Feb. 7 PowerStrength Notes – C/O 2022 & 2023’s
In this article:
Yesterday I was lucky enough to attend training at PowerStrength Training Systems. Run by Owner Mark Ehnis, Lead Performance Specialist Brian Paulsen, and others, PowerStrength Training Systems is where many of the best high school athletes in West Michigan choose to train. Now, I’ll discuss what I saw in each upperclassman!
Jonny Rohen-Blanton Jonny Rohen-Blanton 5'10" | 170 lbs | WR Rockford | 2023 MI – Rockford WR – 2023
A receiver I knew little about before yesterday, Rohen-Blanton is a great athlete who is bound to make some noise this coming season. He’s built well, works hard, and will continue getting better throughout the offseason. I was especially impressed by his reaction time & acceleration during the sprinting portion, as he had great sprinting technique coming out of a 2-point.
Andrew McAlary Andrew McAlary 6'0" | 165 lbs | WR West Catholic | 2023 MI – West Catholic WR – 2023
Another athlete who will have a chance to break out in 2022, McAlary flashed great athleticism, strength, and work ethic in the gym. As I’ve said, anyone who regularly attends PowerStrength is extremely likely to get overwhelmingly positive results, and those will show come summer training.
Cohen Overholt Cohen Overholt 5'10" | 180 lbs | DB Rockford | 2023 MI – Rockford DB – 2023
Overholt’s ceiling is high, being an already athletic defensive back attending an excellent offseason program with his head coach being a former WR/DB at the University of Michigan. Quite honestly, Overholt is a guy I didn’t see much yesterday (100% my fault), but I’m excited to see him put in some work in the near future.
Bryce DeBruyne Bryce DeBruyne OL West Catholic | 2023 MI – West Catholic OL/DL – 2023
With a great year on varsity under his belt and a good number of highlights to show for it, Bryce DeBruyne Bryce DeBruyne OL West Catholic | 2023 MI is a tough guy putting in work for an even better senior season. Whenever I looked DeBruyne’s way, he was being productive. Whether that be doing a set, setting up his weights, or getting ready for his next set, he was locked in.
Brody Thompson Brody Thompson 6'1" | 195 lbs | WR Rockford | 2023 MI – Rockford WR – 2023
I was incredibly impressed by the work Brody Thompson Brody Thompson 6'1" | 195 lbs | WR Rockford | 2023 MI put in. He always looked like he was giving it his 100%, and he’s got the muscle and athleticism to show he’s been putting in work for quite a while. With the sprints, Brody showed great acceleration and top speed. As for lifting, he was pumping out pull-ups with a giant chain around his shoulders, as well as having a great deadlift at 405 pounds. Thompson is a strong, athletic receiver who will be a force in the OK-Red next season.
Caleb Clinger Caleb Clinger 5'8" | 170 lbs | DB West Catholic | 2023 MI – West Catholic DB – 2023
Having been sidelined from injury for the majority of the 2021 season, Caleb Clinger Caleb Clinger 5'8" | 170 lbs | DB West Catholic | 2023 MI is getting set for a massive comeback season. Clinger demonstrated outstanding balance while sprinting. Trust me; balance is tricky even after sprinting for four years in high school, and we all know balance is a crucial skill to have as a DB. Clinger also demonstrated great strength, especially for a defensive back.
Breckin Portoluri Breckin Portoluri 6'1" | 255 lbs | DL Rockford | 2023 MI – Rockford DL – 2023
Considering the fantastic defensive linemen we’ve seen from Rockford in the recent past, Breckin Portoluri Breckin Portoluri 6'1" | 255 lbs | DL Rockford | 2023 MI may be in for a tremendous senior campaign. He’s a big, built athlete who just looks like some of those elite Rockford defensive linemen. He was lifting with the best of them, and I’m confident a big season is coming for Portoluri.
