The JV football team hosted conference opponent Forest Hills Northern for the final game of the JV season. This group of young players has worked very hard all season and has battled through many hurdles and moments of adversity. They have continued to work and develop through each game, and last night's game was no different. Filling in at quarterback for the second game in a row, Isaiah Caviness stepped up admirably, making plays with his feet along with lofting beautiful passes downfield to receivers Ben Toly, Jude Klunder, Jeremiah Hale, and Will VerSteeg. The GR Christian offense was also driven by incredibly strong running from the thunder and lightning duo of Tony Phillips and Tayvarie Heard. The Eagle touchdowns were scored on great runs by Caviness and Heard, while Phillips and Heard chipped in the 2-point conversions.  The defense was paced by strong and aggressive play from linemen Cameron Morgan and Henry Jackson to go along with physical tackling by linebackers DeWayne Goree and Will Owens. Defensive back Joey Lukezich added a few nice plays in coverage as well. Many of these young players will now transition to practicing with the varsity team for the remainder of the season as they continue their commitment to working hard and developing as players. Congratulations to this great group of young men for taking a significant step forward in their ability as players and their growth in character - Go Eagles!

The challenge was significant as the GR Christian JV football team traveled to Forest Hills Central for last night's OK-White matchup. Depleted by key injuries and without a true quarterback, the Eagles put up an admirable fight - ultimately losing 0-35 to the strong Ranger team. Running back Isaiah Caviness and receiver Jude Klunder both stepped in to fill the role of quarterback as the Eagles employed a "Wildcat" formation throughout the game, and both competed with toughness and grit. The defense made several big stops in the first half, and many different players contributed in significant ways - Will Ver Steeg, Quintin Willis, and Alex Wortmann (who made his first start as an American football player!) to name a few. Despite a bit of adversity, this group of boys is tough, hard-working, and up for the challenging of continuing to improve. The Eagles will be back in action next week as they host Byron Center.

The JV football team took to the field on a beautiful, crisp fall evening in Eagle Stadium to battle the Red Arrows of Lowell High School. The boys in Blue and Black couldn't quite find their footing and ultimately came up short 32-6 against the physical play of the visiting Lowell team. The defensive effort saw a few new faces contribute with Joey Lukezich and Zach Clark stepping into key roles and playing hard while making several tackles. The Eagle defense dug in and battled but was ultimately over-powered by the Red Arrow run game. The offense showed flashes of greatness with QB Armaan Irving leading a 5-play scoring drive in the first quarter, highlighted by a nice Isaiah Caviness run, a long Ben Toly reception, and capped off by a Toly touchdown reception. The second half saw some success on the ground with Caviness ripping off several more strong runs while the air attack remained strong with Irving completing multiple long passes to skilled wide receiver Jude Klunder. The young men from GRC remain resolved and steadfast in their commitment to overcome adversity, develop toughness, and continue to compete. Next week the Eagles travel to Forest Hills Central for another challenging conference match up. Go Eagles!

The GR Christian JV team traveled to the Kalamazoo area to take on Lawton High School; with a student enrollment of about 1,500 students and a strong program this was a big non-conference challenge for the Eagles! The Boys in Blue and Black were up for the challenge as they came out with a hard-fought 39-32 victory, with many different players contributing to the success of the team. Sophomore stud Isaiah Caviness lead the charge for the Eagles, emerging with a dominant performance on both sides of the ball. Caviness put on a track meet in the backfield, rushing for well over 200 yards and 4 touchdowns - with long TD runs of over 50 and 70 yards, respectively. Adding many tackles and an interception from his spot at linebacker on defense - Isaiah was everywhere! The duo of Tayvarie Heard and Tony Phillips rounded out a phenomenal performance running the ball while QB Armaan Irving found success through the air to high-octane targets Jude Klunder, Ben Toly, and Jeremiah Hale - each of whom registered long receptions. The true heroes of the day, however, were the "Block C Boys" in the trenches. The O-line-up of Henry Jackson, Isaiah Luk, Tim Smith, Cameron Morgan, Rylan Granderson, and Fletcher Moore won the battle at the line of scrimmage all game long.  The defense shined as well, with physical play and many tackles coming from Henry Jackson, Will Owens, and many others. Will Owens was particularly impressive as he made play after play from a new position at outside linebacker while also playing his first game in the backfield as a blocking fullback - much of the Eagles' success offensively came behind a key block from Owens. This young team took a step forward in competing back and forth, and it will be exciting to watch them continue to grow. GR Christian will be back in action next week against a tough Lowell HS squad. Go Eagles!