The 2026 season has been one of missed opportunities for Whitehall, maybe none more painful than a 27-26 defeat to unbeaten Ludington Friday night that ended what was left of the Vikings' postseason hopes.
Orioles star Taj Williams scored a two-yard touchdown with 32 seconds to play in the game to win it, capping a drive on which he had the ball every play but one. It marked the third time this season the Vikings surrendered a lead late in the fourth quarter.
"He's a senior and he played his heart out," Whitehall coach Tony Sigmon said of Williams. "Those guys are nicked up and they were missing some pieces, and he stepped up in a big way."
Williams had 168 yards of offense in the game and scored a pair of touchdowns. The Orioles were missing quarterback Asher Forfinski due to an injury, and Whitehall knew that likely meant even more Williams to worry about. Finn Flannery also missed much of the game injured.
"We figured their game plan was going to center around him regardless, and they doubled down on that even more," Sigmon said.
The Vikings (2-6, 2-4 West Michigan Conference Lakes) stormed back from a 14-0 deficit with three straight touchdowns, grabbing the lead 20-14 on a nine-yard scoring run by quarterback Brayden Brown. Ludington answered the score to go ahead, and Whitehall fumbled the enusing kickoff back to the Orioles. However, in a display of grit, the Viking defense stiffened and got a fourth-down stop at the seven-yard line, and Whitehall's offense then went on a 14-play, 93-yard march to take the lead with two minutes to play on Elijah Smith's third touchdown run of the game on a drive anchored by Smith, Brown and Liam Leeke.
Williams, though, pulled a rabbit out of his hat, ripping off a 33-yard run on the first play of his team's final drive after a pass interference flag moved the ball close to midfield. Two plays later, he caught a 20-yard pass to get to the 2 and set up his winning score.
Penalties were a major factor in the game for both teams, with 12 called on each side.
"I think every penalty we get called on us is a key one, especially in close games," Sigmon said. "One penalty can impact the game. You talk about one-point losses and one-possession losses and those types of things, one penalty is too many. Some of them are effort penalties, I get that, but it's reality. They're called penaltes and not rewards for a reason."
Sigmon said he was proud of his team's effort and that his coaching staff has discussed "not wasting the failure" of this season, using it as a motivator for the players who will return.
"It's a great life lesson, that's for sure," Sigmon said. "You can take away that you can work really hard and sometimes it just doesn't work out. It's a great life lesson we all have to learn as adults at some point. You can also take away the fact that the people who do work really hard, they're not going to regret it."
Whitehall closes the season against local foe Reeths-Puffer next Friday, and the Vikings will look to send their seniors out as winners.
"We broke down (our last huddle) on 'family,'" Sigmon said. "It's really easy to do that when everything is going well, but when things are going a way you don't want, you still have people in your corner and you realize that. That might be the most important thing to take away trom this."
Brown threw for 78 yards and ran for 45, and Elijah Smith had 139 yards of offense. Leeke ran for 82 yards. Wyatt McFarren, Jevon Hilliard and Judd Musk each had five solo tackles on defense.
