Hamilton’s Heartbreaking Loss To Belding In OT
The night Hamilton played the previous state championship finalist Belding for the district title.
By: Silas Vanderzwaag
“Welcome to the 2nd round of playoffs for the district title, win or go home!!!” The Hamilton Hawkeyes have had an outstanding season so far with an 8-1 regular-season record and 6 conference wins in the OK-Blue Conference. Belding is going into the game undefeated in the OK Silver Conference. The Hawkeyes travel the long, over an hour bus ride to Belding High School, the game that will make or break the district title.
At game time, the conditions were below freezing, with the field being covered with ice and snow on top. Both teams knew this was going to be a game of true intensity and grit. Hamilton got the ball first, scoring on the first drive with a trick play to John Sloathdock (committed to playing at Hope College) running the ball in for 61 yards, absolutely fooling the Belding defense. Then they handed it off, getting the 2 points. Belding did come back with an answer, and the 2-point conversion made the score 8-8 at the end of regulation.
On to overtime with Belding getting the ball first. Their Michigan University commit Brent Cummings scored first. Belding decided to try to put pressure and go for the 2-point conversion. On the snap motion at the last minute, tricking the Hawkeye defense and running it in, making the score 16-8. This put a lot of pressure on the Hamilton Hawkeyes to answer. The Hawkeyes get the ball and have an opportunity to score. They then punch it in and have to try for the 2 points. They ran the same play they had just run the touchdown in with. They line up and go for the biggest play of the game and in the freezing weather gets stuffed right before the goal line, ending the game with the score being 16-14, Belding winning.
With the Hamilton Hawkeyes going home, Belding went on to keep playing, eventually winning the state championship game and all other games by at least 2 touchdowns, ending their season with a record of being 13-0 on the season.
