Ryin Ruddy takes to the air to get a first down for the Bobcats. Photo by Natalie McCormack.

By DOUG DONNELLY

Monroe News

OTTAWA LAKE – An veteran Whiteford football team came back twice from deficits by outscoring Hudson 15-0 in the second half and pulled away from the Tigers to win a Division 8 district championship, 24-14.

Drew Knaggs scored all three touchdowns for the Bobcats, who trailed 6-0 in the first quarter and 14-9 at halftime. The Bobcat defense held Hudson scoreless in the second half, allowing the Tigers just 44 yards of offense over the final 24 minutes.

“We’ve been there before,” Knaggs said. “We didn’t panic. We stayed calm. We know if all 11 guys did their assignments, good things would happen. We drove right down the field and didn’t let off the gas from there.”

Hudson outgained the Bobcats on offense but couldn’t convert two fourth down conversions in the second half, which was a huge momentum gain for Whiteford.

One of the biggest defensive plays of the game came in the fourth quarter when Hudson faced a third-and-8 from its own 42. After KJ Walker completed a screen pass to Beckett McCaskey, Knaggs fought through two Hudson blockers to tackle McCaskey in the backfield. Hudson punted on fourth-and-10 and never got the ball back as the Bobcats marched 12 plays and ran out the clock.

“I knew that play had to made,” Knaggs said. “I saw McCaskey leak out and thought it was definitely a screen. It felt good because I was dog tired.”

Knaggs is one of three four-year starters to never miss a game for the Bobcats since the first game of their freshman season. Jake Iott is another four-year starter who has played in one fewer game.

Iott left the field for several minutes of the second quarter but returned in the second half to help the defense shut out Hudson.

“All of us older guys have been in a lot huge games,” Iott said. “We really were able to stay calm through the whole thing. No one really got worked up or scared of losing. We all believed in ourselves.”

It was the best possible start for Hudson as Barron Mansfield returned a Bobcat interception 36 yards on the third play of the game to put the 8-3 Tigers up 6-0. The Bobcats took the next drive 70 yards on seven plays to tie the game at 6-6.

Whiteford took the lead 9-6 on a 20-yard field goal by Hunter DeBarr after the Bobcats had the ball inside the Tiger 1-yard line but were pushed back on third down. Earlier in the drive the Bobcats had a touchdown called back due to a penalty.

Hudson scored in the second quarter on a 5-yard touchdown run by Beckett McCaskey to take a 14-9 lead into halftime.

The second half started with Hudson driving to the Whiteford 38 but turning the ball over on downs when they failed to convert a fourth-and-3.

The Bobcats re-took the lead, going up 17-14 with 2:17 left in the third quarter. The final touchdown came with 8:51 left in the game.

“They went into the locker room and all of them said, ‘We’re better than this,’” Whiteford coach Todd Thieken said. “There heads weren’t down. No one was yelling at anybody. They just talked about it. It goes to show the great character of the kids we have at Whiteford.”

Thieken changed up the defensive formation in the second half.

“We went back to a five-man front,” Thieken said. “We did some things differently. It wasn’t the adjustments, the kids stepped up and played what they are capable of in the second half. They played lights out football. We got better and better on the lines.”

Hudson coach Dan Rogers agreed that the game was won up front.

“I thought in the second half they won the battle up front,” Rogers said. “That was the difference. They were able to run the ball a little more and we weren’t able to stop them. Our kids battled. I’m proud of our kids.”

Knaggs finished with 68 yards rushing on 21 carries. McCaskey had 130 yards on 16 carries for Hudson, who outgained Whiteford 221-198 on the ground.

The Bobcats improved to 11-0 and won for the 25th straight game, a Monroe County Region record. It’s last loss was in the 2021 semifinals to Hudson.

Ryin Ruddy, who made 14 tackles Friday, said that loss still motivates the Bobcats.

“It feels really good to have redemption,” Ruddy said. “That was a big point of motivation for us. We all experienced that heart-breaking loss a few years ago. We wanted nothing more than to play Hudson again. That’s a win, but we have more to do.”

The Bobcats will face 11-0 White Pigeon next week at home in the Regional final.