Zeeland West Rumbles to Another Title
November 27, 2015
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
DETROIT — The Zeeland West offensive machine was in good hands the last three seasons with Casey Brinks directing the attack.
The Dux’ senior quarterback brought two teams to Ford Field during his varsity career, and ended it Friday night helping hoist a second MHSAA championship trophy.
West scored its first of five touchdowns with 35 seconds left in the first quarter and didn't let up from there, pounding its way to a 40-14 victory over Flint Powers Catholic for a fourth championship in 10 years.
"That one (in 2013) was really fun, but this one to me is a lot better, just being a senior and it's my last year," Brinks said. "To end my football career playing on a state championship team in Ford Field is amazing."
Brinks was the starting quarterback as a sophomore when West won its last title, throwing for one touchdown and running for another in a 34-27 victory over DeWitt in the Division 3 championship game. He also led West to the Semifinal round a year ago.
Brinks was one of three Dux who played in the 2013 championship game, the others being running back Dakota Geurink and lineman Zach VanValkenburg. Geurink ran 14 times for 71 yards and a touchdown Friday. VanValkenburg had two sacks among three tackles for losses.
With his team facing fourth-and five near the end of the first quarter, fullback Darius Perisee scored on an 8-yard run for the opening touchdown and then added a 2-point conversion run. He was the top gainer for West's powerful T offense, finishing this season with 1,982 yards and 30 touchdowns rushing.
Brinks doesn't pass often but he was highly effective when he did. He finished 4 for 4 for 103 yards, with three straight completions on the team’s third possession. Tyler Thompson capped that drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, then added a 2-point run to make it 16-0 with 4:03 left in the second quarter.
Powers (11-3) drove to the West 18 late in the first half, only to be denied on the final play before halftime when Brinks picked off a pass in the end zone. He also had an interception in the third quarter, playing defense for only the second time this season.
"I played defense last week for the first time," said Brinks, who ran five times for 45 yards and a touchdown. "Otherwise, I didn't play defense. It was nice to play. Mostly in the playoffs, we've been playing running teams. We've played two passing teams the past two weeks."
West came into the game running the ball 94 percent of the time and averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Even though Powers knew what was coming, the Chargers were unable to stop the Dux’ power-running attack.
Powers did get a huge stop when Reese Morgan caught Brinks for no gain on fourth-and-three from the Chargers' 5-yard line on the first series of the game, but West went on to score on its next five drives before running out the final 3:55 on its final possession.
"It's just a very deceiving offense they run," Morgan said. "It's hard to know who has the ball."
The Chargers nearly turned the momentum from that first defensive stop into a scoring drive of their own, marching down to West's 14-yard line on their first possession. On fourth-and-one, however, quarterback Noah Sargent came up inches short of a first down with 4:53 left in the first quarter.
"That was tough, but you can't say we lost the game on one play," said Sargent, who ran 17 times for 89 yards and a touchdown while going 12 for 19 for 158 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions through the air. "You've got to play the whole game."
Powers got on the board on the first possession of the second half, scoring on a 15-yard run by Sargent, but a 2-point run by Morgan was stopped by Riley Brinks. With West cashing in on all five of its 2-point conversion tries, the Chargers couldn't afford to miss theirs.
West (14-0) responded with a 13-play, 80-yard march that ended on a 4-yard run by Geurink with 3:14 to go in the third quarter. Following Casey Brinks' second interception, West built its lead to 32-6 on a 2-yard run by Thompson with 10:36 to go in the game.
Luke Brcic caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Sargent and threw a 2-point conversion to Morgan with 7:28 remaining, getting Powers within 32-14, but Aaron Sleeman recovered the onside kick for the Dux.
Four plays later, West capped the scoring on a 39-yard run by Casey Brinks and Perisee's third 2-point run with 5:13 remaining.
Geurink picked off a pass with 3:55 remaining, and West was able to run out the rest of the clock and celebrate another championship.
"We've won four," West coach John Shillito said. "They're all different, but this one might have been the most complete on both sides of the ball. It's maybe not the deepest team, because we were playing a lot of guys two ways. I looked out there and we looked a little tired at times, because it's warm in here. It's maybe not the deepest (team), but the guys on the field were probably the best we've had."
