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Seniors lead West Ottawa resurgence

Posted at 11:17 PM, Nov 02, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-02 23:17:36-04

HOLLAND, Mich -- West Ottawa will look for the school's first football district championship Friday night when it hosts Rockford. The Panthers were just 2-7 each of the last two years but have set a new school record with 9 wins and won the schools first ever outright OK Red Championship.

"I'd just say the guys we are playing with we have been winning our whole lives" senior safety Mike Walsh said. "We just play well together over the summer and the off season and it just all came together at the right time."

"We've just been giving it our all, giving it a hundred percent effort" senior center Omar Disla said. "Just having fun with the game and it's been real fun and practicing real hard"

senior receivers Xavier Wade and Liam Cavanaugh have spearheaded an offense that is scoring more than 33 points per game this year.

"If you want to double him (Liam), Keese (Seankeese Townsend) will run it, is whatever they want to do we are just going to take what the defense gives us every time" Wade said. "That is how we execute and we are going to just keep executing the plan and just do our thing."

"It is really nice because even though we might have better stats then other kids on the team I think anyone of our receivers could make a play" Cavanaugh added. "When they double up on us that will leave someone else open and he is going to make the play"

Townsend ran for a school record 6 touchdowns in a week 9 win over Grandville,proving the Panthers have the weapons to give defenses headaches.

"We really think of it as a multiple headed monster where the receivers can do work, the quarterback has done a great job, Isaac VanDyke has done a great job and then Seankeese Townsend in the backfield has had great games as well" 2nd year head coach Ryan Oshnock said. "We go in with a game plan that we like but really we have to see what the defense is going to give us and if they are going to double cover one we got to throw it to the other one if they are going to double cover them both hopefully we can run the ball so that has worked out to our advantage this year."

The Panthers defense is allowing just over 14 points per game as well this season. West Ottawa hosts Rockford Friday night at 7 p.m. at Harbor Light Middle School.