The Holland Christian football team had one of the most interesting seasons last year.
The Maroons won four of their first five, then lost four of their last five. The final loss was an extremely close 53-42 loss to Hudsonville Unity Christian in the first round of the Division 4 playoffs – a Crusaders team that went on to the state finals.
So why the polar opposite halves?
The easy answer is the Maroons played the better teams later on their schedule.
But injuries also took a toll before the Maroons rallied to beat Grand Rapids Christian in Week 9 to earn a playoff spot.
It is a new season for the Maroons, who have several key returning players.
Here is a look at three keys to the season:
Running game
The Maroons have been a primarily pass-first offense since the program started. But Holland Christian made strides in the run game.
Isaiah Myaard was fantastic last year, rushing for 900 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns.
Who will pick that up this season?
A ground attack gives the Maroons another dimension and will be pivotal.
Quarterback experience
Griffin Leeuw was the Maroons starting quarterback last year and improved throughout the season.
Having that experience will keep the Maroons passing game moving forward.
The main target from last season was Simon Grotenhuis, but he is now playing at Calvin University.
Defensive focus
The Maroons have scored more than they have given up the past three seasons, which is a good recipe for success.
But since the Maroons and their aerial attack score a lot of points, that has masked the fact that the defense has struggled against elite teams.
They have had elite defensive players in Ryder Gravenhof and Will Grant, but the defensive depth was not there. Teams could double-team the defensive studs and neutralize them.
The Maroons have had trouble against teams with a strong rushing attack over the years, and that is the key for them once again.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: High school football previews: 3 keys for Holland Christian Maroons this season
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dan D'Addona, Holland Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
