By Melvin Lane
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – The Muskegon Big Reds celebrated the 500th game at Hackley Stadium on Friday night with a resounding 51-6 victory over Grand Rapids Union on a cold, rainy evening.
Hackley Stadium has been a staple in the community since 1927.
The Muskegon Big Reds (6-2) took at 24-0 lead after the first quarter with touchdowns runs from Destin Piggee 84 yards and Jakob Price on runs of 24 yards and 47 yards.
The Big Red onslaught continued in the second quarter as the Big Reds got rushing scores from Piggee (67 yards), M’Khi Guy (49 yards) and Adrian Rankin, Jr. (3 yards). A Lyn Wilson III 38-yard touchdown pass to Brant Brooks II rounded out the scoring for the Big Reds, which took a 51-0 lead into the half. Muskegon scored on seven offensive drives in the half.
The second half resumed with a running clock and the defense of the Big Reds continued their shutout through three quarters getting takeaways and forcing punts. The Red Hawks (2-6) found the endzone late in the fourth quarter to ruin the shutout.
Offensively, the Big Reds were led by Piggee with 153 rush yards and two touchdowns, Price with 85 yards and two touchdowns and Lyn Wilson with 71 total yards and a touchdown pass. Muskegon ended the game with 402 total yards.
Defensively, Darekeo Speech led the Big Reds in tackles and recovered a fumble near the goal line that helped aid the start of the Big Reds’ scoring output. Keshawn Drummer and Wilson III each had an interception for a Big Reds defense that limited the Red Hawks to 196 yards of total offense.
With a share of the OK Green title clinched, the Big Reds will look to clinch it outright with a win next week Friday as they travel to Wyoming.
Check out photos from the historic Hackley Stadium courtesy of Craig Smith.
