Kirby Crook

The Hope football team made the dedication of Ray & Sue Smith Stadium a smashing success.

The Flying Dutchmen erupted for a 41-7 win against Millikin (Ill.) on Saturday, riding a 35-point first half to improve to 2-0 on the season in front of a home opener crowd of 4,110.

Hope dedicated its home field to former head coach and athletic director Ray Smith and his wife, Sue, during a pregame ceremony.

The Flying Dutchmen racked up 510 yards of total offense against Millikin (0-2) while also returning a Millikin onside kick for a touchdown in the second half.

Hope intercepted Millikin quarterback Nick Pippen twice and sacked him three times.

HOLLAND SENTINEL COVERAGE

MLIVE COVERAGE

The Flying Dutchmen scored twice in a 20-second span early in the second quarter for a 35-7 lead. Junior Cody Lindemulder of Mulliken (Lakewood HS) scooped up an onside kick after a Millikin touchdown and raced 45 yards for a touchdown four minutes into the second quarter.

Lindemulder, a linebacker, then intercepted Millikin's first play from the scrimmage to set up a one-play scoring drive that resulted in a 32-yard touchdown catch for senior receiver Vincent Boddy of West Bloomfield (West Bloomfield HS) from senior quarterback Michael Atwell of Geneseo, Ill. (Geneseo HS).

Atwell and Boddy teamed up for a 19-yard touchdown pass 1:16 into the second quarter that pushed Hope's lead to 21-7. Boddy had three catches for 82 yards.

Atwell completed 21-of-33 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns. He opened the scoring with a 2-yard plunge into the end zone.

Junior receiver Taylor Brynaert of Washington, Mich. (Romeo HS), led Hope with six catches for a game-high 99 yards. Sophomore receiver David Brown of Ithaca (Ithaca HS) finished with five catches for 88 yards.

Senior running back Shawn Jackson of Comstock Park (Comstock Park) HS rushed for 99 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries. He moved into fifth place all-time at Hope by reaching 2,372 career rushing yards.

Junior defensive back Kirby Crook of Beech Grove, Ind. (Beech Grove HS) topped Hope with 10 tackles, including eight unassisted.

Photo by Rob Kurtycz, Hope Public Relations