By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
CENTREVILLE — Centreville’s football team brought out the pomp and circumstance to its 2025 home opener Thursday against defending MHSAA Division 7 semifinalist Schoolcraft, with a community tailgate, balloons, the whole nine yards.
But, in what was a defensive battle throughout the game, it was the visiting Eagles spoiling the party in a tight contest, squeaking out a 14-13 win over the host Bulldogs, and giving new head coach Dan DeVries his first win.
“It reminded me of an old SJV game, score of 14-13, that brings back a ton of memories,” DeVries said. “We knew we were in for a physical contest, the Power-I is a tough physical offense, and we knew we would have to play tough on defense, and I feel like in the second half, we came out and showed who we were.”
Both offenses took some time to get going in the contest, which was scoreless after the first quarter. Centreville’s first drive of the game got into Schoolcraft territory thanks to multiple runs by senior tailbacks DeAndre Stout and Matthew Bates, however, a delay of game and a pass short of the sticks on fourth down turned the ball back to the Eagles after nearly six minutes of possession. Schoolcraft would get one first down on their first drive, but a couple of incompletions and a one-yard loss on a rush forced a punt.
Starting at their own 10-yard line after the punt, Centreville would find some momentum as Stout got a first down to their own 33 on a 20-yard carry. Then on a fourth-and-3 on the first play of the second quarter, Stout would rush to daylight through the middle of the Schoolcraft defense and hit paydirt on a 59-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 following the point-after.
It would take five plays on the subsequent possession for Schoolcraft to answer back. Junior quarterback Jack DeVries would hit Evan Feller on a 49-yard reception on the fourth play of the drive to bring the ball down to Centreville’s 4-yard line, and Cooper Howard would rush it in on the next play through the gut to make it 7-6. The two-point attempt would fail as Jack DeVries fumbled the ball on the snap.
The Bulldogs would answer right back on a four-play drive after a kick return by Brayden Swanwick brought the ball all the way to midfield on the subsequent kickoff. Four plays later, following a 21-yard rush by Bates, Swanwick would hit wide receiver Dawson Webb for a 25-yard passing touchdown. However, a bad snap on the point-after attempt would keep it a seven-point game, making the score 13-6.
Schoolcraft would drive into Centreville territory on its next possession in the second quarter, getting all the way down to the 27-yard line, but a pass on fourth down by Jack DeVries was intercepted by Stout to give the ball back to Centreville with a minute and a half left in the half. Deep in their own territory, though, the Bulldogs were unable to get the ball past their own 30, and went into the half up 13-6.
In the third quarter, Schoolcraft would establish the run game and did not throw the ball in the quarter. Senior running back TJ Luteyn would run wild on their first possession of the half, including a 25-yard run to bring the ball into Centreville territory at the Bulldogs’ 24-yard line, but a false start and a sack by Stout on the next set of downs forced a punt.
After a three-and-out by Centreville’s offense, Luteyn returned the subsequent punt all the way down to Centreville’s 13-yard line, and would hit paydirt three plays later, as Howard would punch the ball in from three yards out for a touchdown. The two-point try would be successful as Luteyn rushed the ball in on a toss to the right side, making it 14-13 Eagles, which would be the score after the third quarter.
Dan DeVries said halftime was a turning point for his Eagles squad to get the lead back.
“At halftime, we just said, we know we’re a physical football team, and we may have gotten a little too cute in the first half in trying to do some things, and we were going to come out and establish dominance in the run game and punch a score in, and we did that,” Dan DeVries said.
Centreville would take up a huge chunk of the clock on its next possession, which bled into the fourth quarter. Starting at their own 28, they picked up a couple of fourth downs thanks to a pass from Swanwick to Bates for 16 yards down to their own 49 and an offside call on Schoolcraft on a fourth-and-3 at the Schoolcraft 29. After a second straight offside call on the Eagles on the next play, Centreville would lose a couple yards over the next two plays, then throw an incomplete pass on third down. On fourth down, a pass over the middle was broken up on good coverage by the Eagles, and Schoolcraft would take over with 7:19 left in the game at their own 20.
The Eagles would get into a fourth-and-3 situation after two rushes by Luteyn and a rush by Howard, but ultimately would punt the ball away. Centreville would pick up a first down on a run by Swanwick to the 41, although he fumbled the ball on the run and nearly turned the ball over. Swanwick would then hit Bates for nine yards on the subsequent play to set up a second-and-1 opportunity. Schoolcraft’s defense would stiffen up, as Stout was stopped at the line for no gain on second down, and then Swanwick threw an incompletion to the right side to set up a fourth-and-1, despite pleas from the Centreville sideline for a pass interference call. A rush up the gut on fourth down by Stout was close to the line to gain for a first down, but was ultimately short after a chain measurement.
Schoolcraft would take over at that point with 1:51 left in the game, still clinging to a one-point lead. They appeared to ice the game on a 47-yard touchdown run by Howard, but a holding call brought the ball back. Two plays later, Luteyn would fumble near the line to gain on a rush up the middle, giving the Bulldogs one last shot with 35 seconds to go.
Swanwick would unleash three deep passes on the subsequent drive from Schoolcraft’s 48 with no timeouts left, including nearly being intercepted on first down and just barely missing a streaking Stout on second down, but the third deep pass was intercepted by Schoolcraft’s Drew Enright to end the ballgame and send Schoolcraft home a winner.
“Drew Enright is a star player for us, and he came up big at a big time,” Dan DeVries said.
On the stat sheet, Jack DeVries went 3-of-9 passing for 87 yards and an interception. Howard led the run game with 13 carries for 61 yards and two touchdowns, while Luteyn had 14 carries for 51 yards and a fumble. Feller, Landon DeVries and Brody Epple each had one catch for the Eagles, with Feller’s going for 49 yards. Feller would lead on defense with seven tackles, including two for a loss, two assists, and a sack.
“We knew we were going to come into this with a target on our back given our performance last year and knowing that it’s a first-year coach. I think we gave [Centreville] a lot of momentum in the first half, and they were feeding off of that and we kept the game within their reach,” Dan DeVries said. “Hats off to Centreville, that’s a heck of a football team, and they’re going to have a great team this year.”
For Centreville, they were led by Stout in the ground game, with 27 attempts for 145 yards and a touchdown. He would also have two tackles, one for a loss, two assists, and a sack on defense. Swanwick went 7-of-13 passing for 78 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Webb was the leading receiver for the Bulldogs, reeling in three passes for 41 yards and a touchdown. Wyatt Stark would have three tackles, three assists, and a tackle for loss to lead the defense.
Bulldogs head coach James Phillips said he was proud of his team for going toe-to-toe with a state semifinalist team from last year in their first game of the season.
“It’d be easy to come into this game and be looking at a team that made it to the state semifinals last year and be worried about it, but our kids just worked,” Phillips said. “We had a gameplan, we stuck to it, and came up just short. Again, I’m proud of the effort and commitment to what Centreville football is becoming, and where we can go is just a great start.”
Schoolcraft’s next game will be at home against Hudsonville Unity Christian Friday, Sept. 5, while Centreville will be at home against Stockbridge Friday, Sept. 5. Both games start at 7 p.m.
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
