DEWITT — Here is quick reaction from reigning state champion DeWitt football opening the Division 3 playoffs with a 50-14 victory over Lowell.
GRIFFIN BRAMAN, DeWITT: The senior quarterback added to his big season with another strong performance for the Panthers in their district semifinal win. He had 11 carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns and completed 5-of-7 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers. Braman’s efforts helped DeWitt build a 36-0 advantage at halftime. He had a 40-yard touchdown pass to Landon Kurncz and had touchdown runs of 50 and 32 yards.
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Hudson Snelling is one of the leaders on defense for the Panthers and had a few plays in the opening half. With DeWitt already ahead 22-0 early in the second quarter, he made sure Lowell didn’t get any momentum when he had a pass break-up on a fourth-down play on a pass inside the 20. The Panthers added to their lead a few minutes later on Braman’s 32-yard touchdown run. Snelling also recovered a fumble near midfield in the first quarter.
DeWitt (8-2) reached at least 50 points for the fifth time this season and the second straight game in the win. The Panthers gave themselves an opportunity to play for a third consecutive district championship with their victory. DeWitt will have a second straight home game and will host Coopersville (9-1) in next week’s district final. Coopersville’s lone loss came to Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills in Week 9. DeWitt opened its season with a neutral site victory over Kenowa Hills.
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“I think we definitely played our best game of the season tonight. A majority of the season we had 20 new starters and there was a couple games we had 21 new starters. We’ve had a lot of injuries. It was not only Channing but we had six starters out. We’ve got them all back last week for Okemos except for Channing. That certainly helps us for making a playoff run. Again, tonight was the best game we played. (I) loved our attitude and demeanor. If we can build on that I think we’ve got a shot to be an awfully good football team.” — DeWitt coach Rob Zimmerman
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Four downs from DeWitt football’s playoff-opening rout of Lowell
