West Catholic Eyes a State Championship
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With West Catholic’s offseason, I feel it’s evident that everyone from the players, coaches, and administration eye a state championship. One of the most intriguing teams this season, West Catholic comes in with supreme talent for a D5 team and…
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Continue ReadingWith West Catholic’s offseason, I feel it’s evident that everyone from the players, coaches, and administration eye a state championship. One of the most intriguing teams this season, West Catholic comes in with supreme talent for a D5 team and a new Head Coach with Landon Grove. This team preview will outline West Catholic’s recent history, discuss a few of their best players, note a few hurdles they need to jump and discuss key games on their schedule.
Last 5 Seasons
2017: 11-3, State-Championship W over Swan Valley
2018: 5-5, 1st-Round L vs. Unity Christian
2019: 1-8
2020: 6-3, 2nd-Round L vs. Portland
2021: 9-2, 2nd-Round L vs. GR Catholic Central
Players to Watch
Timmy Kloska Timmy Kloska 6'0" | 220 lbs | RB Grand Rapids West Catholic | 2023 State MI
Kloska is the life of the offense, and much of the team’s success will be placed on his shoulders. Timmy is the best running back in Division 5, and it’s not even close. The sheer power this man brings is incredible for a high schooler, and it’s almost a given that he’ll tear through the OK-Blue once again.
Caleb Clinger Caleb Clinger 5'8" | 170 lbs | DB West Catholic | 2023 MI
As I’m writing this (May), Caleb Clinger Caleb Clinger 5'8" | 170 lbs | DB West Catholic | 2023 MI has been subject to lots of offseason praise, and he’s been putting in some great work. The DB/WR missed much of last season due to injury, but Caleb seems to be full-go now. If Caleb can live up to his potential on both sides of the ball, he’ll be a tremendous help to his team in the long run.
Chaz Vida Chaz Vida 5'11" | 150 lbs | WR West Catholic | 2024 MI
Another player coming off an injury, Vida, was a standout WR prospect getting his chance a year later than anybody would have liked. Vida is primarily a question mark due to last year’s torn ACL, but he’ll help provide West Catholic with a balanced offense if he can be great. I like his route-running, and I especially like his hands. On hudl, he’s listed at 6’0 150, which is a bit light for any position, so I hope he’s gained some muscle.
Other Players: Joseph Debski Joseph Debski 5'7" | 155 lbs | DB West Catholic | 2023 MI , Nolan Rinehart, Elliot Zainea Elliot Zainea LB West Catholic | 2023 MI , David Britenfeld, Gabriel Schwieters
Hurdles to Jump
Unity Christian
Yes, Unity Chrisitan hasn’t always been in the OK-Blue, but still. West Catholic hasn’t beaten Unity Christian since 2015. This is a significant hurdle that West Catholic needs to jump to win the OK-Blue and gain massive confidence heading into the playoffs. With Unity Christian’s massive 2022 class, West Catholic stands a great chance this season.
Playoffs
Once upon a time, West Catholic was one of the best & most dominant teams in the entire state. Admittedly, they aren’t the team they used to be, but they’ve shown promise over the past few seasons. In their last three playoff appearances, they haven’t been able to make it past the 2nd round. They’ll likely meet a championship contender again in the 2nd-round, but West Catholic needs to capitalize on the moment this time.
Balance
West Catholic needs to be balanced to win a State Championship. Offensively, Timmy Kloska Timmy Kloska 6'0" | 220 lbs | RB Grand Rapids West Catholic | 2023 State MI dominated last season, but once they met great front 7’s with Unity Christian & Catholic Central, their one-dimensional nature was exposed. Defensively, they struggled against Unity Christian, a dominant run team, and Catholic Central, an extremely balanced team. Not only does West Catholic’s defense need to be balanced, but they also need to be dominant.
Important Matchups
Week 1 @ Edwardsburg
Edwardsburg was a state-championship contender at the D4 level last season, and I believe this to be a perfect measuring-stick matchup for both teams. Edwardsburg still looks extremely talented, but they, like West Catholic, have some key losses. It’s going to be interesting to see how both teams reload.
Week 9 vs. Unity Christian
As stated above, Unity Christian has been a big hurdle for West Catholic. They’re a well-coached, strong team that broke MHSAA records last reason. This is going to be a good game.
Postseason
West Catholic will make the playoffs. When they do, they’ll inevitably face a championship contender, likely Catholic Central, who has won 5 State Championships in the past six years.