By Jason Goorman
LocalSportsJournal.com
Mona Shores football and senior running back Dahmir Farnum had different plans for Grand Rapids Union in a Week-4 matchup that was billed to be a shootout.
Farnum scored four touchdowns on his first five runs of the game and finished with 152 yards rushing as the Sailors ran away with a 64-14 win.
“It felt great to show out in front of the fans,” said Farnum about his big night for the Sailors. “They had a long touchdown before my first TD and so it was about coming back out and snatching that energy back and leading with four touchdowns.”
The O-K Green matchup started out as expected with both teams trading quick strikes to the scoreboard.
The first six possessions of the game saw Mona Shores reach the end zone three times, while the Red Hawks found it twice.
But Mona Shores set an all-time first quarter scoring record as it ran out to a 43-14 lead, thanks in big part to Farnum.
“I have never seen that before, I’ve never really heard of that before,” said a bewildered Mona Shores Coach Matt Koziak about his team’s incredible 43 first-quarter points. “I don’t remember scoring 43 points in the first quarter before, it has to be a record.”
The Sailors entered the game against Union with some real concerns. The Red Hawks gave Reeths-Puffer a big challenge in a Week-3 matchup that saw the Rockets win, 35-29.
“They are a very good football team,” said Koziak about Union. “Coming in from last year, a lot of people might forget, they were beating us at half time at their place.”
“Our kids kind of had that in the back of their minds that this is a really good football team, a year older with a year of more experience, and I thought our kids responded.”
Mona Shores started the game by letting Union score on its third offensive play. Christopher Murphy-Ware tallied a 68-yard scoring strike on a perfectly tossed pass from quarterback Tommy Stevens for a 7-0 lead.
Farnum responded on Mona Shores’ first play, sprinting off a 69-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 7-7.
“We knew he was special,” said Koziak about Farnum when he first arrived at Mona Shores. “He is one of the most humble kids and hard working. He has worked for it and it’s awesome to see that happen for a kid who has done it the right way.”
The Sailors defense then stepped up with an interception by Ke’Waun Farnum, setting up older brother Dahmir Farnum’s second TD of the night from 20 yards out.
With a 14-7 lead, Mona Shores knew Union was a team that could come up with big plays.
Indeed the Red Hawks did have a big play up their sleeve as Elijah Taylor broke free on a monstrous 80-yard touchdown run.
With the score tied 14-14, and nine minutes still left to play in the first quarter, the game’s outcome was anything but secure.
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Mona Shores Sophomore quarterback Jonathan Pittman hit Jaylen Vinton perfectly in stride for a 55-yard TD pass and a 22-14 lead.
After the Sailors shut down Union’s next drive, Dahmir Farnum struck again on a 16-yard TD strike up the middle for a 28-14 lead.
With nearly six minutes still left in the first quarter, Ke’Waun Farnum put Mona Shores up 36-14 with a pick-6.
Mona Shores defense continued to give Union a tough time, forcing the Red Hawks to punt from their own end zone. A botched snap set up the Sailors on the 1-yard line and Dahmir Farnum’s fourth touchdown in the first quarter.
The Sailors were able to go into cruise control the rest of the night, taking a 50-14 lead on Ke’Waun Farnum’s second TD of the game on a 15-yard TD run.
Brandon Bankard broke free for a 34-yard TD run and a 57-14 lead at halftime for Mona Shores.
The Sailors’ final score came from Pittman on a 2-yard run that he set up one play earlier on a 23-yard rush.
“I was just happy with the way our kids finished,” said Koziak. “They know it’s four quarters, they learned that the hard way against Rockford.”
Mona Shores was also able to take advantage of Union with the field position set up by kicker Kaden Pulaski. The senior right footer placed each kick deep, setting up Mona Shores’ special teams to put the Red Hawks far into their own end of the field.
“He does a great job of not only kicking the ball deep, but hanging it up there so our team can get down there,” said Koziak. “The last three games, we have had a number of tackles inside the 20 because of him. It’s hard for a team to go 80 yards to score a touchdown.”
The Sailors travels to Zeeland West next Friday.