ALLENDALE, Mich. — Coopersville used a potent ground attack and opportunistic defense to beat Allendale 24-21 in the regular season finale for both schools.
Bobby Lemiuex ran for 144 yards on 20 carries despite leaving early with an injury, Evan Arnold added 93 yards and touchdown on 10 carries and quarterback Beau Harris had two rushing scores.
"Our line is just beautiful," Arnold said. "They are just making holes the size of trucks that we can drive through. Half the time I was getting touched by their safety and no one else."
The Broncos built a 24-7 lead early in the fourth quarter before the Falcons came storming back on a trick play that saw wide reciever Noah Brose throw a seven-yard TD pass to Brycen Holstege to cut the deficit to 24-14.
Allendale got closer when senior quarterback Tyler Sparks connected with Brose on a 14-yard scoring pass to make it 24-21 with 2:53 left in the game.
After a failed onside kick, the Falcons recovered a fumble near midfield, but on their first play of the ensuing drive, Coopersville sophomore Brooks Hadden stripped the ball from an Alledale ball carrier and Lance O'Brien pounced on it allowing the Broncos to run out the clock.
"I saw him coming on the outside and he had the ball in his right hand so I just reached in an knocked it out," Hadden said. "I saw the ball right there and took it, saw it pop out , teammate land on it."
Both of the Broncos losses this season came in heartbreaking fashion, losing by three to West Catholic and one at Spring Lake, Friday they got a close to go there way.
"Just a group of seniors that have kind of been through it," Coopersville head coach Ed Kaman said. "Our kids just hung in there, there was a lot of peaks and valley's and we stayed to it, stayed physical and disciplined and won the game, I'm really proud of the kids."
Both schools will await their playoff matchups which will be announced Sunday night at 6pm on Bally Sports Extra.
For more scores, highlights, and the latest news on high school sports in West Michigan, go to the FOX 17 Blitz page.
