Beal City vs. Fowler – – Football – – Division 8 State Semifinal – – The Bleacher Denizen – – November 23, 2024 – – by Chuck Krafft

Today, the Bleacher Denizen is off to Ithaca High School, where the Aggies from Beal City will compete in the State Football semifinal against the Eagles from Fowler. The winner will play for the State Championship next Friday!

Beal City finished second place in the Highland Conference with a 6-1 record and are 10-2 overall this season. They beat Frankfort and Maple City Glen Lake in the district before defeating Iron Mountain in the regional to earn their berth in this semifinal game.

Fowler won the Central Michigan Athletic Conference with a 7-0 record and are 12-0 overall so far this season. They got here by beating Reese and Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary in the district and Harbor Beach in the regional. The Eagles are playing without Ford Phillips, their top running back, who was injured earlier in the playoffs and is out for the season.

The Bleacher Denizen covered the Regional win over Harbor Beach! https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2024/11/16/harbor-beach-at-fowler-mhsaa-tournament-regional-football-final-the-bleacher-denizen-november-16-2024-by-chuck-krafft/

It’s a busy day in the press box at Ithaca High, as a lot of people are covering this game. There are some students from McBain High School who are covering the game. I’m really impressed with their business-like approach and professionalism. Unfortunately, your Bleacher Denizen was only semi-business-like as he did not get the name of the teacher who was working with them. (The teacher is a great guy!!)

Also here are Casey Smith and Bart Matthews from Z92.5 radio station in Owosso, who are also covering the game. In a bit of foreshadowing, I’ll let you know that they greatly enhanced my notes and this article by commenting on the fine blocks when the teams made them.

I scramble to get notes and see what is going on during football games. In the process of recording who is running, passing and tackling, I frequently do not see who is making these important blocks. I have frequently felt that “The Bleacher Denizen” gives offensive linemen the short end of the stick by almost never naming them. Because of Mr. Smith, Mr. Matthews and their broadcast, that will hopefully not be what happens today!

Let us look at the events of this game through the eyes of an aging Bleacher Denizen whose football career never really got going. As soon as the Bleacher Denizen was forbidden from wearing metallic chain mail armor as he went about his defensive line duties, his playing time dwindled drastically!

Kyle Martin booted the opening kickoff to the Fowler 28 yard line where Nate Spicer caught it and returned it about fifteen yards. Fowler started the first drive of the game on its own 37 yard line.

Jacob Halfmann went up the middle for a six yard first down gain before he was stopped by Wyatt Wilson. Asher Koenigsknecht went up the middle for a three yard second down gain before Garrison Zuker tackled him. On third down, Jacob Halfmann went up the middle and got two yards to earn a first down for the Eagles.

Ben Kohagen went around the left end for a two yard first down gain. Owen McKenny made the tackle for the Aggies. Asher Koenigsknecht went to the right on second down; his line cleared him a huge hold and he scampered for a thirty-six yard gain before Garrison Zuker tackled him to prevent a touchdown. Fowler had a first down on the Beal City 13 yard line.

Ben Kohagen took the ball around the left end for a two yard gain before he was tackled by Cooper Wilson. Jacob Halfmann went up the middle for a four yard gain; Aaron Locke got the tackle for Beal City. On the next play, Drew Gross stopped Fowler’s rune for a one yard gain. Fowler passed on fourth down, but it fell incomplete. Beal City took over the ball on downs on its own 6 yard line.

Owen McKenny went to the left for a five yard first down gain; he was stopped by Nate Spicer. An offside penalty on Fowler gave Beal City a first down.

Owen McKenny went to the right and gained eight yards on first down before Carson Hyland pushed him out of bounds. Joe Epkey and Jerome Thelen teamed up to stop the Aggie second down run for no gain. Drew Block ran on third down; his tough run and a couple broken tackles resulted in a fourteen yard gain and a first down.

Owen McKenny went around the right end for a twenty-two yard gain. Trevor Spicer made the tackle for Fowler.

Owen McKenny’s first down run around the right end gained four yards before Ben Kohagen took him down. Cole Hufnagel stopped the Aggie second down run for a two yard loss. Fowler sacked the Aggie quarterback for an eleven yard third down loss. (My apologies to the Eagle who made this fine play. The number I recorded in my notes is not an Eagle player. I guess this is the Bleacher Denizen equivalent of a fumble.)
A penalty pushed Beal City back five more yards. Eric Elias punted on fourth down. His punt went thirty-seven yards before Jacob Halfmann made a fair catch on the Fowler 17 yard line.

