MUSKEGON – It was Sterling Alexander’s type of game:

Offense galore, very little defense, and lots of opportunities to catch touchdown passes.

Alexander took full advantage, pulling in four TD receptions to lead the West Michigan Ironmen to a big 86-45 victory over the Southern Michigan Apex on Saturday night at Muskegon’s Trinity Health Arena.

The game was not only fun for Alexander, but a breakout performance as well.

After having a huge rookie season in 2022, the speedy receiver had not caught a TD pass through two games this season.

Ironmen receiver Sterling Alexander gets a lift from a teammate after catching one of his four touchdown passes. Photo/Jeremy Clark

He wasn’t injured. He had been playing just fine. He simply hadn’t caught a TD pass, because so many other teammates were catching them.

“(Ironmen quarterback Alex Carder) and I weren’t able to connect right away this season,” said Alexander, who totaled five catches for 91 yards. “I was just staying humble and saying it’s all in God’s time and this was my time today. I enjoyed it and I’m happy for my teammates and myself and I’m glad we got a win.”

The offensive explosion also provided an opportunity for an unlikely source – Danny Hugan – who is usually the Ironmen’s backup quarterback.

Starting receiver Keondre Banks-Craig is on a tryout with a team in a higher league, so Hugan started in his place and showed he can catch TD passes just as well as he throws them.

He tied Alexander for the team lead in touchdown catches with four. He caught the first scoring catch of the game and the last, which came on the final play. He finished with five catches for 86 yards.

West Michigan’s Danny Hugan, who also caught four TD passes, pulls in a reception. Photo/Jeremy Clark

“He is a good athlete,” Smith said about his backup QB. “When you have athletes you have to put them in.”

Carder, the veteran QB, had a great game himself, completing 16 of 24 passes for 306 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Ironmen’s overall scoring binge was very welcomed by the coaches.

Two weeks earlier, the normally potent offense only managed 33 points, after scoring 81 in Game 1.

That turned out to be enough to pull out a two-point victory with a TD on the last play of the game, but Smith likes it a lot better when the scoreboard gets back to the 80-point level.

“The offense was clicking, and it was a matter of who was going to get open and what they were giving us,” Smith said. “Carder said he wanted to throw 10 touchdowns, that was his goal.

Ironmen quarterback Alex Carder lets a pass fly. Photo/Jeremy Clark

“Our offensive line had a physical practice this week. They worked on a lot of great things, and when you give Alex time to throw that is huge.”

The game was close for the first 15 minutes, and the first quarter ended in a 13-13 tie. But the Ironmen led 48-27 at halftime and 61-33 after three quarters.

The victory left the Ironmen alone at the top of the standings in the brand new Great Lakes Arena Alliance.

West Michigan and Southern Michigan both came into the game undefeated, but now the Ironmen have played and beaten three of the other four members of the new league.

They will play their next league game at home on May 20 against Chicago, then head into the playoffs.

SCORING SUMMARY

FIRST QUARTER
WM 12:06 – Danny Hugan II 17-yard catch from Alex Carder (Ben Townshend kick) WM 7, SM 0
SM 8:22 – Chazz Middlebrook 11-yard run (kick failed) WM 7, SM 6
WM 2:55 – Sterling Alexander 37-yard catch from Alex Carder (kick failed) WM 13, SM 6
SM :32 – Christian Mayers 5-yard catch from Jose Malave Jr. (Kyle Kabaeinski kick) WM 13, SM 13

SECOND QUARTER
WM 12:07 – DavVeon Taylor Sr. 3-yard run (Ben Townshend kick) WM 20, SM 13
WM 8:15 – Danny Hugan II 26-yard catch from Alex Carder (Ben Townshend kick) WM 27, SM 13
SM 6:27 – Christian Mayers 30-yard catch from Jose Malave Jr. (2-pt pass good) WM 27, SM 21
WM 4:55 – Sterling Alexander 20-yard catch from Alex Carder (Ben Townshend kick) WM 34, SM 21
SM 3:19 –  Charlie Witek 36-yard catch from Jose Malave Jr. (kick failed) WM 34, SM 27
WM :55 –  Sterling Alexander 9-yard catch from Alex Carder (Ben Townshend kick) WM 41, SM 27
WM :04 – Tyler Bruce 37-yard catch from Alex Carder (Ben Townshend kick) WM 48, SM 27

THIRD QUARTER
WM 12:55 – Sterling Alexander 16-yard catch from Alex Carder (Ben Townshend kick) WM 55, SM 27
SM 8:33 –  Christian Mayers 9-yard catch from Jose Malave Jr. (2-pt pass failed) WM 55, SM 33
WM 5:41  – DavVeon Taylor Sr. 2-yard run (kick failed) WM 61, SM 33

FOURTH QUARTER
WM 13:31 –  Danny Hugan II 6-yard catch from Alex Carder (Ben Townshend kick) WM 68, SM 33
WM 8:32 – John Ross 21-yard catch from Alex Carder (kick failed) WM 74, SM 33
SM 2:45  – Charlie Witek 8-yard catch from Jose Malave Jr. (2-pt pass failed) WM 74, SM 39
WM 1:19  –  John Ross 31-yard kick return (2-pt pass failed) WM 80, SM 39
SM :21  – Eldrada Meeks Jr. 4-yard catch from Jose Malave Jr. (2-pt pass failed) WM 80, SM 45
WM :00 – Danny Hugan II 25-yard catch from Alex Carder WM 86, SM 45