By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
SAUGATUCK—On paper, the SAC crossover football game pitting host Saugatuck against visiting Coloma looked like a mismatch.
After all, the Trailblazers entered the game at 4-0, while the Comets were 0-4.
And it quickly became apparent that this was one case in which looks were not deceiving.
Saugatuck scored early and often, building leads of 16-0 after one quarter and 46-0 at halftime on the way to the 60-12 blowout.
The entire second half was played with a running clock due to the mercy rule.
“The kids played fast and physical from the start of the game and maintained that momentum throughout all four quarter,” Saugatuck coach Bill Dunn said. “I was very proud of our guys’ performance and level of energy.”
The game was played in honor of Jack Lampen, who recently passed away. Lampen served as head football coach at Saugatuck for 25 years and is a member of the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
“It was nice to be able to pay tribute to Coach Lampen and all of his contributions to Saugatuck football,” Dunn said.
Cass Stanberry was one of many standout performers for Saugatuck.
In addition to starting the game’s scoring with a first-quarter safety, Stanberry also scored on a 21-yard pass from Matt Hartgerink (second quarter) and a 2-yard run (third quarter). He accounted for both Saugatuck receptions for a total of 29 yards to go with 33 rushing yards on seven carries.
Stanberry also tied Norm Bos and Landon Miller with a team-best six tackles and came up with an interception.
Chris Foley and Bradley Moorer each had five tackles, with Moorer also deflecting a pair of Coloma passes.
Doucette joined Stanberry in contributing a safety.
“Our defense played well and created opportunities for the offense to capitalize on and the offense was able to do that,” Dunn said.
Will Doucette was the offensive star for Saugatuck, racking up 149 yards on 11 carries for a per-carry average of 13.5 yards. Two of those carries resulted in touchdowns, as he scored on second-quarter runs of 5 and 3 yards.
Hartgerink also had multiple rushing TDs to go with his passing touchdown to Stanberry. Hartgerink scored on runs of 8 yards (first quarter) and 11 yards (second quarter) as part of his 80-yard, 8-carry rushing effort.
Moorer (6-yard run in the first quarter) and Mason Leslie (14 yards) also scored rushing touchdowns for Saugatuck.
“We did a great job of ball security and ball control,” Dunn said. “That’s really a credit to the offensive line, which is getting better each week.”
Cam Lewis was a perfect 8-for-8 on extra-point kicks.
Saugatuck travels to Delton on Friday, Sept. 29, for its SAC Valley opener against the Panthers. Delton enters the game 1-4, having dropped its past four contests after starting the season with a forfeit victory over Hartford.