{"id":4971,"date":"2015-10-16T23:21:06","date_gmt":"2015-10-17T06:21:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spiken.wpengine.com\/news\/kentwood-turns-away-kent-meridian-to-capture-division-title-4a-spsl-football\/"},"modified":"2016-10-24T00:35:31","modified_gmt":"2016-10-24T07:35:31","slug":"kentwood-turns-away-kent-meridian-to-capture-division-title-4a-spsl-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/sports\/kentwood-turns-away-kent-meridian-to-capture-division-title-4a-spsl-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Kentwood turns away Kent-Meridian to capture division title | 4A SPSL football"},"content":{"rendered":"

For<\/span> Mike<\/span> Bush<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> Kentwood<\/span> football<\/span> program,<\/span> it<\/span> was<\/span> familiar<\/span> territory.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

An<\/span> emotional<\/span> win<\/span> for<\/span> a<\/span> first-year<\/span> coach<\/span> coming<\/span> home<\/span> and<\/span> another<\/span> divisional<\/span> title<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> Conquerors.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Brian<\/span> Campbell<\/span> threw<\/span> two<\/span> touchdown<\/span> passes<\/span> and<\/span> ran<\/span> for<\/span> two<\/span> more<\/span> as<\/span> Kentwood<\/span> took<\/span> down<\/span> Kent-Meridian<\/span> 28-7<\/span> to<\/span> secure<\/span> the<\/span> South<\/span> Puget<\/span> Sound<\/span> League<\/span> 4A<\/span> Northeast<\/span> Division<\/span> title<\/span> a<\/span>t<\/span> French<\/span> Field<\/span> last<\/span> Friday<\/span> night.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

It<\/span> was<\/span> the<\/span> fourth<\/span> consecutive<\/span> divisional<\/span> title<\/span> \u2013<\/span> the<\/span> 13th<\/span> in<\/span> program<\/span> history<\/span> \u2013<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> playoff<\/span>-bound<\/span> Conquerors<\/span> (3-0<\/span> in<\/span> league,<\/span> 6-1<\/span> overall).<\/span> Kentwood<\/span> has<\/span> won<\/span> six<\/span> straight<\/span> game<\/span>s<\/span> since<\/span> its<\/span> season-opening<\/span> loss<\/span> to<\/span> Curtis.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The<\/span> Royals<\/span> (2-2,<\/span> 3-4)<\/span> remain<\/span> alive<\/span> for<\/span> a<\/span> playoff<\/span> spot<\/span> but<\/span> will<\/span> need<\/span> some<\/span> help<\/span> to<\/span> get<\/span> in.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe<\/span> knew<\/span> it<\/span> was<\/span> going<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> a<\/span> battle,\u201d<\/span> said<\/span> an elated Bush, <\/span>Conks<\/span> coach<\/span> and<\/span> <\/span>K-M<\/span> graduate<\/span> who<\/span> went<\/span> on<\/span> to<\/span> play<\/span> collegiately<\/span> at<\/span> Washington<\/span> State.<\/span> \u201cThis<\/span> is<\/span> my<\/span> alma<\/span> mater.<\/span> I<\/span> was<\/span> excited<\/span> to<\/span> come<\/span> here<\/span> and<\/span> play<\/span> them.<\/span> It<\/span> almost<\/span> felt<\/span> like<\/span> coming<\/span> full<\/span> circle.<\/span> It\u2019s<\/span> an<\/span> amazing<\/span> feeling<\/span> to<\/span> win<\/span> an<\/span> SPSL<\/span> title<\/span> versus<\/span> a<\/span> school<\/span> that<\/span> I<\/span> once<\/span> attended.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Connor<\/span> Benson,<\/span> a<\/span> senior<\/span> wide<\/span> receiver<\/span> and<\/span> defensive<\/span> back,<\/span> produced<\/span> big<\/span> plays<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> Conquerors<\/span>,<\/span> catching<\/span> a<\/span> TD<\/span> pass,<\/span> returning<\/span> a<\/span> kickoff<\/span> 74<\/span> yards<\/span> to<\/span> set<\/span> up<\/span> another<\/span> score<\/span> and<\/span> intercepting<\/span> a<\/span> pass<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> fourth<\/span> quarter.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Benson\u2019s<\/span> big<\/span> plays<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> receiving<\/span> end<\/span> of<\/span> Campbell\u2019s<\/span> long<\/span> passes<\/span> set<\/span> up<\/span> Kentwood<\/span> scoring<\/span> chances.