West was able to score 40 points against a Powers team that had a school-record six shutouts, allowing only 21 points over its first four playoff games.
"I really just figured we had to score every time we had the ball, because no one has really stopped them all year," Powers coach Bob Buckel said. "Playing them, you start doing things you're uncomfortable doing, because you don't want to turn the ball over to them."
Thompson ran 16 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns to lead a West ground attack that had 318 yards and five touchdowns on 55 carries.
Matt Wiskur caught five passes for 70 yards, while Morgan ran 13 times for 61 yards for Powers. Both of them had brothers on the Chargers' 2011 Division 5 championship team.
The MHSAA Football Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
PHOTOS: (Top) Darius Perisee breaks free for yardage in leading the Zeeland West rushing attack Friday. (Middle) The Dux hoist a championship trophy for the second time in three seasons.
1st & Goal: 2025 Week 4 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 19, 2025
Could Week 4 be the one we look back on as the most important this regular season?
It’s certainly possible.
The two biggest games this weekend might take place about 35 miles apart, as likely league title favorites in both the Detroit Public School League Blue and Catholic High School League Central face off. And several more conferences also eventually may recall tonight as the one that decided which schools add a trophy in October.
Scores for every game across the state this weekend will be posted on the MHSAA Scores page as they conclude. Tune into several on the NFHS Network, including those with “WATCH” linked below.
Bay & Thumb
Richmond (3-0) at Armada (3-0) WATCH
This decade has seen Armada join the contenders in the Blue Water Area Conference; the Tigers finished second last season with only a one-point loss to champion Almont. Richmond could be on its way to becoming a factor again. The Blue Devils last week defeated Croswell-Lexington, avenging last year’s 41-10 loss in defeating the Pioneers for the first time since 2019. Richmond also opened this season by avenging a 2024 loss to St. Clair – and hasn’t defeated Armada since 2019 as well.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Saginaw Swan Valley (2-1) at Bay City John Glenn (3-0) WATCH, Owosso (3-0) at Clio (3-0) WATCH, Holly (2-1) at Linden (3-0) WATCH, Bay City Western (2-1) at Midland Dow (2-1) WATCH.
Greater Detroit
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (3-0) at Detroit Catholic Central (3-0)
Cass Tech/King this week should be another classic, but this is a rare instance when another Metro Detroit game carries similar clout. St. Mary’s is the reigning Division 2 champion but lost three Catholic High School League Central games last season including 27-22 to eventual champion DCC. The Shamrocks already have a win this fall over 2024 CHSL Central runner-up Toledo Central Catholic, but OLSM already has avenged last year’s loss to Warren De La Salle Collegiate – rebounding from a 10-point loss for a 39-point victory.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Detroit Cass Tech (3-0) at Detroit Martin Luther King (2-1), Sterling Heights Stevenson (3-0) at Macomb Dakota (3-0) WATCH, Gibraltar Carlson (3-0) at Trenton (2-1) WATCH, Dearborn Heights Robichaud (3-0) at Redford Union (2-1) WATCH.
Mid-Michigan
Grand Ledge (3-0) at Holt (2-1) WATCH
Grand Ledge has won three straight in this rivalry, starting with its Division 1 District Final matchup in 2022. But the Rams can make a nice statement to kick off the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue schedule, especially as they are seeking their first playoff berth since that fall. The Comets opened league play last week by downing East Lansing 45-27 after having fallen to the Trojans the last two seasons. Holt’s loss came in its season opener to reigning CAAC Red champion Mason.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Ovid-Elsie (2-1) at Durand (2-1) WATCH, Haslett (2-1) at Mason (1-2), Kalkaska (3-0) at Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (2-1), Fowlerville (2-1) at Williamston (3-0) WATCH.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Kingsley (2-1) at Boyne City (3-0)
These two and Traverse City St. Francis shared the Northern Michigan Football League Legends championship last season, and all of that started with Kingsley’s 26-20 win over Boyne City. The Stags have won four straight against the Ramblers, including the last two with both back in the same NMFL division, but Boyne City last year didn’t lose again until the Division 6 Semifinals and has given up only 27 points total over its first three games this fall. Kingsley took a Week 2 loss to much-improved Gaylord but bounced back big last week against Grayling.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Mount Pleasant (3-0) at Traverse City Central (2-1), East Jordan (2-1) at Maple City Glen Lake (2-1) WATCH, Beal City (3-0) at McBain (2-1) WATCH, Shepherd (3-0) at Ogemaw Heights (2-1) WATCH.
