Football: FGR coming off big win, face a big test in U-D Jesuit at Eastern Michigan
It took two days to play and some big plays by the Irish but the end result was more than worth it in a huge victory for the green and white. What started last Friday, ended on Saturday with a 22-20 win over host Whitmore Lake in a non-league game.
Bad weather forced the game to be stopped on Friday and the teams met back up to complete it on Saturday in much safer conditions.
In the big picture, the Irish needed this game. They improved to 4-1 on the season and two wins away from locking up a playoff spot. Yes, they still have four games remaining, but one is this week against U-D Jesuit (3-2) and then next week against Dearborn Divine Child (3-2).
While both are winnable games, they won’t be easy and anything can happen in when good teams take the field.
One thing is for certain, FGR is a good team – a very good team. They are well-coached, disciplined, play extremely hard and can put points on the board. They put 22 on the board last weekend and needed every one of them.
In the win over Whitmore Lake, the Irish stopped the Trojans on two different two-point conversions – which turned out to be the difference in the game. The Irish also marched down the field after the Trojans scored to put up six points – but missed the PAT.
Ben Spore had a huge game for the Irish. The senior running back turned 17 carries into 92 yard and two touchdowns. He scored on a 25-yard TD run in the first quarter and then on a six-yard TD run in the second quarter. FGR converted both two-point conversions and led 16-0 at halftime.
The Trojans cut it to 16-8 in the third quarter and then 16-14 early in the fourth quarter.
FGR quarterback Greg Kendzicky ran it in from two yards out to give the Irish a 22-14 lead. The Trojans scored again late in the game but failed on the two-point conversion.
Friday’s game will be a very big test for the Irish.
“This week is a tough match up for us,” said FGR assistant coach Mickey Redmond. “We are playing a school of 700 plus all boys, class A school and a potential Division 2 playoff team. They have 51 players on their varsity roster and we have 48 in our entire program.”
The game is a CHSL AA match-up and is FGR’s homecoming game. The game will be played at EMU Rynearson Stadium at 7 p.m. on Friday.
