HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — Two West Michigan high school football powerhouses are set to make history this Friday night as Hudsonville and Jenison face off in their first-ever playoff matchup, adding a new chapter to a rivalry that has defined fall Fridays for decades.
The Eagles from Hudsonville High School and the Wildcats from Jenison High School will meet at 7 p.m. Friday at Hudsonville High School in what promises to be an electric atmosphere between two neighboring communities.
Jenison leads the all-time series 16-15, though most of those wins came before 2001. Since 2003, Hudsonville has dominated the rivalry, losing just once in 2018.
"A lot of the kids go to the same churches with each other, and the parents know each other. So that's what really creates the rivalry," Jenison High School Head Coach Josh Lucas said.
Lucas knows this rivalry well — he graduated from Hudsonville. Now in his second season leading Jenison, he's helping the Wildcats chase a new standard.
"We laid some great foundation for these guys this year, and this, this year's group will really want to get in the playoffs," Lucas said.
For Jenison senior running back Brody Schuiteman, it's a chance to play against familiar faces from the community.
"We've been with these dudes. I mean, at church, at just seeing them, like, on the road, or just anything. So hang out with these dudes. So it's just kind of cool just to kind of go and play them in the playoffs," Schuiteman said.
Hudsonville has made its own kind of history this season, finishing 9-0 for the first time ever. Head coach Brent Sandee believes the perfect regular season has prepared his team for any challenge.
"I think it gave us a lot of confidence to compete with anybody in any type of game," Sandee said.
For Hudsonville senior center Eli Rose, there's no better way to open the playoffs than with a rivalry game.
"There's gonna be tons of people at the game because they're our next-door neighbors. It's gonna be a great environment," Rose said.
Sandee says his team's postseason approach remains focused on daily improvement rather than looking ahead to results.
"We had an opportunity today to get better at practice. That's what we're trying to do right now, you know. And then we feel like Friday night, the scoreboard will take care of itself," Sandee said.
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