Montague @ Whitehall: Classic WMC rivalry looms large in conference race

Montague and Whitehall will meet this Friday for the 73rd consecutive season since 1950 in one of Muskegon County's biggest rivalry games. The Wildcats and Vikings will do battle under the Friday night lights, with the Red, White, and Blue Bell and bragging rights for the next year on the line. The all-time series between these two rivals since 1950 stands at 37-36, with Montague holding the one game advantage. While both teams have experienced success in recent years, it is Montague who has dominated this rivalry of late - winning 14 of 17 meetings since 2000, also winning back-to-back D6 state titles during that stretch.

Montague has yet again fielded a very talented squad in 2017, returning seven starters on both sides of the ball. The Wildcats have throttled their competition in the first four weeks of the season, outscoring opponents 237-21 so far - their most recent victim an athletic North Muskegon team that they pounded 48-7 on the Norse's home turf. The 'Cats come into this week's match up with Whitehall at 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the West Michigan Conference, already emerging as a favorite for the conference title - in a conference which boasts some of West Michigan's best teams year in and year out.

Whitehall came into this season with high expectations, looking to a large group of returning players to carry them to the top of the WMC and into the playoffs for the 4th consecutive season. The Vikings are coming off a huge conference victory over perennial powerhouse Oakridge, 28-14, in which they over-powered the Eagles for four quarters. The Vikings come into this week's match up with Montague at 3-1 overall and 3-0 in the WMC, their only loss a very close one at the hands of a talented Kelloggsville team in a non-conference season opener.

The winner of this week's Battle for the Red, White, and Blue Bell will emerge as a clear favorite to win the WMC crown, especially if that team is Whitehall, who have a remaining conference schedule with a 2-2 North Muskegon team as perhaps their biggest challenge. Should Montague emerge victorious Friday, they will still have a Week 6 showdown with Oakridge looming before their conference aspirations are realized.

Both Montague and Whitehall boast potent running attacks this season. Montague's ground attack has been led by Junior QB Sebastian Archer and Junior RB Bryce Stark who have racked up the yards in droves thus far. However, the Wildcats have shown that they have weapons all over the field, getting significant production on the ground and through the air from Kenyan Johnston, Blake Jones, and Jake Jancek.

Whitehall's option offense is run by Senior QB Justin Brown, a very athletic converted WR. Brown is joined by a stable of talented backs in Josh Thommen, Tylor Russell, and Terrell Harris. The Viking's rushing attack racked up 230+ yards against a good Oakridge defense last week and seems to be clicking on all cylinders at the right time.

The defenses for both Montague and Whitehall have been stout in the first four weeks, giving up only 21 and 40 total points, respectively. While a defensive battle here would not be much of a surprise, it seems unlikely that either of these powerhouse offenses can be held down for four quarters.

On Thursday night, the Wildcats and Vikings will meet at the middle of the bridge over White Lake which connects their two towns, with their student bodies and faithful in tow, to take part in a pre-game ceremonial coin toss - a decades-old tradition renewed just last year. The ceremonial toss, a great tradition between tight-knit communities and a brief show of mutual respect, does well to heighten the anticipation before the boys of fall battle it out on the gridiron for these long-time rivals.

With reluctance to make a pick in a storied rivalry where anything could happen, I'm going err on the side of recent history in this one and take Montague to outlast Whitehall in classic, 35-34.