Southeast & Border
Dexter (3-0) at Saline (3-0) WATCH
This matchup has played a major role in deciding the Southeastern Conference Red title the last three seasons. Dexter has scored at least 48 points in all three of its games so far this fall, including during a 50-27 opening win over Brighton. Saline started this season with a 37-28 win over Rockford and then has reached 50 points the last two weeks – while not allowing any.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Michigan Center (3-0) at Manchester (2-1) WATCH, Riverview (2-1) at Monroe Jefferson (3-0), Hastings (2-1) at Parma Western (1-2), Chelsea (3-0) at Tecumseh (2-1) WATCH.
Southwest Corridor
Battle Creek Pennfield (2-1) at Battle Creek Harper Creek (2-1)
Pennfield is 2-1 for the first time since 2021 and after winning one game all of last season, and last week’s 23-20 victory came over a Buchanan team that made the playoffs a year ago. A win over Harper Creek would be the Panthers’ first since 2020. The Beavers are reigning Interstate 8 Athletic Conference champions and bounced back from a Week 2 loss to Cedar Springs by downing Coldwater in a league opener.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Portage Central (3-0) at Battle Creek Central (2-1), Marshall (2-1) at Dowagiac (2-1), Plainwell (2-1) at Three Rivers (3-0) WATCH, Centreville (2-1) at White Pigeon (3-0) WATCH.
Upper Peninsula
Menominee (3-0) at Calumet (3-0) WATCH
The Maroons are marching again and looking to extend a winning streak over Calumet to four, with the last two wins coming in Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper play. Those two victories both came by at least 40 points, but the Copper Kings should make this a much closer game, off to their best start since 2019 and riding the momentum of a 33-18 win last week over Negaunee.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kingsford (2-1) at Negaunee (2-1) WATCH, L’Anse (3-0) at Manistique (1-2) WATCH, Escanaba (3-0) at Sault Ste. Marie (0-3) WATCH, Houghton (1-2) at Ishpeming Westwood (0-3) WATCH.
West Michigan
Grand Rapids Northview (3-0) at Holland Christian (3-0) WATCH
It would be easy to argue East Kentwood/Rockford is a bigger game area-wide. But the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red looks full of those this season, and this O-K Black matchup may end up having larger league title implications. These two and Grand Rapids Catholic Central all have started 3-0, with two more teams 2-1. Northview defeated the Maroons last season 35-20 on the way to winning the league and finishing the regular season undefeated.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY East Kentwood (3-0) at Rockford (2-1) WATCH, Muskegon Oakridge (3-0) at Ludington (3-0), Zeeland East (3-0) at Hudsonville Unity Christian (3-0), Cedar Springs (3-0) at Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (3-0) WATCH.
8-Player
Martin (3-0) at Gobles (3-0) WATCH
This has become one of the most intriguing rivalries in all of 8-player over the last two seasons, with Gobles winning regular-season matchups both times but Martin then winning playoff rematches. The Tigers have continued their offensive surge of the last two seasons, putting up nearly 52 per game over their first three including 54 in a 22-point win over Climax-Scotts. Martin has averaged 55 points per over its first three games, but perhaps more notably hasn’t given up more than 20 in any contest.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Brown City (3-0) at Deckerville (3-0) WATCH, Fulton (3-0) at Portland St. Patrick (3-0), Colon (2-1) at Climax-Scotts (2-1), Britton Deerfield (2-1) at Concord (2-1) WATCH.
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PHOTO East Kentwood's Ahman Edmonds bursts into the open during his team's Week 3 win over Jenison. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)