The Recap:
High school football is back in Michigan and anyone who was lucky enough to be at Zeeland Stadium on Thursday night was treated to an outstanding game between two teams who appear to be poised to make deep runs in this year’s playoffs.
It was a battle of contrasts, Inkster and their spread offense featured several highly recruited prospects including junior quarterback Devin Gardner and wide receiver/linebacker Cameron Gordon. The Dux run their wing-T to near perfection and as usual, head coach John Shillito brought a tough, disciplined offensive line to the field.
The Dux controlled the clock, while the quick strike Inkster offense made use of their few possessions and took a 19-14 lead into halftime. The teams battled to a scoreless third quarter, but that is when Zeeland West took over and did not relinquish the football for nearly a quarter. A methodical Dux drive ended with five minutes in the 4th quarter on a touchdown run by junior quarterback Andy O’Connor.
It didn’t take Inkster long though. The Vikings marched the field in just over two minutes and Gardner, who had been contained in the running game for much of the night, broke free and scampered 40 yards for the touchdown, putting his team up 27-22.
Zeeland West drove into Viking territory but with just under a minute to play, were stopped on 4th and 1 when Gordon blitzed around the left corner and made the game saving tackle. Gardner finished with 65 rushing yards on nine carries and completed 7 of 12 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Joe Gaiser, making his first varsity start for the Dux rushed for a 43-yard touchdown.
Analysis:
What are we to take from this early season contest? Gordon, Gardner and another of Inkster’s talented prospects, tailback Alan Freeman all had outstanding games. That three headed monster on offense will be tough for any team to stop. Before the game, we hinted that the line play would be key and that is where the Dux really controlled the game. The Vikings will have to improve at stopping the run if they are to get where they want to go.
To be fair to their defense though, they may not see this kind of running attack all year and those wondering if graduation would bring the Dux down to earth after a blistering start to their history got their answer. College coaches on hand to watch Inkster’s touted bunch marveled at the discipline and the toughness West’s kids showed. Starting the season off with two tough games (Coopersville) should end up being a positive as their youngsters will be quickly indoctrinated into big time football. The Dux have always had very solid, tough and heady quarterbacks. In O’Connor, they have those qualities rolled into possibly their most athletic signal caller to date.
“They were tough, they have a really great offense,” Inkster cornerback Damond Smith said after the game. Smith had been seeing big pulling guards from Zeeland fly at him all night. Gardner and Gordon also came away with plenty of respect for the Dux. “Real recognize real,” one of the players put it and both the Vikings and Dux appear to be for real.
Photos, videos and indepth scouting reports on the college prospects in the game will follow in the next few days.