PREP FOOTBALL 2012
MICHIGAN INDEPENDENT ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TEAM CAPSULES
SCHOOL: Oakland Christian
NICKNAME: Lancers
HEAD COACH: Bill Schaeffer, second season (2-7 at Oakland Christian)
2011 RECORD: 2-7, 1-5 MIAC (sixth place)
RETURNING STARTERS: Josh Rupright, sr. OL/DL (6-0, 185); Stephen Nichols, soph. WR/QB (6-5, 230); Bobby Roose, jr. OL/DL (6-1, 285); Javarian Smith, soph. QB/DB(5-10, 175); Preston Lasala, jr. WR (6-5, 215); Chase Sumner, jr. WR (6-4, 200); Cody Marazita, jr. RB (5-8, 170)
KEY PROSPECTS: Ryan Kostich, fr. WR/DB (5-10, 175); Chris Polite, sr. WR/K/P (6-0, 165)
NOTABLES: This is the fifth year of football for Oakland Christian and the second with Schaeffer, a veteran who has coached prep football in Michigan since 1972, in charge. The Lancers have their most experience and talent yet and are hoping to climb above the five hundred mark for the first time. There are three Lancers currently on the college radar, and this team is improved in all areas. Could this be a sleeper team in the six-team MIAC this season? The numbers are up to over 20 players, and all indications point to Oakland Christian being one of the region’s most improved teams.
SCHOOL: University Liggett
NICKNAME: Knights
HEAD COACH: Lou Ray, second season (9-1)
2011 RECORD: 9-1, 6-0 MIAC (first); lost in Division 7 pre-district to Royal Oak Shrine Catholic (49-7)
RETURNING STARTERS: Nate Gaggin, sr. QB; Charles Jones, soph. RB; Jake Smith, soph. FB; Joe Manniacci, sr. CT; Josh Dickens, jr. OG; Antonio Malkoun, jr. OT/DT; Antoine Crews, sr. OG; Nicky Kassab, jr. OT/DT; Kavaughn Jackson, sr. WR; Drew Jerome, sr. WR; Dan Baird, sr. TE/LB
KEY PROSPECTS: Several unproven players hoping to break into lineup.
NOTABLES: Anyone following this program knows that the Knights have gone from the doghouse to the penthouse in just a few shorts years. Liggett finished 1-8 in 2004 and 0-9 in 2005 before cancelling their program in 2006 and 2007 because of low numbers. In 2008, there wasn’t even a varsity football program at the school. In 2009, the Knights resurfaced with a 2-7 record, jumped to 6-4 in 2010 and earned a postseason berth, and finished 9-1 last autumn. There are 11 players returning who started games last season, which is why the Knights are picked to win the MIAC for the second straight season.
SCHOOL: Lutheran Northwest
NICKNAME: Crusaders
HEAD COACH: Don Justice, ninth season at Northwest (54-60); 18th overall
2011 RECORD: 4-5, 3-2 MIAC (tied-third)
RETURNING STARTERS: Nathan Drews, sr. QB/DB/K/P (6-1, 195); Josh Morrison, sr. WR/DB/K; (6-0, 175); Ben Agosta, sr. RB/OLB (5-10, 160); Ian Wellhousen, sr. WR/DB (6-0, 185); Matt Mischley, sr. WR/OLB (6-1, 175); Greg Maynard, sr. OT/DE (6-3, 195); Nick Raby, jr. OT/DT (6-0, 230); Josh Macks, sr. RB/LB (6-1, 210); Justin Novack, sr. WR/DB (5-9, 165); Zach Woomer, sr. WR/DE (6-2, 180); Evan Carter, sr. LB/OL (6-1, 210)
KEY PROSPECTS: Jake Klausmeier, jr. LB/OL (6-2, 215); Drake Uplinger, jr. G/DT (5-11, 210)
NOTABLES: Inexperience and injuries hurt Northwest last season, snapping its chance of a fourth straight postseason berth. With 11 players back who started on at least on one side of the football and in many cases both sides, this is a very experienced team and one that could give defending MIAC champ University Liggett fits in the conference race and that could make a run at the postseason. Quarterback Nathan Drews may be the best player in the MIAC and is on course to break multiple school records.
SCHOOL: Southfield Christian
NICKNAME: Eagles
HEAD COACH: Larry Weiss, first season
2011 RECORD: 2-7, 2-4 MIAC (fifth)
RETURNING STARTERS: Jason Fusco, sr. LB (5-10, 215); Justin Pritchett, sr. RB (5-10, 205); Harding Fears, jr. WR (6-3, 195); Eion Donnelly, sr. OL/DE (6-2, 210)
KEY PROSPECTS: Bobby Banks, soph. RB (5-10, 175); Jonathan Springer, jr. QB (5-11, 180); Matt Taylor, jr. OG/DE (5-9, 190); Ryan Hanson, soph. P/K (5-10, 150)
NOTABLES: This is the seventh year of Southfield Christian football and the fifth head coach in that span. There has been a turnstile of head and assistant coaches, which has hurt the program’s overall growth. Weiss was an assistant last season and hopes to have this team make an easy transition. The Eagles have one college prospect on their roster this season and numbers are up 26 players. Will that translate into more wins in a much-improved league?
SCHOOL: Parkway Christian
HEAD COACH: Todd Francis, fourth season (19-10)
NICKNAME: Eagles
2011 RECORD: 5-4, 3-2 MIAC (tied-second)
RETURNING STARTERS: Noah Allen, jr. QB/DB (5-10, 140); Phil Lapinski, jr. TE/LB (6-2, 215); Jonny Kocik, sr. WR/DB (5-10, 150); PJ Dysarczyk, sr. C/LB (5-10, 220)
KEY PROSPECTS: Roger Narlock, jr. OL/DL (5-10, 250); Jake Schwartz, sr. P/K (6-0, 170)
NOTABLES: There are five starters back on both sides of the football and plenty of optimism. Could this team be the one that steps up and challenges University Liggett for the league crown, or will this be another middle-of-the-pack finish? Numbers could be an issue, as only 15 players have trained with the team during the first two weeks.
SCHOOL: Lutheran High School Westland
NICKNAME: Warriors
HEAD COACH: Paul Guse, third season
2011 RECORD: 6-4, 3-2 MIAC (tied-second); lost in Division 8 pre-districts to Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech (46-14)
NOTABLES: Since first launching its football program in 1986, the Warriors finally broke through with their first postseason appearance in 2011. Lutheran High School Westland is one of several teams in the MIAC, now with six football teams, that is eying a playoff berth this season, as talent around the league tends to be up from last season.