HESPERIA – An upset win was not in the cards for Hesperia football Friday, Sept. 20. The Panthers were unable to contain explosive plays, falling to North Muskegon, 42-7.
From the jump, the Norsemen were a force to be reckoned with. Hesperia’s defense opted for a smarter approach initially, using Ian Fox and Blake Sayer as two deep safeties in an effort to keep North Muskegon from breaking off big yardage. That game plan quickly went out the window when a busted coverage allowed a 35-yard touchdown pass to put Hesperia in a quick 7-0 hole.
Discipline and patience allowed North Muskegon to hold the Panthers off the board on their first offensive drive. Hesperia tried to get senior Skyler Stalbaum going on the ground, but were only able to scrounge up limited yardage.
“(North Muskegon) is a really good football team, and we’re playing them so early in the season,” Hesperia Head Coach Tyler Fehler said. “We see the film and know what we’re gonna get, but (North Muskegon) is so fundamentally sound. They’re always in the right spot and they put in the offseason work. It was just about going in and trying not to hurt ourselves. That’s as hard of a team as we’ll face, so it’s a good test for us.”
The Panthers did move the ball enough to flip the field on special teams. Sayer placed a punt deep in North Muskegon territory, allowing the defense the opportunity to keep their opponent backed up.
Unfortunately that punt didn’t matter much. Just seconds later, North Muskegon’s Hunter Wilder ripped off an 85-yard touchdown run down the left sideline to extend the lead to 14-0.
North Muskegon added one more score in the first quarter, converting on a 24-yard run.
The Panthers caught a break in the opening minutes of the second quarter. After giving the ball back to North Muskegon on a punt, Hesperia forced the first turnover of the game on a fumble recovery for junior Noah Walker.
A long day for the leg of Sayer continued as the Panthers were forced to punt again on the following drive. North Muskegon took advantage of a short field, driving down close and capping off a short drive with a one-yard score.
With a 28-0 deficit, the Panthers found an answer of their own answer on offense. A drive of consistent plays made by receivers Dom Smith and Fox ended with Stalbaum bruising his way in for a touchdown.
Sayer was efficient throwing the ball, going 11-of-18 for 155 yards through the air. Fox hauled in five of those passes for 58 yards while Smith provided big play potential, catching two passes for 60 yards.
“Our skill guys – quarterback, running back, receivers and tight end – are as good as anybody in the conference. We just need consistency,” Fehler said. “We took a huge step today. If we play like this, especially up front, for the rest of the season we’re gonna be good.”
North Muskegon didn’t let Hesperia bathe in the light of that touchdown for long, capping off the first half with a kick return touchdown on special teams. The Norsemen headed to the lockers with a 35-7 advantage, just one touchdown shy of forcing a running clock.
One point of interest that came from Hesperia in the first half was the leg of foreign exchange student Roger Be La Sierra. Be La Sierra hails from Spain and it’s apparent that Fehler has confidence in him from some unusual range. That became apparent when Be La Sierra walked out to attempt a field goal somewhere near the 30-yard line. That’s close to a 50-yard attempt – something unheard of in high school football.
Fehler noted that his decision was more of a field optimization tactic than an actual field goal attempt, but his confidence in both Be La Sierra and freshman Lacey Mey remains at an all-time high.
“We actually have a two-headed monster at kicker. Freshman Lacey Mey is 100 percent on PAT (point after touchdowns), and it’s smooth and locked in,” Fehler said. “Roger is a foreign exchange student from Spain so he joined just before our first game. He kicks off because he’s older and has a stronger leg. He was attempting field goals in our walk through yesterday and hit one from 43 yards.”
Hesperia’s defense held off the Norsemen in the third quarter, not allowing the opponent to score for a majority of the period. North Muskegon did find the endzone inside five minutes remaining in the third, taking a 35-point lead and implementing a running clock that would wind down the final quarter and leave the score at 42-7.
Defensively, four Panthers led the way as Stalbaum, Eli Edens, Thor Klaus and Fox all posted six tackles. Walker had four tackles and a fumble recovery.
While the Panthers weren’t able to come away with an upset win, they did show a lot of promise. An offensive line that features just one senior didn’t allow Sayer to get sacked while Hesperia’s skill positions – particularly at receiver – came up with big plays.
That should serve them well as they prepare for a Homecoming matchup with West Michigan Conference Rivers Division opponent, Shelby. That contest kicks off at 7 p.m. from Panther Field in Hesperia.
“I’ve got two games of film on (Shelby). Ever since I’ve been (at Hesperia), it’s been an even battle and I think we’re both getting better as a program,” Fehler said. “They have good skill players and we have good skill players. It’ll be a really good game like it always is.”
