Montague whips Ravenna, now waits to see if it’s enough to make the playoffs

By Scott VanSickle
LocalSportsJournal.com

RAVENNA – Montague and Ravenna came into Friday’s regular-season finale as losers of three of their last four games, one spot out of playoff contention in their respective divisions and in desperate need of a win to keep their 2024 seasons alive.

The Wildcats wore down the host Bulldogs’ defense with a strong offensive line and ground game to post a potentially season-saving 42-7 win on Friday in a WMC crossover matchup.

While Montague (4-5, 3-3 Lakes) will need help to leapfrog its way into the Division 6 playoffs, it set the tone early in the contest with its physical play and determination.

The line of senior David Myers and juniors Logan Hansen, Issac French, Maverick Osborne and Eli Eilers, along with senior tight end Riley Mulder and junior h-back Eli Pendell, opened plenty of holes all night and gave quarterback Eli Petersen time to find his receivers down the field.

Photo/Amanda Van Sickle

“The offensive line has been great all year,” said Montague coach Justin Dennett. “They’re mainly juniors, four of the five, so they grew as the year went on and got better and better.

“Before the game, it was no matter what happens, all we can control is winning this one. If this is the last one, do everything you can and play for your teammates.”

Senior Ryver Jarka racked up 174 of Montague’s 261 rushing yards to go along with two touchdowns to lead the offense. Jarka’s two scores completed the second and third drives of the game, but it was his physical running and the punishing blocks laid for the senior back that knocked the Bulldogs on their heels early on.

Jarka would have scored on his first carry of the second drive of the game if not for a shoestring tackle from Brody Anderson, but scored from a yard out seven plays later to get the Wildcats on the board. Jarka capped the third drive with a 20-yard run with 9:33 to go in the half.

“Us, as seniors, we talked (before the game) and if we don’t win, it will be the last time we play for this football team ever again. We let the underclassmen know to do it for the seniors, and to the seniors, do it for each other,” Jarka said. “Our plan was that if we could run the ball like we did against Fremont and play defense like we did against Oakridge, then it would be game over.”

Ravenna finishes its season at 4-5 overall and will finish the season outside the top 32 in Division 7. Coach Justin Ego loses only five seniors as his program finished behind North Muskegon and Mason County Central in the Rivers Division.

Derek Finlay, Isaac Korson, Nash Hoffman, Jackson Peebles and Landyn Ashley completed their careers on the gridiron for Ravenna Friday, and Coach Ego will be sad to see these 4-year players leave the program.

Photo/Amanda Van Sickle

“(Montague is) a lot bigger and stronger than you expect on film. They have some big guys, and they’re a little tricky with the h and guard pull. It was a tough one, but we’ll get better,” Ego said. “I thought we found some spots on them to make some plays, and once you start throwing every play, they can start pinning their ears back.

“(The five seniors) led this year and I’ve been with these guys for four years. We didn’t have a JV team when they were freshmen or sophomores, so they’ve been up with us for 4 years,” Ego said. “They’ve given everything and they’re great guys to coach. They do what you ask them and don’t ask why.”

And despite being torched for 252 points in the previous five games, it was the Wildcats’ defense that came up with the play that changed the tide of the game.

Montague built up a 13-0 lead, but a 38-yard kick return by Carson VanEns set up the Bulldogs on their own 41 with 9:22 to go in the first half. Junior QB Dylan May fired a bullet pass to VanEns on fourth down to extend the drive and the Bulldogs were on the move inside Wildcat territory.

But three plays later, Montague corner Cooper Bradley picked off May and raced about 80 yards down the home sideline for a pick 6. So instead of Ravenna finishing the drive and getting within a touchdown, Montague built up an insurmountable three-score lead.

The Wildcats’ defense made an impact from the first series with a three-and-out to the sack by senior Braylen VanSickle on the final play, and with 11 tackles for loss or no gain and three turnovers. Bradley had two interceptions and Jarka snagged another for the Montague defense, with Dylan Bailey and Fletch Thommen leading the way in tackles.

Photo/Amanda Van Sickle

“That play was huge,” Dennett said. “They were driving a little bit. For (Bradley) to return it all the way takes a lot of pressure off our offense. The defense played way better. They responded really well after a rough couple of weeks. Our guys were flying around and our defensive backs were making plays. My defensive coaches had it schemed up well and our kids knew it and executed it.”

Trailing 20-0, Ravenna put together its best drive coming out of the halftime break.

May hit Jaxson Wilburn for a big 30-yard completion on fourth down, and Wilburn reached the football out across the goal line three plays later for an 8-yard scoring run.

But Montague took away any Bulldog momentum with a score on its next drive. A 20-yard Jarka run, and a 15-yard pitch and catch from Petersen to Talan Degen got the ball down to the 23. After four consecutive Jarka runs, Degen hauled in a 10-yard TD pass from Petersen with 3:48 remaining in the third.

After senior Kellan Francis was stopped a yard short of pay dirt on a 19-yard run, freshman Dane Roesler plunged in from a yard out 13 seconds into the fourth quarter for another Wildcat score.

Thommen added the final TD from 3 yards out with 6:47 remaining for Montague, which will have a watch party Sunday during the MHSAA Selection Show to find out the fate of its postseason dreams.

Petersen went 5-for-8 passing for 60 yards, a touchdown and an interception through the air for the Wildcats, as well as adding 48 yards on the ground. Degen hauled in three passes for 39 yards.

Korson rushed for 53 yards on 10 carries, with Wilburn gaining 42 yards on 11 carries. May went 8-for-12 through the air for 109 yards, with Wilburn hauling in three passes for 50 yards.

VanEns also picked off a Montague pass, with Jay’Coeby Coleman and Brennan Buskirk led the Ravenna defense.