Macomb Lutheran North’s Charles Bates (2) attempts to race by Richmond’s Jayden Gutierrez (57) Friday during this Blue Water Area Conference clash on Oct. 2, 2026.

MACOMB TWP. – The date is set.

Macomb Lutheran North downed Richmond 42-14 Friday night at its homecoming game to remain unbeaten on the year. The win sets the Mustangs’ up with a date with four-time defending and unbeaten Almont on the road next Friday with first place in the Blue Water Area Conference on the line.

Owen VanderVlucht finished 13-for-14 passing for 231 yards and four touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown for good measure. Three of those touchdowns came on the first play from scrimmage during separate drives and all were bomb throws of more than 40 yards. The Mustangs’ offensive line dominated during most of the game as well.

“All season long it’s been Almont, Almont, Almont,” said VanderVlucht, who moved back over from Kansas City, Mo., over the summer. “They are a very good team and we kept winning and we have waited to play them.

“The O-Line was holding up tremendously and we knew we had them deep,” continued VanderVlucht. “They kept rotating the safeties and they weren’t respecting the deep ball, so we gave it to them early and were able to score on that (play) three times.”

Luke Roussin had five catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns to aid Lutheran North (6-0, 5-0). Luke May had two catches for 56 yards and one touchdown, Frank Ferretti chipped in with seven carries for 38 yards and one touchdown, while Ty Hoef added a touchdown catch in the victory.

Macomb Lutheran North junior quarterback Owen VanderVlucht (16) drops back to pass Friday during the Mustangs' 42-14 Blue Water Area Conference victory over Richmond on Oct. 2, 2026. (DAN STICKRADT -- MediaNews Group)

“Owen was in the battle for quarterback position all summer and he has really stepped up” said first-year Lutheran North coach Brad Morris. “He has a very strong arm and he’s very poised out there. We’ve won games in a lot of different ways this year and I thought this was one of Owen’s best games for us this year.”

Leading 21-14 at the half, Lutheran North forced Richmond to turn over the ball on downs to open the third quarter. The next play VanderVlucht hit Roussin with a 48-yard touchdown strike down the middle of the field for a 28-14 advantage with 10:11 left in the third to break the game open.

North’s Hoef picked off Richmond quarterback Dominic Bonnetti – who has committed to the University of Notre Dame for baseball – on the very next play which set up the fifth scoring drive. Ferretti scored on a 5-yard run with 6:31 left in the third for the 35-14 lead and Richmond (0-6, 0-5) could never recover.

Two drives later, VanderVlucht went deep on the first play from scrimmage on the series again with Roussin hauling in a 50-yard bomb pass for North. Vermiglio nailed his sixth extra point on the night to cap the scoring for the Mustangs.

Matteo Piccinini added an interception while Ferretti recovered a fumble, a sack and had a tackle for loss for Lutheran North.

Richmond has lost four games this year by seven or less points, including losses by seven, four, six and five points, but saw this game get way from the Blue Devils in the second half.

“We were in it for a while,” said Richmond coach Sean Misko. “We were down 21-0, came back and made it 21-14 at the half. But then it got away from us a little bit. They came out and scored early in the second half and we never recovered.

“It’s tough when you lose seven three-year starters and only have four seniors (on the roster). Plus, we lost a kid to transfer and another kid who is (concentrating) on baseball and he doesn’t want to get hurt. We lost a lot,” continued Misko. “We’re a young team and we show flashes. We just can’t seam to put it all together.”

Macomb Lutheran North's Matteo Piccinini (13) celebrates after recording an interception Friday during the Mustangs' game against Richmond on Oct. 2, 2026. (DAN STICKRADT -- MediaNews Group)

Lutheran North took the opening drive down the field, going eight plays and 55 yards before VanderVlucht hit Hoef with a 15-yard scoring toss and Aidan Vermiglio nailed his extra point for the 7-0 lead with 8:03 left in the first quarter.

After forcing Richmond to punt on its first series, it took the Mustangs just one play from scrimmage when VanderVlucht threw a 44-yard bomb down the middle of the field to Luke Roussin for the 14-0 advantage with 6:40 still to play in the opening stanza.

Lutheran North scored again on its third drive, this time with VanderVlucht plunging into the endzone with 1:56 remaining in the first to put the Mustangs up 21-0.

Richmond did not go away quietly in the first half, scoring on two consecutive drives to climb back into the game.

Senior quarterback Dominic Bonnetti scored on a 5-yard keeper and Kaden Christensen hit the extra point to trim the deficit down to 21-7 with 5:39 left in the half.

The Blue Devils got the ball back again and Bonnetti helped Richmond march back down the field before connecting with Robert Socia on a 15-yard touchdown strike with just 1:20 left in the first half.

Bonnetti finished 13-for-29 passing for 99 yards and one touchdown pass, while he also rushed for a score. Mason Brickel had six catches for 50 yards and Andrew Hentschel added three catches for 38 yards for Richmond.