Ceiling and Floor: Catholic Central League

Alex Pallone

February 10, 2022 @ 07:05 PM

As a whole, the Catholic Central League may be the best league in Michigan. You could make the case that all four teams in the Catholic league were state-championship caliber, and I can’t think of another league like it. With the Catholic Central schedules nearly complete, I’ll list my thoughts on how this league may play out in 2022. De La Salle Ceiling: 9-0 Floor: 6-3 The Pilots have exploded back into the forefront of High School Football after their dominating victory over Traverse City Central in the State Championship. This roster is, in my opinion, the best and most balanced in the state, with D1 prospects such as , , and others. Dan Rohn has turned this program around in an unheard-of way. We now see middle schoolers announcing their commitment to De La Salle and already excellent talents like transferring to become a Pilot. It’s evident that De La Salle is back, and they’re here to stay. As for their schedule, it’s always tough being in the Catholic League and more brutal when you choose to schedule a game against Muskegon. Still, De La Salle will be the favorite in every game they play, and I am confident in saying they won’t lose more than three regular-season games. Players to Watch -

Brady Drogosh 6'5" | 205 lbs | QB De La Salle Collegiate | 2023 State MI ,

Mason Muragin 6'4" | 245 lbs | DL De La Salle Collegiate | 2023 State MI ,

Rhett Roeser 6'0" | 220 lbs | RB De La Salle Collegiate | 2024 State MI ,

Eric Christoff 5'7" | 145 lbs | ATH Avondale | 2024 State MI Brother Rice Ceiling: 8-1 Floor: 4-5 Beloved by many, Brother Rice is one of the most storied and successful programs in the state, and you can always count on them facing an insanely demanding schedule, in addition to them being a near-lock for the postseason. It was a disappointing end to their 2021 season when they were upset in the regional finals by Mason, but I genuinely believe in Coach Korzeniewski and his staff. The Warriors schedule is incomplete, though every league matchup is expected to be close, with some tough non-league matchups against Dakota and Country Day. Although I don’t expect them to lose five games (and possibly miss the playoffs), I expect many close games. All in all, with the talent of this roster, they have the firepower to do very well with their demanding schedule, and they have the potential to make a big postseason run. Players to Watch - Nolan Ray 6'0" | 195 lbs | RB Brother Rice | 2023 State MI , Charles Mackley,

Andrew LaBarre 6'1" | 230 lbs | ATH Brother Rice | 2023 State MI ,

Xavier Bowman 6'1" | 190 lbs | WR Southfield Christian | 2024 State MI Catholic Central Ceiling: 7-2 Floor: 3-6 I see Catholic Central on par with Brother Rice, but wow, their schedule is brutal. Typically, Catholic Central is one of the most talented teams in the state, and 2022 will be no exception. The Shamrocks have insane talent, and the coaching is on-par with some of the best in the state. Catholic Central performed great in big situations last season, namely a 23-point win against rival Brother Rice and a 21-point victory against Davison, before being knocked out by West Bloomfield in the 2nd round of the postseason. As for their schedule, they open their season against Chippewa Valley, Davison, and DeWitt. If you’re unfamiliar with these teams, Chippewa Valley is one of the most talented programs in the state with many D1 prospects, Davison is a consistently great program with great talent, and DeWitt is a consistent State Championship contender, having lost in the state championship last season. With these non-league matchups plus playing De la Salle, Brother Rice, and St. Mary’s, Catholic Central has an unlikely floor of 3-6 and an equally unlikely ceiling of 7-2. Players to Watch - Brady Blakita, Jack Davis, Zion Tinnon, Spencer Lyons 6'2" | 215 lbs | ATH Nouvel Catholic Central | 2023 MI St. Mary’s Ceiling: 6-3 Floor: 3-6 St. Mary’s was a good but not great team last season, having gone 0-3 in league matchups. The schedule for this program is largely incomplete, but the fact is, last season, they did not perform well against elite competition, and they will be the underdogs in many matchups. This is not a bad team, and they are a likely playoff team, though the talent does not seem to match the other teams in the Catholic League at the moment. Players to Watch - Antwon Thomas, Darrell Rounds, Zane Nessen, Brayden Ledin