Hope College wins 500th football game, Calvin falls in inaugural homecoming contest

Two of West Michigan's MIAA football teams celebrated milestones on Saturday, as Hope College won its 500th game, and Calvin University held its first homecoming game on the gridiron.

Hope's 42-6 victory over Trine not only gave the 117-year-old program its 500th win, but also improved the Flying Dutchmen to 5-0 for the first time since they went 9-0 in 1984.

Calvin, competing in its first football season, fell short in the program's inaugural homecoming game, dropping a 73-13 contest to reigning MIAA champ Alma in front of 4,189 fans at Grand Rapids Christian High School, which serves as the Knights' home field until the completion of their on-campus stadium in 2025.

Alma scored the game's first 29 points and kept Calvin off the board until Ottawa Hills grad Jaier Harden ran for a 65-yard touchdown with 5:19 left in the second quarter to make it a 29-6 game.

The Scots answered with two more touchdowns and a 24-yard field goal on the last play of the second quarter to take a 45-6 lead into intermission.

They started the third quarter with a quick touchdown drive, before Harden found the end zone again on a 2-yard run, but Alma's offense continued to roll, finishing the game with three more touchdown drives and registering the program's third-highest point total behind a 106-point effort against Central Michigan in 1912 and a 76-point performance against Ferris State in 1923.

Alma quarterback Carter St. John completed 21 of 31 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers, led by Zach Poff (4 catches, 94 yards) and Devon Frenchko (2 catches, 73 yards). Eddie Williams led the Scots' ground game with 105 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries.

Calvin quarterback Chase Bradman (South Christian) completed 17 of 30 passes for 151 yards, and Harden ran for 110 yards and two scores on 11 carries.

Luke Michmerhuizen (Holland Christian) was the Knights' top receiver with three grabs for 51 yards.

Defensive back Paul VanderPloeg (Unity Christian) led the defense with 13 tackles, while defensive back Caden Kolanowski (Goodrich) and linebacker Trevor Martens (Jenison) each added 11 stops.

Calvin (2-3, 0-2 MIAA) is off Saturday and returns to action 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, when the Knights will look for their first conference win at Adrian (4-1, 1-1).

Hope (5-0, 2-0) got a big game from senior running back Chance Strickland (Mason), who carried 17 times for 120 yards and three touchdowns against Trine, while Tyler Amos (Portage Northern) added 90 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

Quarterback Ben Wellman (Bloomington, Ill.) also found the end zone twice on the ground during his 28-yard rushing performance, and he completed 10 of 14 passes for 199 yards. Grant Holzer (Okemos) was his top target, catching two passes for 66 yards.

Andrew Debri (DeWitt) and fellow linebacker Cole Luhmann (Rochester Hills Stoney Creek) led the defense with six tackles apiece, and Brad Raredon (Hudsonville) intercepted a pass.

Like Calvin, Hope has a bye week ahead, then looks to keep rolling 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 at Kalamazoo College (4-1, 1-1).