Harper can't contain Grand Rapids

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Despite a strong effort by Harper's defense that held No. 7 Grand Rapids to its lowest point total all season, the host Raiders used just enough of their high-powered offense and a smothering defense to get past Harper 33-9 at Houseman Field on Saturday.

The game turned out to be a dress rehearsal for next Saturday's NJCAA Region IV playoff, as the same two squads will meet again with a Bowl berth on the line.

The game had been billed as the "Ender Twin Bowl" due to both Midwest Football Conference schools being led by twin brothers Dr. Steven Ender (Grand Rapids) and Dr. Kenneth Ender (Harper).

The MFC conference champion Raiders (8-0 overall and in league play) got their first big play less than two minutes into the game when defensive lineman Philpae Phillips blocked Chris Jahnke's punt at the Hawk 12. Brandon Wolf scooped it up and took it in for a 7-0 lead.

Grand Rapids took advantage of a Harper and 3-and-out, a short Jahnke punt (27 yards) and a roughing the passer penalty that was sandwiched around runs of 16 and 12 yards by Dezmond Hart, the last of which led to the Raiders' second score and a 13-0 lead.

Harper got on the board as the first period ended on a safety as the ball was snapped over punter Nick Stokes' head out of the end zone for a 13-2 score.

But Stokes made up for it on the ensuing free kick as it went short and a Raiders player recovered it at the Harper 37. Two plays later, Hart scored from 33 yards out for his second TD and a 20-2 lead.

Harper's lone highlight came late in the quarter when safety Korneill Howard ran back a Casey Therriault pass 39 yards for a score with 1:55 to go in the first half to close the gap to 20-9.

Therriault (8-for-15, 128 yards) rebounded in the second half with TD passes to Demonte Collins (24 yards) in the third quarter and to Ezekiel Fowle (7 yards) in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.

Redshirt freshman QB Stuart Augustine went 10 of 28 for 112 yards in his first start of the season for Harper (2-6 overall and MFC).