JACKSON, MI (WTVB) – None of Branch County’s football teams came up victorious on Week 6 of the season Friday night. The most heartbreaking setback may have been the game we had on the radio at Jackson Lumen Christi, as the Titans held off Coldwater 21-20 in overtime. After the teams battled to a 14-14 stalemate in regulation, Lumen Christi had the ball first and scored on the first play from scrimmage on a 10-yard Bo Bell run. The PAT kick gave the Titans a one-touchdown lead. On Coldwater’s OT possession, Connor Covert had a 1-yard run, then Collin Torrey found the end zone from 9 yards out. Coach Jeff Schorfhaar rolled the dice and decided to go for two, but the conversion try was stopped at the 5-yard line.
Both teams had 303 yards of net offense – the Cardinals outgained the Titans 229-171 on the ground, while Lumen had the 122-64 edge through the air. Bo Bell had 33 carries for 166 yards and all three Titan touchdowns. Our McDonald’s Player of the Game, Sam DeMeester, had 165 yards on 26 carries and a first-half score, along with a 47-yard reception of a Cole Targgart pass; DeMeester also led the defense with 12 tackles on defense. Targgart had 6 carries for 29 yards and an 11-yard QB keeper for Coldwater’s other score. The Cardinals drop to 4-2 overall, 3-2 in the Interstate 8, two games behind undefeated Harper Creek, who picked up a 43-28 Homecoming win against Parma Western. Coldwater will bring the Beavers in for Homecoming next Friday.
Homecoming night at Bronson was spoiled by the Mendon Hornets, who picked up a 35-0 shutout at Charles Hilton Field to improve to 27-3 all-time against the Vikings. Bronson was held to 120 yards total offense; Cole Houtz had 86 of those yards on 8 carries. Bryce Withington had 7 tackles as the Vikings fell to 1-5 overall, 1-1 in the BCS Red.
Quincy had the first score of their game against Homer, on a 34-yard Luke Rufenacht touchdown. After that, it was all Trojans, as they handed the Orioles their first loss of the season, 42-6 at Quincy. Homer outgained Quincy on the ground 395-149 and overall 434-163. Bryce Ruhl had 70 yards on 14 carries, while Rufenacht finished with 47 yards and the lone Quincy score. Nathan Karney was just 1-for-4 passing for 14 yards to Evan Henning and was sacked twice, but Karney led the defense with 13 total tackles. With Quincy’s loss and Springport’s 20-16 win against Concord, there’s a three-way tie atop the Big 8 standings, as the Orioles, Spartans, and Yellow Jackets are all 5-1 overall, 4-1 in the Big 8. Quincy plays at Concord next Friday and hosts Springport on Homecoming night in two weeks.
Reading finally picked up its first win of season on Homecoming night, at the expense of the Union City Chargers, who fell to the Rangers 30-20 to drop to 2-4 overall, 1-4 in the Big 8.
In 8-man football, Tekonsha picked up a 16-6 win against visiting Waldron to improve to 3-3 overall, 1-1 in the Southern Michigan 8-Man Football League.
OTHER SCORES
INTERSTATE 8
(at) Harper Creek 43, Western 28
(at) Marshall 21, Hastings 0
Pennfield 42, (at) Northwest 14
BIG 8
(at) Springport 20, Concord 16
(at) Jonesville 26, Athens 14
BCS RED
(at) Cassopolis 45, White Pigeon 6
(at) Lake Michigan Catholic 35, Centreville 0
In boys tennis, the Interstate 8 Tournament scheduled for yesterday was rained out and rescheduled for Monday at Harper Creek and Pennfield.
On today’s schedule:
VOLLEYBALL
Coldwater at Harper Creek Invitational
Bronson Polish Classic
Union City at Concord Invitational
Coldwater JV Invitational
CROSS COUNTRY
Coldwater & Bronson at Otsego Bulldog Invitational
BOYS TENNIS
Bronson at BCS Championships at Bridgman
