By Mark Opfermann | mopferma@mlive.com
on October 11, 2016
 

MUSKEGON, MI – Orchard View has been searching all season to fill a Week 8 opening on its football schedule.

It came down to the 11^th hour, but better late than never.

The Cardinals finalized an opponent Monday and are scheduled to play Manton at 6 p.m. Saturday at Ferris State University.

Manton agreed to play after getting knocked out of playoff contention with last week’s 35-8 loss to Beal City.

OV had the opening after Detroit Allen Academy closed before the season. Manton’s date became free after Suttons Bay canceled the remainder of its season after Week 2 due to low numbers.

“We been looking the entire year for somebody to play us,” OV coach Joe Tanis said. “I was waiting for that Beal City-Manton score Friday night. I really wanted our kids to have a game this week.”

Tanis said Manton suggested playing halfway between the two schools and brought up the idea of Ferris, which is hosting Northern Michigan University on Saturday.

Tanis has a connection with both colleges and helped make it happen.

OV graduate Dan Rohn, a former coach at Fremont and Grand Rapids West Catholic, is now an assistant at Ferris. Tanis was an assistant coach at NMU from 2009-10.

Tanis said both high school teams are expected to watch the Ferris-NMU game, which has a 1 p.m. kickoff, then get ready to play. It is the second game at a college stadium this season for OV, which played Montague at Grand Valley’s Lubbers Stadium in Week 1.

Manton comes in 2-5 while OV is 1-6 following last week’s 24-14 win against Muskegon Heights Academy.

“It definitely felt good to get that. They are much improved,” Tanis said. “We’re still having good practices. Nobody is happy with our situation, but we’re still working.”