By Ron Rop
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON–All eyes will be on Oakridge High School on Friday night when the host Eagles welcome the Whitehall Vikings.
The West Michigan Conference Lakes showdown pits two undefeated teams who know each other so very well after some epic battles over the years. And many of those matchups came with the conference title on the line. This season is not different.
Whitehall is coming off a lopsided victory over Manistee while Oakridge dispatched up-start Fremont on its home field a week ago. But then the focus turned to the Week 6 contest.
“I give the kids one night, with a win or a loss,” Oakridge coach Cary Harger said. “It used to be 24 hours, but years ago, the kids said ‘no, let’s get at it tomorrow morning.'”
That meant last Saturday, preparations already were in the works for the showdown with their league rival.
Whitehall, led by quarterback Kyle Stratton, is ranked second in Division 4 while Oakridge, led by running back Trever Jones, is No 3 in Division 5.
There are several other matchups on Friday that easily could be called “showdowns.”
The Battle of the Bayou is Friday night. The annual event features the Fruitport Trojans making the short trip to Spring Lake to take on the Lakers.
Another battle of ranked foes features the Mona Shores Sailors, ranked fifth in Division 2, traveling to Zeeland West, which is coming off a big victory over the Muskegon Big Reds. Zeeland West checks in at No. 4 in Division 3.
Speaking of the Big Reds, Coach Shane Fairfield’s team is ranked in a tie for sixth in Division 3 and will travel to Grand Rapids Union.
Another interesting matchup in the West Michigan Conference has North Muskegon traveling to Montague to take on the Wildcats.
Friday’s games (All games at 7 p.m.)
Grant at Big Rapids
Fremont at Orchard View
Fruitport at Spring Lake
Holland West Ottawa at Grand Haven
Hart at Mason County Central
Hesperia at Ravenna
Holton at Shelby
Kent City at Morley Stanwood
North Muskegon at Montague
Muskegon at Grand Rapids Union
Schoolcraft at Muskegon Catholic Central
Muskegon Heights Academy at White Cloud
Whitehall at Oakridge
Mona Shores at Zeeland West
Zeeland East at Reeths-Puffer
Newaygo at Reed City
