Villalpando’s big return swings momentum in North Muskegon’s win over Oakridge

LocalSportsJournal.com

Classic high school football dog fights are what fall is all about in west Michigan.

North Muskegon and Oakridge had just the battle in a give-and-take West Michigan Conference matchup on Friday night.

The Norse had to dig deep to hold off the visiting Eagles in a 34-17 win that saw the lead change six times.

Jaden Villalpando’s 94-yard kickoff return TD in the third quarter will go down as the play that swung momentum in favor of the Norse and the haymaker of the game. The return that gave North Muskegon a 21-17 lead and came in response to Oakridge taking a 17-14 lead on an Edoardo Aldrete 21-yard field goal.

Photo/Keara Ruel

The kick return gave the Norse was all the momentum they needed as they went on to score two unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Villalpando gave the Norse a 28-17 lead on a 6-yard touchdown run and quarterback Bryce Colbert capped off another successful drive with a 1-yard TD run.

Oakridge had the favored Norse (8-1) reeling leading up to that return.

The Eagles struck first in the contest as Bryson Stephenson gave his team a 7-0 lead on a 2-yard scamper.

TJ Byard and quarterback Colbert responded by completing a 71-yard touchdown bomb to tie up the score, 7-7 in the first quarter. The combo opened up the second quarter’s scoring with another passing TD, this time on a 14-yard strike.

The Eagles responded with a successful scoring drive that was capped off by Jordan Guerrero-McGrady’s 3-yard run, tying the score at 14-all at halftime.

North Muskegon was led in the air by Colbert with 9-of-18 passing for 151 yards and two touchdowns and 23 yards rushing on three carries. Byard finished with three catches for 89 yards and Landen Grimm had four catches for 37 yards.

Cullen Bartos led the Norse’s ground game with 25 yards on 12 carries.