No where in the definition of a “pretty win” can one find five turnovers.

Then again, nowhere in post season statistics are wins defined by pretty and ugly.

So, while Lowell’s 14-7 win over Caledonia Friday night wasn’t how Coach Noel Dean would have drawn it up, the result was a victory which will send the Red Arrows into the final game of the season against Grand Rapids Christian with a chance to win the O-K White Conference Championship.

Lowell tallied two first-half touchdowns and then leaned on its defense to hold onto a victory against the home-standing Fighting Scots.

“It was a good win, against a quality opponent, coaching staff and football program,” Dean said.

The Red Arrows got on the board late in the first quarter on a Titan Anderson nine-yard touchdown pass to Zach Huver.
Anderson then added a second touchdown in the second quarter on a seven-yard run from scrimmage, giving Lowell a 14-0 halftime advantage.

“Defensively, we played outstanding. We have played great defense all year. But whenever you play a team like Lowell, you have to figure out how to get first downs and sustain drives. We weren’t very fortunate to do that tonight,” Caledonia football coach Steve Uyl said.

Caledonia was unable to muster a scoring drive against the Red Arrow defense. It’s third-quarter score was provided by the defense on a 10-yard interception return by Heath Hoogerhyde.

“I’m so proud of the kids and the effort they gave,” Uyl explained. “Lowell is a very good football team. Its defense was very physical, fast, and it was hard for us to sustain drives and get anything going offensively.”

Anderson led all Lowell runners with 68 yards on the ground. Jeff Houston led on receivers with three receptions for 32 yards.
Anderson was 10-of-17 for 99 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

Lowell (7-1, 4-0) has outscored its O-K White opponents through four games 144-66. The Red Arrows have averaged 36 points a game in O-K White play while giving up 16.5 points a game.

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Some picked Caledonia to finish last in its return to the O-K White in 2012.

Nobody… picked the Fighting Scots to contend for a conference championship.

The scenario sound somewhat familiar? Beckon back to 2007′s realignment. It brought the Scot’s into a league to battle with football titans Lowell and East Grand Rapids.

Caledonia beat Division 3 state champion East Grand Rapids 21-20 and lost to Lowell 35-23, giving it a share of the O-K White title.

Caledonia enters Friday night’s game with Lowell at 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the White. A Scot win against the 6-1 Red Arrows with a Lowell win in week nine against Grand Rapids Christian could once again create a three-way conference title split in the O-K White.

Now, that’s provided Christian defeats Forest Hills Central in week eight and Caledonia takes care of business against East (2-5) in the season finale.

Those are a lot of provisions but the Scots believe and their 7-2 overall record in O-K White play shows they can make it happen.

“This group of players have great team chemistry. We’re fortunate to have gotten off to a good start and that has carried us into the the White,” said Caledonia coach Steve Uyl.

Caledonia’s winning football formula has been good defense, a very efficient offense and time of possession.

“That has helped us keep people out of the end zone,” Uyl explained. “This week we face a big challenge, but the boys view it as an opportunity.”

The challenge is the physical, big play of the Red Arrows. “Lowell is very good. It is one of the best programs in the state. It’s a physical football team on both sides of the ball that comes after you,”Uyl said.

Caledonia is coming off a 28-6 win over Forest Hills Central. Lowell defeated the Rangers a week earlier 42-24.

Jenison is the two club’s other common opponent. The Scots beat the ‘Cats 42-21 while Lowell won 43-7.

“In the White you have to play your best every week. It has some of the best teams in the state let a lone in the area,” Uyl concluded.

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Lowell football coach Noel Dean couldn’t help but smile about Zach Huver’s fourth-quarter game-changing interception.

“I told him to quit smiling that he hadn’t showed me anything yet,” Dean said with his wry smile following Lowell’s 42-24 O-K White Conference win against Forest Hills Central Friday night on Bob Perry Field in Lowell.

Dean not only knew better, but his counterpart, Ranger coach Tim Rogers called it a tide turner.

“The running back leaked out and the quarterback pumped. So I broke toward the back and he threw the football and I was able to get it,” explained Huver. “This was a big win for us. It was a good win.”

The victory was Lowell’s fifth in six tries, improving its league mark to 2-0 with a home date against East Grand Rapids Friday night. The Pioneers suffered their fourth defeat of season against Grand Rapids Christian, 43-24.

Lowell defenders stifle this running attempt by Central’s Zach Walker.

For the upstart Rangers, they are now 4-2 and 1-1 in the league.

“These are 16-18 year old kids and they lost it (poise). The tide turned and they tried to get it all back at once,” Rogers said afterwards. “This was a learning experience against a good football team. We will be back.”

Even Dean agreed with that. “He told me afterwards that they’d see us in a couple of weeks (playoffs),” Rogers said.

