3rd and 4th down, respectively. The offense showed progress as well, amassing a solid 287 yards of offense against a very good EGR defense. Buddy Hogan continued his strong play with 117 yards on 16 carries, CJ Jones was the leading receiver with 7 catches (and several key plays on the final drive), and Ace Thomas was dynamic in scoring the lone GRC touchdown of the game. Sophomore quarterback Alek Wickstrom played his best game to date, efficiently completing 12 of 16 passes for 157 yards, 1 touchdown, and no interceptions. In the trenches, the play of linemen James Baker, Ahmon Parks, Luke Selfe, Jaylin Garcia, and Scott Stockwell was the engine that drove the Eagle's success! The team will look to continue to improve through hard work and mental toughness as they take on conference opponent Greenville High School this Friday at 7:00 PM in Eagles Stadium.

The GR Christian football team hit the road for a difficult contest against a tough and determined team from Unity Christian High School. Employing the physical and precise Power T offensive system, the Crusaders were not to be stopped on this evening. The Eagles showed signs of improvement offensively from a week ago, but were unable to keep pace with the blistering scoring onslaught unveiled by the hosting team.  The offense was lead by workhorse running back Ja'Martae Hogan who rushed 15 times for 125 yards and a touchdown. Senior Ace Thomas also contributed 133 all-purpose yards and an amazing 63-yard touchdown reception. CJ Jones was dynamic as well with 113 all-purpose and a fantastic touchdown catch. Making his first varsity start under center, quarterback Noah Funk did well for the Eagles, completing 14 of 26 passes for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns. The team in Blue and Black got very solid contributions in the trenches from seniors Ahmon Parks and Scott Stockwell to go with great play from junior Luke Selfe. Not much went right for the Eagles defensively, but senior Alec Koval turned in a solid performance at linebacker, leading the team in tackles and posting two tackles for loss. Ja'Martae Hogan, TeQuan Culbreath, and Kanye Elliott were all among the leaders in tackles for the day. The Eagles continue their early season gauntlet when they travel to rival East Grand Rapids this Friday to take on the Pioneers. This team is resolved to continue working hard, eager to get better, and determined to stick together through adversity. Go Eagles!

The Eagles came up short to begin the 2021 football season against cross-town Christian school rival South Christian. The boys in Blue and Black fought hard and competed well all game - the final score does not reflect how tight the game was most of the way.  The GR Christian defense was tough all night, giving up only 81 yards rushing (2.7 yards per carry). Senior linebacker CJ Jones led the team in tackles while fellow senior Alec Koval registered two QB sacks. Defensive linemen Kanye Elliott, Scott Stockwell, and Ahmon Parks led the charge in the trenches. The offense was guided by workhorse running back Buddy Hogan, who rushed 16 times for 74 yards and added 3 catches for 44 yards. CJ Jones was the top pass catcher with 5 receptions, he also added 3 carries for 15 yards and a rushing touchdown. Sophomore QB Alek Wickstrom was solid in his debut under center - completing 15 of 26 passes for 164 yards; with a couple more long completions that were nullified by suspect penalties. The offensive line was paced by Junior center Luke Selfe, who played like a warrior all game. Underclassmen Cameron Morgan and Rylan Granderson also stepped up and played well along the line filling in for injuries. The Eagles will take what was learned from this battle and continue to work hard and improve. With a quick turnaround, GR Christian is back in action this Thursday vs. Unity Christian at Jenison High School for a 7:00 PM kickoff.