After only trailing by eight points at halftime, the football team fell 56-26 to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in an MHSAA Division 3 district matchup Saturday, Nov. 9.

The Hornets amassed 402 yards of total offense to the Eaglets’ 499.

Passing for 188 yards and running for 214, the Hornets played a balanced game but fell to the Eaglets powerful run game.

All of the Eaglets’ offense came on the ground as their only passing play fell incomplete.

For Kearsley, junior quarterback Braylon Silvas threw 13-for-23 and 158 yards. He ran for 113 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns.

The receiving corps played well as sophomore Derrick Phipps led the team with 60 yards. Junior Jace Chapman caught for 56 and senior Ethan Livingston caught for 55.

Junior Isaiah Stiverson ran for 99 yards.

On defense, senior Matt Monroe came up big with six solo tackles and an assist while senior Josh Truax made four tackles himself and assisted on another three.

Senior Joe Brulla made three solo tackles and two assisted tackles.

Scoring the first touchdown of the game, Stiverson capped off a seven-play opening drive with a 5-yard rushing score.

The Eaglets marched downfield on their first possession to tie the game up 7-7.

After unsuccessful drives by both teams, Kearsley called a jet pass and Chapman connected with junior Conner Cooper, who ran to the 1-yard line.

Silvas punched in the touchdown and Livingston made the extra point kick to put Kearsley up 14-7, a score that would remain until the second quarter.

St. Mary’s responded with a touchdown on the next play and tied the game, but Silvas scored a rushing touchdown to end the Hornets’ next drive. Livingston missed the conversion kick and the Hornets led 20-14.

Once again, the Eaglets responded with their own score to take a 21-20 lead. After a long Hornet drive, the Eaglets would score again before the half after the ball carrier popped off of the pile and ran 80 yards to the end zone.

At halftime, the Hornets trailed 28-20.

The Eaglets scored their second half-opening drive and took a 15-point lead.

On the Hornets next possession, Silvas moved Stiverson in the back field but handed the ball off to the wrong side and fumbled. St. Mary’s scored despite strong red zone defense and took a three-possession lead.

After leading 42-20 as the third quarter expired, the Eaglets scored just over two minutes into the fourth quarter with a 13-yard rush. A 3-yard rushing touchdown later in the quarter put them up 56-20.

The Hornets fought to the end, however, as Silvas ran in a 7-yard touchdown with 1:05 left in the game.

Coach Kaleb Forr’s football team defied all expectations after going 3-6 just a season ago.

It wasn’t the Hornets’ 8-3 record that brought K-Town so much pride, nor was it their first playoff appearance — and victory — in 21 years.

The Hornets brought pride by playing every down with tenacity and overcoming the odds at every step of the season.

From the first lightning-delayed victory of the season to the loss to the Eaglets in the district final, the Hornets made history and broke expectations.