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe<\/span> went<\/span> out<\/span> there<\/span> and<\/span> got<\/span> it<\/span> done,\u201d<\/span> Benson<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201cBrian<\/span> put<\/span> the<\/span> ball<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> perfect<\/span> spot<\/span> for<\/span> me.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m<\/span> just<\/span> glad<\/span> it<\/span> happened<\/span> tonight<\/span> in<\/span> this<\/span> special<\/span> moment<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> SPSL<\/span> (Northeast<\/span> Division)<\/span> champs.<\/span> I\u2019m<\/span> just<\/span> proud<\/span> of<\/span> my<\/span> team.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Lightning-quick<\/span> Isaiah<\/span> Williams<\/span> also<\/span> shone,<\/span> running<\/span> for<\/span> 158<\/span> yards<\/span> and<\/span> snagging<\/span> a<\/span> TD<\/span> pass.<\/span> He<\/span> also<\/span> pulled<\/span> in<\/span> two<\/span> interceptions<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> Conks.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Kentwood<\/span> shut<\/span> down<\/span> the<\/span> mistake-prone<\/span> Royals<\/span>,<\/span> intercepting<\/span> quarterback<\/span> Ben<\/span> Woods<\/span> four<\/span> times<\/span> and<\/span> containing<\/span> his<\/span> big<\/span> target,<\/span> Emmanual<\/span> Daigbe.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cOur<\/span> defensive<\/span> staff<\/span> had<\/span> a<\/span> great<\/span> game<\/span> plan<\/span> on<\/span> how<\/span> to<\/span> stop<\/span> him<\/span> and<\/span> slow<\/span> him<\/span> down,\u201d<\/span> Bush<\/span> said<\/span> of<\/span> Daigbe,<\/span> one<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> area\u2019s<\/span> coveted<\/span> recruits.<\/span> \u201cHe\u2019s<\/span> an<\/span> amazing<\/span> receiver.<\/span> I<\/span> commend<\/span> him<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> plays<\/span> he<\/span> did<\/span> make.<\/span> It<\/span> was<\/span> our<\/span> focus<\/span> to<\/span> slow<\/span> him<\/span> down.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Both<\/span> teams<\/span> struggled<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> half.<\/span> Campbell<\/span> and<\/span> Woods<\/span> each<\/span> threw<\/span> two<\/span> interceptions<\/span> and<\/span> each<\/span> team<\/span> missed<\/span> a<\/span> field<\/span> goal.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe<\/span> got<\/span> off<\/span> to<\/span> a<\/span> slow<\/span> start<\/span> because<\/span> Kent-Meridian<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> good<\/span> football<\/span> team.<\/span> Coach<\/span> (Brett)<\/span> Allen<\/span> has<\/span> his<\/span> school<\/span> are<\/span> doing<\/span> great<\/span> things,\u201d<\/span> Bush<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201cWe<\/span> just<\/span> had<\/span> to<\/span> refocus.<\/span> We<\/span> just<\/span> calmed<\/span> down,<\/span> and<\/span> we<\/span> just<\/span> played<\/span> one<\/span> play<\/span> at<\/span> a<\/span> time.<\/span> By<\/span> doing<\/span> that,<\/span> we<\/span> were<\/span> successful,<\/span> and<\/span> we<\/span> were<\/span> able<\/span> to<\/span> put<\/span> some<\/span> drives<\/span> together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The<\/span> Conks<\/span> got<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> board<\/span> first,<\/span> producing<\/span> a<\/span> 12-play,<\/span> 94-yard<\/span> drive<\/span> capped<\/span> by<\/span> Campbell\u2019s<\/span> 5-yard<\/span> scoring<\/span> flip<\/span> to<\/span> Williams<\/span> with<\/span> 10:28<\/span> left<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> second<\/span> quarter.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Kentwood<\/span> went<\/span> up<\/span> 14-0<\/span> after<\/span> Benson<\/span> returned<\/span> the<\/span> opening<\/span> second-half<\/span> kickoff<\/span> 74<\/span> yards<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> Royals\u2019<\/span> 11.<\/span> K-M<\/span> forced<\/span> Kentwood<\/span> into<\/span> a<\/span> field<\/span> goal<\/span> but<\/span> roughed<\/span> the<\/span> kicker,<\/span> allowing<\/span> the<\/span> Conks\u2019<\/span> offense<\/span> to<\/span> return<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> field<\/span> with<\/span> a<\/span> fresh<\/span> set<\/span> of<\/span> downs<\/span> from<\/span> the<\/span> 2-yard<\/span> line.