Huver’s tide-turning pick came with the Red Arrows trailing 24-21 with 10:47 to play in the fourth quarter. The Red Arrow returned the interception to the Ranger 24 yard line. Two plays later Kanon Dean muscled his way in from the seven yard line, giving

Lowell a 28-24 lead, one it would not relinquish.

Within 30 seconds of the go-ahead score, Kyler Shurlow grabbed a tipped Justin Chopp pass out of the air and raced to the Ranger 31 yard line. This time it too the Red Arrows six plays before Dean blasted it over the goal line from the three, exgtending the Lowell lead to fourat 28-24.

Shurlow did it again a couple minutes later, this time grabbing a tipped Justin Chopp pass out of the air and racing to the Ranger 31 yard line. It took the Red Arrows six plays before Dean balsted it over the goal line from the three, ballooning the Lowell lead to 11 at at 35-24.

“Our defense stuck together and played strong. We were able to stiffen up a couple of things there in the second half,” Huver concluded.

Lowell’s final score of the night was delivered by the defense on a Reed Stormzand 50- yard interception return.

His coach found satisfaction in his clubs poise.

“Our defense played extremely well. “The boys played with enthusiasm and showed great poise out there. I was very impressed,” Dean said.

The Chopp-led Ranger offense started fast, scoring on its opening two,possessions of the game. The first score came on a 20-yard hook-up with Hunter Folkertsma. The second touchdown went 25 yards to Nicholas Guerre.

Lowell matched FHC’ start with a Dean nine-yard scoring burst and the junior later scored on a two yard run, with under two minutes to play in the first quarter.

The Red Arrows took their first lead of the evening in the second quarter when Titan Anderson raced in from 15 yards out, giving the Red Arrows a 21-14 advantage.

Central fought back late in the first half when Guerre scored again. Chopp connected with the FHC receiver on a 16-yard touchdown pass.

Central regained the lead in the third quarter on a 19-yard field goal. It came after having the ball first and goal at the two and not being able to find the end zone.

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Lowell football coach Noel Dean is happy to finally be playing a local school of its size.

The Red Arrow mentor of 17 years may be sorry for what he wished for after Friday night’s encounter with Forest Hills Central.

The list of big schools Lowell has played over the opening five weeks includes Rockford, Grand Haven, Muskegon and Jenison.

“We haven’t had to deal with injuries up until now. Playing teams of that size takes a toll on you,” Dean explained.

While its school size may be similar, don’t be fooled, Forest Hills Central’s physicality and size can also take a toll on its opponents.

“Central has put together an outstanding group of seniors and some juniors and sophomores who are excited to play together,” Dean said. “Their play this year has  been impressive.”

The most  recent win was a dominating 43-7 performance over East Grand Rapids. First year coach, Tim Rogers while happy with the win over the Pioneers, remains cautiously optimistic.

“It was a pretty good win, but there is room for improvement,” Rogers explains. “While East is still a very good, well coached program, it is not the team it once was.”

The Rangers are led by 20 mentally and physically talented players, according to their coach. They will have to call on all of that Friday night in Lowell if a victory is to be the outcome.

“Lowell is a very good football team every year that is well coached. Its signature philosophy is to bring pressure and to run the football,” Rogers explains.”If you can’t handle that, defeating Lowell probably isn’t going to happen.”

Both teams enter the contest at 4-1. Lowell’s only loss was to Muskegon (36-21) while the Rangers singular defeat came against Zeeland East (27-23).

“Our kids continue to play hard and stick to our brand. I’ve been happy with them. It’s been hard to keep them rested and healthy,” Dean said. “We will find some things out over the next couple of weeks.”

Central, who comes over to the O-K White from the O-K Black, finds itself in a three-way tie with Lowell and Grand Rapids Christian (defending O-K White champions), making Friday’s game a key early season league game.

The two teams last met in the playoffs a year ago with Lowell winning 13-6.

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Shane Fairfield talked to his Big Reds, prior to Friday night’s matchup with Lowell, about having an answer to Red Arrow big plays and scoring drives.

“I called them momentum changers,” he explained after Muskegon’s 36-21 victory in the battle of Division 2′s top two ranked teams in the state.

The Lowell, Muskegon rivalry has been built on playoff confrontations over the last five years. The Red Arrows came in having won the last three meetings.
Friday, however, was different. It wasn’t win or go home.

“Playing Lowell during the regular season was a chance for our guys to go out and enjoy the night and to take in what they have invested into. It was great out here tonight. This is what high school football is about,” Fairfield said.

The Big Reds biggest game changer on Friday night came in a span of 10 seconds. Lowell came out in the second half and on a 73-yard pass-and-catch from Titan Anderson to Cody Bieri took its first lead of the night 21-20.

After an exchange of punts, Marcus Smith turned the corner on the Red Arrow defense and raced down the Muskegon sideline for an 88 yard touchdown, re-establishing the Big Reds as the game’s lead dog, 26-21.

