Beal City outlasts Ithaca to cap undefeated regular season

In a powerhouse matchup between two of the best programs in the lower divisions of Michigan high school football, it was Beal City who prevailed over Ithaca.

The two sides had previously squared off against each other in a week nine showdown last season, with Beal City picking up a 39-8 win on the road. One of the biggest things that had hurt Ithaca going into that game last season was the loss of their two big offensive stars in running back Harper Merchant and quarterback Gibson Rondy, who had both missed a large portion of last season to injury.

This season however, the Yellowjackets have had both available for their senior seasons.

Ithaca had opened the game on offense, where it began to make steady progress before a pass was intercepted by Beal City’s Grady Gatrell at the 50-yard line. The Aggies were then able to push the ball down the field, and eventually punch it in off a run from senior running back Avery Small.

The second drive ended the same for Ithaca as the first. The offense was able to move the ball down the field before a fumble gave the Aggies the ball back at the Beal City 48-yard line. This time around the Aggies weren’t able to capitalize. 

Ithaca was able to find the end zone at the start of the second quarter when Rondy was able to punch it in to help tie the game at 7-7.

Beal City responded with a 2-yard run from Braxton Butkovich to retake the lead.

Ithaca responded on its next drive with a 24-yard throw from Rondy to Connor McMurphy, to tie the game back up at 14-14.

The Aggies scored one more touchdown before the end of the half when quarterback Cuyler Smith found Small, who then made a difficult catch in the end zone. Beal City faked the extra point attempt and got two points instead when Smith threw it in the end zone, this time finding Eric Silas to go up 22-14 at halftime. 

The Yellowjackets opened the second half red hot on both ends of the ball. The defense was able to force two stops on Beal City, and the offense was able to find the end zone twice off of two rushing touchdowns from Smith and Rondy. Even with the two touchdowns, the Yellowjackets had failed to convert the ensuing two-point attempts, making it a four-point game going into the fourth quarter. 

In the fourth quarter, the Beal City defense had come alive. After the offense had punted the ball away to open the quarter, the defense was able to force the ball out of Rondy’s hands in Ithaca territory, which Beal City was immediately able to capitalize on after Small found a wide open Gatrell in the end zone, which gave Beal City a 29-26 lead with less than 8 minutes left to play. 

However, Ithaca was unable to score again, and Beal City came away with the 29-26 win.

With the win, Beal City completes a perfect regular season, and should lock up home-field advantage for much of the playoffs.