<\/span> Two<\/span> plays<\/span> later,<\/span> Campbell<\/span> raced<\/span> around<\/span> left<\/span> end<\/span> to<\/span> score<\/span> from<\/span> the<\/span> 3<\/span> with<\/span> 9:30<\/span> to<\/span> go<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> third<\/span> quarter.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The<\/span> Royals<\/span> drove<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> Conks\u2019<\/span> 17-yard<\/span> line<\/span> but<\/span> the<\/span> drive<\/span> stalled,<\/span> giving<\/span> the<\/span> ball<\/span> up<\/span> on<\/span> downs.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Campbell\u2019s<\/span> 14-yard<\/span> TD<\/span> run<\/span> with<\/span> 4:29<\/span> left<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> third<\/span> quarter<\/span> widen<\/span> Kentwood\u2019s<\/span> lead<\/span> to<\/span> 21-0.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Campbell<\/span> later<\/span> found<\/span> Benson<\/span> on<\/span> a<\/span> swing<\/span> pass<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> wideout<\/span> took<\/span> it<\/span> 62<\/span> yards<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> end<\/span> zone<\/span> with<\/span> 1:25<\/span> left<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> third<\/span> quarter.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Kent-Meridian<\/span> avoided<\/span> a<\/span> shutout<\/span> when<\/span> Gabriel<\/span> Gallman<\/span> scored<\/span> on<\/span> a<\/span> 13-yard<\/span> run<\/span> with<\/span> 6:39<\/span> left<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> game.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The<\/span> Royals<\/span> moved<\/span> the<\/span> ball<\/span> but<\/span> were<\/span> unable<\/span> to<\/span> score<\/span> early<\/span> and<\/span> often.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen<\/span> we<\/span> blow<\/span> those<\/span> (scoring)<\/span> opportunities<\/span> it<\/span> sort<\/span> of<\/span> gets<\/span> into<\/span> our<\/span> heads,\u201d<\/span> Allen<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201cSome<\/span> mental<\/span> miscues<\/span> cost<\/span> us<\/span> from<\/span> converting<\/span> on<\/span> some<\/span> of<\/span> those<\/span> (chances).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThe<\/span> second<\/span> half<\/span> was<\/span> all<\/span> mental<\/span> miscues,\u201d<\/span> Allen<\/span> added.<\/span> \u201cWe<\/span> just<\/span> didn\u2019t<\/span> take<\/span> advantage<\/span> of<\/span> what<\/span> they<\/span> were<\/span> giving<\/span> up<\/span> by<\/span> doubling,<\/span> bracketing<\/span> him.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re<\/span> still<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> hunt<\/span> but<\/span> we<\/span> have<\/span> some<\/span> work<\/span> to<\/span> do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Kentwood<\/span> completes<\/span> the<\/span> regular<\/span> season<\/span> against<\/span> Kentlake<\/span> this<\/span> Friday.<\/span> Kickoff<\/span> is<\/span> 7<\/span> p.m.<\/span> at<\/span> French<\/span> Field.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Kent-Meridian<\/span> hosts<\/span> Mount<\/span> Rainier<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> non-divisional<\/span> game<\/span> at<\/span> 7<\/span> p.m.<\/span> Thursday<\/span> at<\/span> French<\/span> Field.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The<\/span> district<\/span> playoffs<\/span> are<\/span> scheduled<\/span> for<\/span> Nov.<\/span> 6-7.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

PHOTO BELOW:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Kentwood coach Mike Bush is all smiles after his team’s division-clinching win. Mark Klaas, Kent Reporter<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"\"
<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For Mike Bush and the Kentwood football program, it was familiar territory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":220,"featured_media":4972,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-4971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4971"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/220"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4971"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4971\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4971"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=4971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}