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Saturday April 20, 2024
Pearson, Rockets Come Up Short In State Semifinal

RAPID RIVER---For as high and euphoric the Rapid River Rockets football players were a week ago after upsetting Cedarville, they were equally depressed and sad as they walked off the football field Saturday afternoon.

With a gloomy fog looming and a cold mist falling from the sky, the boys walked through the mud and standing water toward their locker room after losing in the Division Nine state semifinals to the Bellaire Eagles, 20-16.

Across the way, a group of mud-covered boys in red and white uniforms celebrated a victory that seemed rather unlikely two months ago. Bellaire had started its season with an 0-2 record after losses to Mid Peninsula and Superior Central, but got a roll and used an opportunistic offense and tough defense to go on a long winning streak.

And it was punctuated with their second win over Rapid River in the past month, with this one punching the Eagles' ticket to the state championship game next Friday night.

"Bellaire is a very good, physical team," Rapid River Coach Steve Ostrenga said. "They have a lot of speed, and a lot of skilled players. They had some adversity early in the year and they put that behind them. They've got five, six quality seniors."

Sophomore Chase Small scored all 20 of Bellaire's points, on three touchdowns and a two-point conversion run.

"He's very hard to tackle," Ostrenga said.

But it was the Bellaire defense that was the main factor, preventing the Rockets from making the big plays on offense that they have made all season long. They keyed on Rockets quarterback Jake Pearson all afternoon long, and rarely allowed any of the Rapid River runners to make it to the outside....where they usually rack up big yards.


Jake Pearson TD run.
The Rockets stopped the Eagles on a fourth down play at the Rapid River seven yard line early in the game, but the offense couldn't get a first down and after a short punt, the Eagles scored on a 19-yard touchdown run by Small.

Rapid River went on what would be its only long drive of the game, an 85-yard drive that took seven minutes off of the clock. Pearson scored from five yards out to tie the game at 6-6 with 9:06 left in the second quarter.

Then the Rocket defense forced its only turnover of the game when quarterback Zack Smith and Small bumped each other and the ball popped out. Rapid River drove to the Bellaire 15 yard-line, but a penalty moved them back five yards and then Pearson fumbled the ball after getting it from center Hayden Hardwick.

So, the game remained tied at the half, 6-6, but the Rockets would get the ball to start the third quarter, so they still had the upper hand. In the third quarter, sophomore Lucas Bero busted free for a 26-yard run to the Bellaire 40.

But on the next play, Pearson dropped the ball as he prepared to run, and the Eagles recovered again. And they took advantage again.

Smith broke free for a 59-yard touchdown run, an electrifying run that saw him break one tackle and do a "spin-a-rama" out of another. But a penalty brought the touchdown back, and Bellaire had to settle for a 32-yard gain.

Three plays later, Small broke off a 33-yard touchdown run to put the Eagles ahead.


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Eli Orth Touchdown Catch
The Rockets moved into Bellaire territory again, but Robert Metter dropped a fourth down pass at the Eagle 39. On Rapid River's next possession, Pearson slipped on a fourth-and-one play, and the Rockets were short of the first down by inches.

Rapid River's defense kept giving the ball back to the offense, but the offense sputtered. The Rockets went for it on fourth-and-three at midfield, but Bero came up a foot short on his run. It took one play for Small to run 51 yards for another touchdown. And he got the two-point conversiuon run to make it 20-6 with 3:21 left in the game.

Rapid River went into desperation mode, and Bellaire went into a "prevent" defense. Pearson led his team down the field with several passes under the coverage, and he threw a four-yard touchdown pass to senior Eli Orth with 1:33 left in the game. A two-point pass to senior Riley Pajnich brought the Rockets to within 20-14.

The Rockets tried for an on-side kick, but the Eagles recovered it. The Rapid River defense was able to get another "stop", but there were only 17 seconds left in the game.

Bellaire Coach Ron Bindi knew the Rockets would try to block the punt, and with the field conditions so muddy, he made a decision. Have Smart run out of the end zone for a safety. That took six and a half seconds off of the clock, and allowed the Eagles to have a "free kick" from the 20....a kick that the Rockets could not try to block.

Pearson received that kick and returned it to the Bellaire 44 yard-line with five seconds left to play. That gave the Rockets one chance for a miracle. Pearson scrambled and heaved it toward Metter in the end zone. The ball was incomplete along the sideline in the end zone, and the Eagles celebrated a state semifinal victory.


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Chris Morgan/Zach Dominique Interview
Small had 114 yards on 13 carries and three touchdowns. For the Rockets, Pearson had 140 yards on 32 carries, a touchdown and two lost fumbles. Bero had his best game of his young career, gaining 94 yards on 18 carries.

Bellaire improved to 9-3 and will face Deckerville in the State Championship Game next Friday night in downstate Greenville. Rapid River finished the season at 9-3.

Click the thumbnails in the "ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS" box to see videos and listen to audio highlights from the game.









Choose team:
Date Time Opponent Score Record
8/24
7:00 PM
at Ewen-Trout Creek Panthers
52 - 0 (W)
1-0
8/30
7:00 PM
at Posen Vikings
54 - 14 (W)
2-0
9/6
4:00 PM
at Stockbridge, Wis.
2 F - 0 (W)
3-0
9/14
7:00 PM
Brimley Bays
42 - 6 (W)
4-0
9/21
7:00 PM
Engadine Eagles
60 - 40 (W)
5-0
9/28
7:00 PM
Cedarville Trojans
12 - 72 (L)
5-1
10/6
3:00 PM
at Superior Central Cougars
30 - 27 (W)
6-1
10/12
7:00 PM
at Mid Peninsula Wolverines
60 - 36 (W)
7-1
10/19
7:00 PM
Bellaire Eagles
16 - 28 (L)
7-2
10/26
7:00 PM
Superior Central Cougars
44 - 34 (W)
8-2
11/2
7:00 PM
at Cedarville Trojans
22 - 14 (W)
9-2
11/10
2:00 PM
Bellaire Eagles
16 - 20 (L)
9-3



Rapid River Prepares For State Semifinal Challenge
Friday November 9, 2012
BELIEVE IT!!! Rockets Upset #1 Cedarville, 22-14
Monday November 5, 2012
Pearson, Metter Lead Rockets To Playoff Victory
Saturday October 27, 2012
Rockets Start Strong But Bellaire Pulls Upset, 28-16
Friday October 19, 2012
Rapid River Soars Past Engadine To Go To 5-0
Friday September 21, 2012