“We had a breakdown their at about the 10. Had we been able to keep them there maybe we could have been able to come away with a different outcome,” said Lowell football coach Noel Dean.

What followed on Lowell’s next possession may very well have sealed its fate. A bad snap from center on fourth down at its own 28 yard line, set Muskegon up first-and goal from the Lowell four. Two plays later John Hall punched it in from the three, extending Muskegon’s lead to 12 at 33-21.

“Muskegon is a well organized football team and speed is a strong component of that,” Dean said afterwards. “I’m proud of our kids and the enthusiasm they played with and now its about getting back to work. We will begin to do that Monday morning (6 a.m.).

The Big Reds grabbed and early first-quarter lead on a 15-yard touchdown burst from Smith. They extended their lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter when Smith did it again, scoring from 27 yards out this time.

The Red Arrows facing an early exit from game relevance, battled back. Anderson connected with Kyler Shurlow on a 15-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone, cutting the deficit to 14-7.

Smith, as he did all night, had a answer… a momentum changing play. He raced 43 yards on the Big Reds next possession building the lead up to 20-7.

Lowell responded with a six-play, 45-yard scoring drive that ended with Anderson sneaking over from the two yard line.

Muskegon added a 22-yard field from Adrian Briseno late in the fourth quarter.

Over a three week stretch, Lowell finishes 2-1 against O-K Red opponents. The Red Arrows defeated Rockford and Grand Haven before losing to the Big Reds.

Muskegon’s win Friday night is what many believe is just the first of two meetings between these football powerhouses. The next is likely to come in the playoffs.

“Can someone please beat them in the first round,” Fairfield concluded.

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Kyler Shurlow pulls down a sensational seven-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone to extend Lowell’s lead to 14-6.

With his club’s 14-12 fourth quarter lead was  in intimate danger,  Lowell foorball coach Noel Dean was just hoping his Red Arrows could flip the switch.

And then it happened, the flip got switched. Kyler Shurlow, having been picked on all night by the Buccaneer passing game, intercepted a second down pass in the corner of the end zone.

Some 16 seconds later Lowell quarterback Titan Anderson raced 80 yards for a touchdown;  90 seconds later Zach Huver picked up a Grand Haven fumble and raced 25 yards for a touchdown; 40 seconds later Shrlow intercepted another pass.

The flip of the switch changed a  precarious 14-12 lead into a 29-12 non-conference win over its O-K Red foe.

“The boys stepped up and played their hearts out,” Dean said. “I was hoping they could flip the switch in that fourth quarter. When Shurlow intercepted the pass in the end zone I let out a WooHoo. It was a tough night and there was a lot of pressure playing against a team in the O-K Red and trying to compete.”

For Grand Haven coach Mike Farley there was pride for the way his club competed and the realization his club was a play away from possibly defeating one of the state’s tp notch football programs.

“In that situation if we punch it in it’s a different game,” Farley explained.

In actuality, this game – the Fifth Annual Pink Arrow Pride game is different. A game where Lowell players are asked to play the game for someone else, for people journeying through their battle with cancer; for those in the community whose lives have been taken by cancer.

The game, the community event has raised over $1 million since its inception in 2008.

Lowell jumped out to an early lead Friday night when Anderson raced 25 yards on the Red Arrows second possession for a 7-0 lead.

Grand Haven answered two minutes later when Abe Westerman found the end zone from 11 yards out. The PAT was missed and Lowell’s lead was one (7-6).

The Red Arrows authored their longest drive of the evening in the second quarter, a 12-play, 80-yard march with Anderson connecting with Shurlow on a seven-yard touchdown pass, extending Lowell’s lead to eight at 14-6.

The Buccaneers cut the deficit to two in the third quarter on a 20-yard pass play from Michael Penland to Jake Lovett. The PAT was again missed and the Red Arrow lead was two at 14-12.

Lowell finished with 292 yards rushing and 32 yards through the air. Anderson led the way with 160 on the ground and two touchdowns.

Grand Haven was held to a minus 39 yards rushing  while throwing for 287 yards.

Neither team threatened to score until the Buc 62-yard drive to the Lowell eight in the fourth quarter which ended on a Shurlow interception?

“I felt like they were picking on me on me all night,” Shurlow said afterwards. “The coaches kept telling me that I was doing well and that they were making good plays.”

Shurlow was rewarded. The guy being picked on, on second and eight, picked the football up off the turf of the endzone, held it up for the officials to see and was granted a game-saving interception.

“The ball hit the ground. The officials didn’t see it. It wasn’t an interception. A couple of my teammates said ‘hey dude you didn’t catch that’,” Shurlow explained.

But after the challenging night he had, Shurlow was happy to take it.

With it and the Lowell win, the Red Arrows are now 3-0 with a trip to Muskegon on Friday. Lowell is now  2-0 against O-K Red opponents.

“Muskegon is a very good football team a better football team than we are right now,” Dean concluded.

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