Asher Koenigsknecht cut the the middle for a four yard first down gain; Drew Gross got the stop for the Aggies. Garrison Zuker covered on Fowler’s incomplete second down pass. Jacob Halfmann completed a pass to Asher Koenigsknecht on third down; the Eagles gained fourteen yards before he was pushed out of bounds.

Fowler had a first down on its own 35 yard line.

Asher Koenigsknecht took a pitch, cut back to the left and gained fourteen yards before Kyle Martin took him down.

Jacob Halfmann went up the middle for a nine yard first down gain; Drake Gatrell made the Aggie stop. Beal City got into the backfield on second down; however, Jacob Halfmann was able to extend the play with some fine scrambling and completed a pass to Nate Spicer, who gained twenty-five yards before Eric Elias pushed him out of bounds.

On the final play of the first quarter, Jacob Halfmann went up the middle for four yards before he ran into Wyatt Wilson.

The first quarter was a scoreless tie. Fowler had a second down with six yards to go on the Beal City 13 yard line.

Jacob Halfmann took the ball up the middle and gained nine yards before he was finally stopped by an aggregation of Aggies. On the next play, Jacob Halfmann ran around the right end for a four yard touchdown. Nate Spicer ran for the successful point after play. With 11:22 remaining in the second quarter, Fowler had an 8-0 lead.

Aaron Simon kicked off for Fowler. Owen McKenny caught the kickoff around the 15 yard line and returned it about twenty-yards. Beal City had a first down on its own 35 yard line.

Trevor Spicer, Conner Katich and Joe Epkey stopped Beal City’s first down run to the right for no gain. Asher Koenigsknecht covered on the Aggie incomplete second down pass. On third down, Garrison Zuker got a fantastic block from Drew Gross and ran for a sixty-five yard touchdown run.

Huntor McDonald snapped the ball, Cuyler Smith held the ball and Kyle Martin booted the ball through the uprights to cut the Fowler lead to 8-7 with 10:26 remaining in the opening half.

Kyle Martin blasted his kickoff into the end zone. Fowler started its drive on its own 20 yard line.

Asher Koenigsknecht took a pitch to the left for a nine yard first down gain; Drew Gross got the stop for the Aggies. Asher Koenigsknecht went up right tackle on second down; he earned four yards and a first down before Nick Boge got the Aggie tackle.

Jacob Halfmann faked a handoff and gained seven yards up the middle on first down. Huntor McDonald made the tackle for Beal City. Beal City got into the backfield on second down and forced Jacob Halfmann to run instead of passing. He got three yards and a first down before Drake Gatrell knocked him out of bounds.

Fowler had a first down on its own 43 yard line.

Drake Gatrell stopped the Eagle first down run for a one yard gain. Fowler’s second down pass fell incomplete when Drew Gross made a timely hard hit on the Eagle receiver. Drew Block caused Fowler’s third down pass to fall complete as he also made a timely hit on the Eagle receiver. Jacob Halfmann’s fourth down punt was fielded by Austin Small around the Beal City 25 yard line. He gained about nine yards before a restful of Eagles took him down.

Beal City had a first down on its own 34 yard line.

Drew Block went to the left for a two yard first down gain before he ran into Trevor Spicer. Nate Spicer and Alex Halfmann teamed up to stop the Eagle second down run for a two yard loss. Nate Spicer covered on Beal City’s incomplete third down pass. Eric Elias punted on fourth down. After a forty-three yard punt, his teammate, Aaron Locke downed the ball on Fowler’s 5 yard line.

Asher Koenigsknecht spun through the line and gained four yards before Nick Ervin tackled him. Owen McKenny covered and may have tipped the pass on Fowler’s incomplete second down toss. Asher Koenigsknecht ran up the middle for a four yard third down gain before Aaron Locke tackled him. Jacob Halfmann’s 37 yard punt was fielded by Owen McKenny on the Beal City 48 yard line; he gained ten yards before he was tackled. Beal City had a first down on Fowler’s 42 yard line.

