Rockford uses big plays, blows by Mona Shores

NORTON SHORES, Mich. (WOOD) — Sometimes all it takes is a few plays to win a football game — and when Rockford had its chances, it didn’t miss all night long. 

The Rams connected on two 50-plus-yard touchdown passes, a blocked punt and a halfback pass to help earn a 31-8 victory Friday over Mona Shores. 

The win put the Rams at 2-0 to start the season, with wins over two of the best programs in the Muskegon area, topping the Big Reds and Sailors.

Neither offense could do much more than claw into the opponent’s territory before having to punt the ball away for most of the first half. 

About midway through the second quarter, Rockford changed that with one big play.

The Rams struck on a 57-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Drake Irwin to wideout Camden Kruisenga to take a 7-0 lead. It stunned the Sailor faithful, igniting the away crowd to be the only noise heard.

The Rams would get one more possession in the first half and end it with points, hitting a 34-yard field goal to make it 10-0.

Mona Shores needed to find something offensive to keep the sticks moving in the second half if it wanted a chance to wear down a tough Rockford defense.

Instead, it was the Rockford offense that just kept on coming. Kruisenga and Irwin hooked up on another long pitch and catch, this one from 59 yards out to make it 17-0.

Then, following a huge blocked punt deep in Sailor territory, Irwin threw his third touchdown pass of the evening to Lucas Pitsch to make it 24-0.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Rams started having fun with it on a trick play pass from running back Ryan Ahern to Kruisenga for his third score of the day, making it 31-0.

Rockford will stay on the road and take on Jenison next Friday, while Mona Shores will look to rebound against Reeths-Puffer at home. 

Correction: A previous version of this article misidentified the player who scored three touchdowns. It was Camden Kruisenga. We regret the error, which has been fixed.