Zeeland West football stuns defending state champion Muskegon in thriller

MUSKEGON - A high school football season opener doesn't get any bigger than a defending state champion against a defending state semifinalist - in a rivalry.

The past few matchups between Zeeland West and Muskegon have been sensational - especially at Hackley Stadium.

When you have two of the state's best, the familiarity is there, the respect is there and the talent is there.

That is why the teams kept each other on the schedule despite moving to difference branches of the OK Conference.

The past five matchups at have come down to the final second and been decided by a single score, leading to much anticipated season opener under the Friday night lights as the defending Division 3 state semifinal Dux took on the defending Division 2 state champions.

More: Week 1 high school football: Big wins for Zeeland East, Holland Christian, Hamilton

This one was no different as a couple big plays on conversions, a long run and a fourth-down strike and a forced turnover late led the Dux to a 22-13 win over Muskegon on Friday.

"It is a great football game every single time we play. This proves our guys will fight. They had momentum and we didn't give in," Zeeland West coach John Shillito said.

It was the second win in the past three times at Hackley Stadium and the biggest margin of victory in the game in a decade.

"It is a huge win for us," Keaton Hendricks said. "It is a big game every time. It always feels good to come out on top. It shows our toughness."

Here are the key takeaways:

Hendricks gets the point - and the Dux get two

In a close game, you knever know what little play could come up big in the long run.

For the Dux, it was a blocked extra point when Zeeland West's Keaton Hendricks got his hands on the extra point just as Muskegon had taken its first lead.

Just a few minutes later, Hendricks had a 57-yard touchdown run that put the Dux back in front - by that single point, 14-13.

"Our coaches scheme was good. We knew they would have to go for one or the other and I slid through and it hit me in the arm. It is the best thing that could have happened," Hendricks said.

The Dux added a late fourth-down score as Trey Sloothaak hit Brody Smeyers on fourth-and-8 on the 12-yard line. Sloothaak scored the two-point conversion to make it 28-13.

The Dux forced a turnover on the next play and was able to pad the lead on a 37-yard run by Hendricks, the school record-holder in the 110-meter hurdles, once again.

"He has developed himself into a great football player. He has always been a great athlete. He has worked so hard at getting strong," Shillito said.

He finished with eight rushes for 129 yards.

"It got things rolling for us and when we get rolling, we are really hard to stop," Hendricks said. "That is what we need to do all season."

Bumpy first possession for Dux

The Dux opened the season by marching down the field and scoring with their wing-T/power-T offense, which isn't surprising.

But it was the way it happened that was a little suprising. The Dux had three fumbled snaps during the possession that they had to No. 1 fall on, then No. 2, make up for the loss of downs and yardage.

It ended up in a slow drive that resulted in a 5-yard touchdown run around the right end by quarterback Trey Sloothaak.

"It was huge to start the game with a scoring drive and get on the board," Sloothaak said. "Our center really responded and was unfazed. It was big."

Sloothaak stars on both sides of the ball

Sloothaak, in his first game at quarterback, had his struggles with snaps early, but once he got the ball, he was tough to stop.

As a junior he was an all-state safety and saw some time in the backfield.

He had a couple of big runs on the opening drive, including the first score of the season.

On the second possession for the Dux, he had a long run, then avoided a sack two plays later as he zigged and zagged through the Muskegon defense to get deep into Big Red territory.

His defense was still there too as in a key possession late in the third quarter, Sloothaak had three consecutive tackles to force a punt.

"He is one of the best players we have ever had," Shillito said. "He is the complete package."

The ensuing play was a 57-yard touchdown run by Keaton Hendricks to give the Dux a 14-13 lead. '

Sloothaak had 88 yards rushing an completed both of his pass attempts in his first start. He had nine tackles on defense.

"We knew this would be a good test for us and show us where we are as a team," Sloothaak said. "We know it is a fight for four quarters. In the past, they have wore us out in the fourth quarter."

Big speed for Big Reds

After a couple of slow drives, the Big Reds were able to use their speed with jet sweeps to Michael Piggee Jr. and Arquez Petty to get the offense going.

Danelle Lawrence scored on an 11-yard touchdown pass from James Young with 39 seconds remaining in the half as the ball went off the finger tips of a Dux defender and Lawrence was able to catch it and get his feet down in the left rear corner of the end zone.

It cut the Zeeland West lead to 8-7.

Keshawn Drummer scored on a 48-yard run early in the third quarter to lead 13-8. The extra point was blocked by Hendricks.

Young was 13-for-18 for 150 yards and a touchdown.

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as  Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSport s.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Zeeland West football stuns defending state champion Muskegon in thriller