Joseph Debski Joseph Debski 5'7" | 155 lbs | DB West Catholic | 2023 MI – West Catholic DB/WR – 2023
Debski already had a distinguished 2021 season, namely as a run-stopping DB. While he demonstrated high effort, IQ, and great tackling on the field this past fall, he’s showing great athleticism and power in the winter. He’ll likely play an increased role with West Catholic this coming season, and I can’t wait to see how much he improves from this offseason work.
Mac VandenHout Mac VandenHout 5'11" | 190 lbs | QB Rockford | 2023 State MI – Rockford WR/QB – 2023
VandenHout has earned a ton of praise during the past few months, whether that be for his incredibly productive 36 catch regular season or his eye-popping plays at QB/WR during 7 on 7’s. As advertised, VandenHout was impressive on all fronts in the gym. He efficiently pumped out sets of 225 on the bench press while giving 100% effort on all other fronts. I am highly confident that VandenHout will have a fantastic senior season.
Timmy Kloska Timmy Kloska 6'0" | 220 lbs | RB Grand Rapids West Catholic | 2023 State MI – West Catholic RB – 2023
Straight up, Timmy Kloska Timmy Kloska 6'0" | 220 lbs | RB Grand Rapids West Catholic | 2023 State MI stands out in the gym. He’s built like a Titan and played like Derrick Henry this past season, and that’s primarily because of the time and effort he puts into his body. He’s a gym rat with great speed plus incredible power, and he’s a division 1 prospect if I’ve ever seen one. I played Grand Valley Rugby this past fall, and I faced guys twice my size, but I seriously didn’t go up against anyone like Timmy Kloska Timmy Kloska 6'0" | 220 lbs | RB Grand Rapids West Catholic | 2023 State MI , and frankly, I’m glad I didn’t.
Alex McLean Alex McLean 5'7" | 165 lbs | WR Rockford | 2023 State MI – Rockford WR – 2023
Everything advertised and more, Alex McLean Alex McLean 5'7" | 165 lbs | WR Rockford | 2023 State MI was a standout. He’s an incredibly well-built slot receiver and sports amazing speed + strength. He’s receiving looks from Division 1 schools, and he surely deserves it. On the field, McLean is very twitchy and can burn even the best defensive backs.
Elliot Zainea Elliot Zainea LB West Catholic | 2023 MI – West Catholic LB – 2023
Another athlete who’s built incredibly well, Elliot Zainea Elliot Zainea LB West Catholic | 2023 MI is a player not on my radar before, but he sure is now. He posted great lifting numbers with great technique, and he gave it his all. Watching his film, he has some great highlights that showcase excellent instincts, and overall I’m looking forward to seeing how much he improves from 2021 to 2022, especially with this program.
Tom Bearden Tom Bearden OL West Catholic | 2022 MI – West Catholic OL – 2022
Bearden did everything well and always put his 100% into the workouts. He wasn’t an athlete I looked at closely in 2021, though he was a senior on a tremendous offensive line for West Catholic, so I think it’s safe to assume he played very well.
Cam Heiss Cam Heiss 6'4" | 275 lbs | OL Cedar Springs | 2022 MI – Cedar Springs OL – 2022
His accolades and Ferris State commitment tell you all you need to know. Cam Heiss Cam Heiss 6'4" | 275 lbs | OL Cedar Springs | 2022 MI is an incredibly hard-working athlete who genuinely puts in his 100% and does it with a smile. He’s big, powerful, and he’ll be headed to Ferris State, where he’ll compete for National Championships year in and year out.
Kyle Kloska Kyle Kloska 6'2" | 295 lbs | OL Grand Rapids West Catholic | 2022 MI – West Catholic OL – 2022
I’ve written plenty on Kyle Kloska Kyle Kloska 6'2" | 295 lbs | OL Grand Rapids West Catholic | 2022 MI throughout the 2021 season, and meeting him plus watching him work confirms everything I have seen and heard about him. He’s a big, built offensive lineman who showed surprising speed and predictably elite power. He was one of the best linemen I watched all season, undoubtedly the best I saw in the OK-Blue by a mile, and he’ll be taking his talents to Mount Pleasant, where he’ll be learning from what I believe to be the best coaching staff in the MAC.