Lowell quarterback Titan Anderson has played in front of big crowds before, however, the game had already long been decided.
The opening night of the 2012 high school football season, was different, it was the senior quarterback’s time and place for prime time.
Anderson led the Red Arrows out onto Rockford’s Ted Carlson Memorial Field (The Ted) in front of a large crowd against one of West Michigan’s top football programs.
While Anderson’s numbers weren’t going to earn him player of the week, his growing confidence and and maturity within the game definitely earned him the respect of his teammates and coach.
Anderson rushed for 131 yards and threw for 89 in Lowell’s 16-6 win over Rockford.
“Our kids played well, I was proud of them,” Lowell coach Noel Dean said. “The beauty is there’s a lot to improve on for both clubs and to be able to come into this place with such a great atmosphere and a great crowd and beat a program of this stature, with the group of coaches that they have, I’m really hopeful for the future.”
Lowell, held to 16 total yards on its first two possessions, began its third possession on its own 20, trailing 6-0.
A well balanced mixture of of runs by Anderson and running back Kanon Dean with completions to Jeff Houston (26 yards) and Kyler Shurlow (16 yards) and a Rockford personal foul led to Dean busting into the end zone from the two yard line giving Lowell a 7-6 lead at halftime.
A Lowell defense which stymied the Ram running game throughout, also provided a constant pressure on Rockford quarterback Austin McKellar. The pressure eventually put points on the board in the third quarter when McKellar dropped back into his end zone on third and 12 from the Ram four yard line. Pierce Watson, Stormzand and Zach Huver brought McKellar down, giving the Red Arrows two points and a 9-6 advantage.
That score held until the fourth quarter when Anderson played pass and catch on a 17-yard touchdown seam pass to Huver, extending Loewell’s lead to 10 at 16-6.
Rockford’s only score of the night came in the opening quarter on a Connor Darby 35 yard run. The Rams were held to 68 yards on the ground in 26 attempts.
Lowell rushed the football 46 times for 171 yards
The Red Arrows were one of five teams in the newly aligned O-K White to post non conference wins on high school’s football’s opening week. Caledonia beat Holland (45-7), Forest Hills Central outscored Zeeland West (59-58), Grand Rapids Christian got by South Christian (38-28) and Jenison bested Grandville (27-20).
East Grand Rapids, however, fell to Grand Rapids Catholic Central 33-14.
Lowell is home on Thursday when it hosts Lansing Eastern (0-1), who lost 33-20 to Cadillac.
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