OKEMOS — Here is quick reaction from the Grand Ledge football team’s dominant showing in a 45-7 victory over Okemos in a CAAC Blue opener on Friday, Sept. 11.
GRAND LEDGE DEFENSE: The Comets delivered a complete performance by scoring on their first six drives and returning a blocked punt for a score on special teams, but the overall defensive effort was just as important. The unit turned Okemos away twice as it marched down the field and got inside the 10-yard line, coming away with fourth-down stops in both instances. Those stops played a significant role as the Comets allowed just seven points — their best defensive effort of the young season — while winning the matchup of 2-0 teams.
Okemos (2-1, 0-1) had reached the red zone on a second straight possession, getting inside the 10-yard line early in the second quarter. Grand Ledge had answered the call and tuned the Wolves away, stopping them on third- and fourth-and-goal plays. It marked the second straight drive Grand Ledge stopped Okemos on fourth down. The Comets would go on to score a TD just under 4 minutes later to push their lead to 14-0. Okemos never threatened again until a late drive led by backup quarterback Lawton Scarlett resulted in a fourth quarter touchdown.
Grand Ledge (3-0,1-0) has high hopes for the season with a lot of returning talent from its squad that was the CAAC Blue runner-up in 2025. The Comets showed with Friday’s performance why they are viewed as one of the league’s frontrunners. Okemos, which was off to its first 2-0 start since 2017, has already matched its win total from 2025 but showed there is more growing to be done to challenge the top teams in the Blue.
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“I was proud of our defense. Okemos has got a good team. They have got a great quarterback. I thought we tightened up in the red zone and made some great plays and got some pressure on the QB and I was proud of our DBs and the way they covered and (for) keeping them out of the end zone.” — Grand Ledge coach Joe Brya on the Comets’ early defensive stops
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Four downs from Grand Ledge football’s dominant win in league opener
