Raiders Pile it on in Week 4

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A rivalry was renewed this past Friday night as the Portland Raiders took on the Ionia Bulldogs, one year after Ionia forfeited the game. To call this game a rivalry isn’t very fitting, as the Raiders dominated on both sides of the ball for all four quarters.

The Bulldogs started off the first quarter with a completed pass that appeared to be an attempt at a hook-and-ladder play, which ultimately turned into a turnover early in the game. Ionia’s defense seemed to be showing effort early in the game as they brought the Raiders to 4th-and-3, but a carry from senior running back Carson Spenski kept the drive alive by converting on fourth down. Shortly after, Spenski saw green grass and scored his first touchdown of the night, making the score 7-0 after the extra point by kicker Chase Fullet.

Portland’s defense started the game off hot as Ionia went three-and-out. Quarterback Carson Simon aired it out to Kehyan Page, putting the Raiders into scoring position at first-and-goal. Simon then got into the end zone for six on a quarterback keeper, increasing the Raiders’ lead to 14-0 after the extra point.

Beginning the second quarter, it was another short drive from the Bulldogs as they were once again forced to punt. Because once wasn’t enough, Carson Spenski found the end zone once again, increasing the lead to 21-0.

After Ionia was forced to punt, they shortly got the ball back and put together a nice drive with just over 45 seconds remaining in the half. They found their way into the end zone for the first time of the night. After a failed two-point conversion, the score stood at 21-6.

Portland responded with a statement that would leave any coach hanging his head. With 10 seconds left in the half, Carson Simon dropped back and threw a beautiful pass to Kehyan Page for a touchdown, leaving just 3.7 seconds on the clock. The first half was a strong sign of what was to come for the remainder of the game, as the score at halftime was 28-6.

The first drive for the Raiders in the second half appeared to show that Ionia still had some life in them as they held the Raiders to 4th-and-4. Don’t let that fool you, though. For the second time of the night, Carson Simon dropped back looking for Kehyan Page, once again delivering a touchdown through the air and increasing the score to 35-6.

Portland’s defense took care of business once again, forcing another punt. Portland then set up for another drive, with Alex Atwell taking off from the Bulldogs’ 30-yard line and adding to the Raiders’ lead, making the score 42-6.

To start the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs were in penalty trouble after an offensive pass interference penalty made it 1st-and-20. Ionia then had another flag thrown for a false start, making it 1st-and-30. The Bulldogs dropped back to pass, throwing an interception to Chase Fullet, who returned it for a touchdown, bringing the score to 49-6 in favor of the Raiders.

Ionia made a final effort late in the fourth quarter, scoring a touchdown on the ground to make the score 49-13. Portland still had plenty of gas left in the tank, leading to Landon Espinosa making his way into the end zone and making the final score 56-13.

This game was pure dominance, and I would call it a sweet taste of revenge after Ionia forfeited the game the previous season. Portland showed how dominantly they can run the ball, displaying the depth in their running back room, while also proving they can air it out when needed. Carson Simon has serious throwing power that correlates well with Kehyan Page’s smooth route running and drive to catch the football.

I had the pleasure of interviewing both Kehyan Page and Carson Spenski post-game.

Kehyan Page brought the energy to this football game with his two big receiving touchdowns. I asked Kehyan how he would describe his performance after finishing with three receptions for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

Page responded, “I think I played well. With limited passing attempts per game, I try to take advantage of the limited opportunities I get, and I think I did that against Ionia.”

I followed up by asking Kehyan if there was something specific he noticed in Ionia’s pass coverage that he felt he could take advantage of during the game.

Kehyan said, “With their coverage, they were playing 12 yards off the ball and inside shade, so I knew the hitch was going to be there from the beginning. I just had to wait for the right opportunity.”

To wrap up the interview, I asked how much the rivalry aspect motivated the team.

“I think the rivalry aspect definitely played a big role in the game, with Ionia talking all week before the game. The whole team was looking forward to shutting them up, and I think we did a pretty good job of it.”

Kehyan’s confidence radiates off of him, showing the leadership he brings to this football team.

Next was Carson Spenski, the face of the Raiders’ rushing attack. Carson had 11 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Spenski now has 382 rushing yards and six touchdowns through four games.

I asked Carson what that kind of production means to him, especially during his senior season.

Carson responded, “It means a lot to me, especially since it’s my senior season and I’ve worked hard to get to this point. I’m proud of my production so far, but I know there’s still a lot of football left, and I want to keep improving.”

As I mentioned before, it was the first time Portland faced Ionia in over a year, so I asked Carson if there was any extra emotion for the seniors getting to play in this rivalry game one last time.

“Definitely, there was some extra emotion because we didn’t get the opportunity to play Ionia last year. As seniors, we were excited to get the chance to beat them again one last time.”

Carson doesn’t take plays off and runs until the whistle, making him the star of this offense.

The Raiders travel to Lakewood next week. Both teams are 4-0 and are tied for the number one spot in the CAAC White rankings.