Nate Spicer stopped Beal City’s first down run up the middle for a one yard gain. On second down, Cuyler Smith passed to Owen McKenny for a seven yard gain. Trevor Spicer and Jacob Halfmann made the Eagle tackle. Trevor Spicer stopped Beal City’s third down run up the middle for no gain. On fourth down, Jacob Halfmann got a hand on the Aggie pass and it fell incomplete.

Fowler took over the ball on downs on its own 34 yard line.

On the next play, Garrison Zuker intercepted the Eagle pass on the Aggie 37 yard line.

Austin Small ran the ball around the left end on first down; he gained nine yards before he ran into Trevor Spicer. A flock of Eagles stopped the Aggie second down run for no gain. Drew Block went up the middle on third down; he made a short gain before Joe Epkey halted his progress. After a delay and a discussion, Beal City was awarded a first down on its own 47 yard line with 57.4 seconds remaining in the first half.

A pass interference penalty on Fowler moved Beal City ten yards closer to the end zone while giving them another first down.

Austin Small gained nine yards on a first down run around the left end before Trevor Spicer pushed him out of bounds. On the next play, Owen McKenny scampered to the left for a twenty-two yard gain to give Beal City a first down on Fowler 7 yard line with 38.6 seconds left in the half.

Cuyler Smith passed to Eric Elias for a five yard gain. Cuyler Smith spiked the ball on second down to stop the clock. Trevor Spicer stopped the Aggie third down run for no gain. Beal City had fourth down with 5.1 seconds to play on Fowler’s 2 yard line.

Huntor McDonald snapped the ball, Cuyler Smith held the ball and Kyle Martin kicked a successful nineteen yard field goal. Beal City took a 10-8 lead with 1.9 seconds left before halftime.

Kyle Martin boomed his kick into the Fowler end zone. Fowler got the ball on its own 20 yard line and took a knee on the final play of the first half.

Beal City had a 10-8 halftime lead.

After the wind blew the ball off his tee twice (and a teammate held the ball on the tee), Aaron Simon kicked off for Fowler to begin the third quarter. Eric Elias fielded the ball and gained about five yards before a flock of Eagles stopped him. Beal City started its first drive of the second half on its own 37 yard line.

Austin Small went around the left end and broke a couple tackles; he gained twelve yards before Conner Katich tackled him.

Nate Spicer stopped Beal City’s first down run for a one yard gain. Conner Katich and Cole Hufnagel teamed up to stop the Aggie second down run for a two yard gain. Austin Small took the ball around the left end on third down; Jacob Halfmann tackled him right around the spot Beal City needed for a first down. After some discussion between the referees, Beal City was given a first down on Fowler’s 41 yard line.

Drew Block gained two yards on a first down run up the right tackle before Joe Epkey stopped him. Jerome Thelen pushed Beal City’s second down runner out of bounds for no gain. Alex Halfmann sacked the Aggie quarterback for an eight yard third down loss. Eric Elias punted the ball to Fowler’s five yard line where Nate Spicer caught it and gained seventeen yards before Drake Gatrell took him down.

Fowler started its series on its own 22 yard line.

Asher Koenigsknecht took the ball to the left for a six yard first down gain; Kyle Martin made the tackle for the Aggies. Asher Koenigsknecht took a pitch and ran up the middle for a second down five yard gain and a first down. Drew Gross made the tackle for Beal City.

Jacob Halfmann went up the middle for a four yard first down gain; Nick Ervin and Drew Gross teamed up for the Aggie tackle. Asher Koenigsknecht went to the left on second down and gained three yards. Drew Block and Garrison Zuker collaborated on the Aggie tackle. Asher Koenigsknecht used some fine blocking by Alex Halfmann and Joe Epkey to take a third down pitch up the right tackle for a thirteen yard gain and a first down on the Beal City 43 yard line.

Jacob Halfmann went up the middle for a two yard first down gain. Jacob Halfmann used a fine block by Trevor Spicer to gain nine second down yards and a first down before Eric Elias took stopped him.

Wyatt Wilson stopped the Fowler first down run up the middle for a one yard gain. Asher Koenigsknecht took a second down pitch to the right; he gained three yards before Owen McKenny took him down. Asher Koenigsknect gained seven yards on a third down run up the middle; Drew Gross made the tackle for Beal City.

