Team Preview: West Catholic
Overview The previews for the Ottawa-Kent Blue division begin with West Catholic, a team led by Justin Michalowski, a ’92 West Catholic graduate going into his 3rd year as head coach. 2020 was by all accounts a good, but not…
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The previews for the Ottawa-Kent Blue division begin with West Catholic, a team led by Justin Michalowski, a ’92 West Catholic graduate going into his 3rd year as head coach. 2020 was by all accounts a good, but not great season for the Falcons as they posted a 5-1 record earning 2nd in the OK-Blue with a close 2nd-round playoff loss. With their 2021 opponents posting a 49% win percentage in 2020, the West Catholic Falcons have a great shot at winning the OK-Blue.
Schedule/Games to watch
August 26 @ Forest Hills Eastern
The Falcons begin their 2021 campaign with a challenging non-league matchup against Forest Hills Eastern. Forest Hills Eastern posted a 6-4 2020 record, going 3-3 in the OK-Gold. One thing I’d like to highlight is West Catholic and Forest hills both faced Spring Lake in the 2020 season, and both teams came out as narrow victors. Needless to say that if West Catholic wants to win the OK-Blue in 2021, they’re going to have to perform well in this challenging away game.
September 3 vs Muskegon Catholic Central
September 10 @ Allendale
September 17 vs Hamilton
September 24 vs Fruitport
October 1 @ Coopersville
October 8 @ Unity Christian
You better bet West Catholic has this game highlighted on their calendar. Unity Christian took the OK-Blue Championship in 2020 with the deciding game being a 39-21 victory over none other than West Catholic. Straight up, if West Catholic wants to win the OK-Blue, they’ve got to beat the defending champs on the road.
October 15 vs Spring Lake
West Catholic won a defensive battle 14-12 last year against Spring Lake, who in 2020 went 4-2 in the OK-Blue earning 3rd place. This could also end up being a league-deciding match as both teams are striving for that league championship. Either way, a win here would solidify a solid playoff seed for West Catholic.
October 22 @ Holland Christian
Players to watch
Noah Arsulowicz, QB – A star on the gridiron and the hardwood, Arsulowicz is looking to lead West Catholic through 2021. Arsulowicz had a great Junior season going 78-130 (60%), with 1062 passing yards and 16TD’s in only 8 games. What stands out to me about this athlete is his composure in the pocket. When the pocket collapses he has the ability to quickly slip out of pressure while keeping his eyes downfield, an elite talent that few high school quarterbacks have. Arsulowicz is a high-ceiling pro-style quarterback that can truly post amazing stats this coming season.
Kyle Kloska Kyle Kloska 6'2" | 295 lbs | OL Grand Rapids West Catholic | 2022 MI , T/DT – Earning 2nd team MLive dream team for 2020, Kloska is an absolute beast, especially on the offensive line. His huge 6’2 282 strong build protects the blind side incredibly well. When watching film it’s difficult NOT noticing Kloska as he’s always making his presence felt on the field. With surprising agility and amazing strength, Kloska is set to have an incredible senior season.
Michael Ignatoski, WR/MLB – Ignatoski is an interesting athlete as he’s utilized in many different ways on the field. On the offensive end, he lines up wide but is utilized much more like a tight end. He uses his big 6’1 200lb frame to play a key role in the blocking game, being used as a big lead blocker in many situations. He also has pass plays drawn up for him where again he’s utilizing his body to get open like a TE. On the defensive end, Ignatoski plays a good MLB making correct reads, and doesn’t miss many tackles. I would however like to see him turn up the aggressiveness as he tends to sit back a tad too long before going after a ball carrier.
X-Factor: Run Defense
West Catholic got pummeled by the run game at times last season, particularly against Unity Christian. That has to change. The Falcons must improve In the defensive trenches, with linebackers that react quickly and fly to the football rather than sit back. Again, with the insane RB Duo at Unity Christian, West Catholic needs to improve their run defense. It’s surely possible for West Catholic to get back to their former state dominance, and I’m excited to see how they accomplish that.