Sometimes in sports, the name fits the man. We saw that in the state finals when Muskegon backup QB Deshaun Thrower entered the game and almost beat Brother Rice with his arm. Then there’s Jake Bull, a 6-7, 225 senior from Hudsonville with the perfect surname for an imposing defensive end and tight end. The Eagles’ didn’t see much team success, but Bull was still a physically dominating presence in the O-K Red. So much so, he was The Lake’s No. 3 ranked senior tight end (behind two D1 commitments) and No. 2 senior D-lineman (after Plainwell’s Illinois-bound Tyler White and ahead of luminaries like Daniel Green and Blake Mazur).

Hillsdale offers a unique experience in the GLIAC, a small, academically-hefty private school. As such, to win in D2 what the Chargers’ recruiting classes lack in quantity even out in quality. And recently when they want not just quality but a cut above, an all-time great, they recruit West Michigan. East Grand Rapids running back Joe Glendening was an All-American, Harlon Hill finalist and Hillsdale’s all-time rusher and scorer. Forest Hills Northern’s Jared Veldheer is in this third season starting on the Oakland Raiders’ offensive line. The same combination of school/sports that attracted them to Hillsdale was just as appealing to Bull. He chose the Chargers over Grand Valley State, Miami-OH, Brown and Harvard.