Fowler had a first down on the Beal City 21 yard line.

Jacob Halfmann went into the middle and gained two yards before Reese Hooks and Drake Gatrell teamed up to make the tackle. Drake Gatrell stopped Fowler’s second down run for a one yard gain. An offside penalty on third down gave Fowler five yards. On the next play, Asher Koenigsknecht dashed around the right end for a twelve yard touchdown.

Fowler ran a slick reverse play for the point after and Ben Kohagen ran the ball in successfully.

With 20 seconds remaining in quarter number three, Fowler had a 16-10 lead.

Aaron Simon kicked the ball off to the Aggie 5 yard line. I think it was Owen McKenny (alas, your aging Bleacher Denizen’s notes are not clear) who made a fine run out to the Beal City 40 yard line before Nate Spicer stopped him.

Beal City had a first down on its own 40 yard line.

On the final play of the third quarter, Drew Block took the ball to the left and gained four yards before Colt Nobach and Conner Katich pushed him out of bounds.

After three quarters, Fowler held a 16-10 lead. Beal City had a second down with six yards to go on its own 40 yard line.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Ben Kohagen intercepted an Aggie pass on the Eagle 40 yard line; he was tackled almost immediately.

Drake Gatrell and Huntor McDonald teamed up to stop Fowler’s first down run for no gain. Ben Kohagen went around the left side for a four yard second down gain. Asher Koenigsknecht took a third down pitch to the right for a four yard gain. Jacob Halfmann took the ball up the middle and gained three yards (and earned a first down) before the Aggie line took him down.

Asher Koenigsknecht took the ball up the left tackle for a five yard gain; Kyle Martin made the stop for Beal City. Owen McKenny stopped Asher Koenigsknecht’s second down run up the middle for a two yard gain. Asher Koenigsknecht took a third down pitch to the right an bulled his way to a two yard gain before Drew Gross and Wyatt Wilson took him down. Garrison Zuker stopped Fowler’s fourth down run to the right for no gain.

Beal City took over the ball on downs on its own 40 yard line.

Asher Koenigsknecht stopped Beal City’s first down run to the right for a one yard gain. Cuyler Smith’s second down pass to Drake Gatrell was complete for an eleven yard gain and a first down. Nate Spicer made the tackle for Fowler.

Owen McKenny gained five yards on a first down run to the right. Garrison Zuker ran the ball to the left for a six yard gain and a first down at the Fowler 26 yard line. Trevor Spicer made the tackle for Fowler.

Owen McKenny earned six yards on a first down run to the right before Nate Spicer tackled him. The Eagle line stopped Beal City’s second down run for a three yard loss. Owen McKenny took a third down pitch to the right for a twenty-three yard touchdown run to tie the game.

Huntor McDonald made the long snap, Cuyler Smith held the ball and Kyle Martin kicked the tie breaking point through the uprights to give Beal City a 17-16 lead with 3:49 left on the clock.

Kyle Martin kicked the ball off to around the Fowler 15 yard line where Nate4 Spicer grabbed it and gained about twelve yards before being tackled.

Fowler had a first down on its own 27 yard line.

Jacob Halfmann took the ball up the middle for a three yard first down gain. Eric Elias got the tackle for Beal City. Jacob Halfmann spun his way through the middle for an eight yard second down gain as well as a first down. Aaron Locke made the Aggie tackle.

Drew Block covered on Fowler’s incomplete first down pass. Jacob Halfmann spun and bulled his way up the middle to a three yard second down gain; Huntor McDonald and Aaron Locke collaborated on the Aggie tackle. Owen McKenny, Garrison Zuker and Drake Gatrell were all covering the intended receiver on Fowler’s incomplete third down pass. After Beal City called a time out, Owen McKenny batted Fowler’s fourth down pass out of the air.

Beal City took over the ball on downs with just over two minutes to play on the Fowler 46 yard line.

Drew Block took the ball up the middle for a three yard first down gain. Garrison Zuker took the ball to the left on second down; he gained ten yards and earned a first down with barely a minute left.

Beal City took a knee on each of the final two plays of the game.

Beal City won this exciting game by the score of 17-16. The Aggies will play Riverview Gabriel Richard for the State Championship next Friday!