Macomb Township

Macomb Township Chronicle: A look at local prep teams as gridiron season nears

» click to enlarge « Photo by Deb Jacques L’Anse Creuse North scrimmages Warren Fitzgerald during the preseason. The Crusaders open the season at 7 p.m. Aug. 23 at home against Warren Cousino. Photo by Deb Jacques L’Anse Creuse North scrimmages Warren Fitzgerald during the preseason. The Crusaders open the season at 7 p.m. Aug. 23 at home against Warren Cousino.

High school football season has arrived. And to help you get familiar with all the local teams, we present our annual football preview, chock full of information to review right up until the first kickoff.

Clinton Township Chippewa Valley
Last season’s record: 3-6
League: Macomb Area Conference Red Division
Returning Starters: Nine

Offensive keys:
The Big Reds will look to the pass-catch combo of junior quarterback Brendan Rohlfs and senior receiver Adrian Hulaj, who also punts, to move the ball. But coach Scott Merchant said the real key is developing his young offensive line, which features four news starters — three of whom are juniors.
Chippewa should be anxious to get on the scoreboard early in the season after being shut out in its final two games of last season.

Defensive keys:
Merchant said the Big Reds’ defense is senior laden and should be the strong point of the team.
He’ll look to a trio of senior captains at linebacker to lead the way defensively in Chuck Ahee, Joe Wright and Keyonn Whitfield.
Winning in the MAC Red requires an elite defense. Since 2000, every team that has led the league in points-against average has won at least a share of the division title.

Coach’s outlook:
“We feel we should be improved, and our goals are to contend for the MAC Red championship and to make the playoffs,” Merchant said.
Chippewa’s last MAC Red title came in 2002, the second of back-to-back years in which the Big Reds were one of three teams to share the title. Chippewa’s last time in the playoffs was 2008.

Macomb Dakota Cougars
Last season’s record: 6-4
League: Macomb Area Conference Red Division
Returning Starters: Eight

Offensive keys:
Coach Mike Giannone said a big key for Dakota’s offense is quarterback Richmon Render and “how well he can manage the game and do all the little things well.”
The Cougars averaged 23.7 points per game last year, but just 17.5 in their final four games, including a 35-point outing in their regular-season finale before being shut out by Eisenhower in the playoff opener. Dakota didn’t advance in the postseason for the first time since 2003 — a setback the squad will be looking to avoid this year.

Defensive keys:
Giannone lumped his entire defense together in saying how important that unit’s play will be throughout the season.
“We need to be consistent every week,” the coach said.
Again, the Cougars will be looking to regain their form from the first half of last season. Dakota allowed an opponent to score more than 15 points only once in the first six games — a 56-28 season-opening loss to Muskegon High. But the Cougars gave up point totals of 33, 24, 14 and 35 in their final four games of the year.

Coach’s outlook:
“I really like the kids we have on our team this year,” Giannone said. “They have worked really hard in the offseason to prepare themselves for a good year.”
Dakota has won at least nine games every season from 2004 to 2010. The Cougars are eager to return to the level that has made the program synonymous with success as this season gets under way.

Macomb L’Anse Creuse North Crusaders
Last season’s record: 0-9
League: Macomb Area Conference Blue Division
Returning Starters: 12

Offensive keys:
New coach Anthony Kiner said the Crusaders’ strength on offense is their athletic ability.
“We have a lot of great athletes,” he said.
He highlighted wide receivers David Bercel-Dicker and Tyler Conklin as examples.
The coach noted that North needs its offensive line to come together as a new scheme is introduced.

Defensive keys:
On the other side of the ball, Kiner will look to his defensive line to lead the way, specifically Lamonte Baker, who the coach called the line’s “anchor.” The coach added that Baker will be surrounded by some younger players with good potential at defensive end.
Kiner said his secondary is solid, but the Crusaders need their linebackers to step up and make plays.

Coach’s outlook:
“We’re really looking to compete every day, every game,” Kiner said. “We have really good potential. It depends on how much work we do. It’s going to be an interesting season. Hopefully, good things to come.”
Kiner also mentioned he’s looking to “change the culture” of the football program at North. He’s hoping to get some help from some athletes who’ve helped other programs at North achieve success. Bercel-Dicker and Conklin were members of last season’s state semifinalist boys basketball team, while Baker wrestled at the state finals.

Utica Eisenhower Eagles
Last season’s record: 11-2
League: Macomb Area Conference Red Division
Returning Starters: 16

Offensive keys:
Despite Bob Lantzy not patrolling the Eagles’ sidelines for the first time in the program’s history, there won’t be a ton of changes at Ike. New coach Chris Smith takes over, but he’s been with the program for the past 15 years as the defensive coordinator. He’ll look to veteran quarterback Joe Zerafa, a senior entering his third year as Ike’s signal-caller, to lead the offense. Smith added that the offensive line is strong, but some playmakers will have to step up after the departure of a few key players from last season’s state semifinalist team.

Defensive keys:
Like on offense, a big concern of the Eagles on defense will be who steps up to make plays, especially in the secondary and at linebacker.
Smith noted that the team has “a lot of depth,” owing partly to a very good JV team last year.
Ike’s defense allowed just 9.2 points per game last year, the best mark amongst team’s playing in the MAC’s top five divisions.

Coach’s outlook:
“There’s high expectations, but that’s not a problem,” Smith said. “We look forward to the challenge of playing in the MAC Red. Every kid is excited.”
While Smith admitted “it’s strange” not having coach Lantzy around, the staff is full of veteran coaches who have been at Ike “a long time,” something that has helped make his and the program’s transition of head coaches easier. He said there wouldn’t be many changes at the MAC powerhouse.
“It’s been successful for 40 years. The things that he did, I learned under,” Smith said. “There may be a few tweaks here and there, but no major changes to the things that we do.”

Warren De La Salle Pilots
Last season’s record: 9-3
League: Catholic High School League Central Division
Returning starters: 14

Offensive keys:
Depth will be key for a De La Salle team that has made the Michigan High School Athletic Association state playoffs nine of the last 11 years.
Coach Paul Verska projects he’ll have a roster of 65 players, including nine returning offensive starters and eight others who have the potential to make an impact on that side of the ball.
The Pilots will run multiple offensive sets, according to Verska, and will be led by quarterback Shane Morris, a 2013 University of Michigan commit.
Verska also expects key contributions from running back Josh Cox (a Central Michigan University commit), wide receivers Cordell Crosby, Brent Morris and Mario Agosta, and offensive linemen Andrew DiFranco, Kyle Anderson and Chris Desrosiers.
De La Salle averaged 25.5 points per game last season — 31.7 in wins.

Defensive keys:
The Pilots will run a version of the 4-3 defense, designed to adjust to every offensive formation and defend the run or pass.
Five starters return to anchor the unit, and Verska has tapped four others who can make an impact on the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive players to watch include linebackers Jordan Avgousti, Allan Jefferson, Joe Fisher and Sam Badalamenti. Cox, who plays in the defensive backfield, is expected to contribute, as well.
De La Salle’s defense allowed 17.8 points per game last season.

Coach’s outlook:
“We went 9-3 last year, and I think we should be improved in 2012. We have a great senior class and return nine starters on offense and five on defense.”

Macomb Lutheran North Mustangs
Last season’s record: 4-5
League: Catholic High School League AA Division
Returning Starters: 12

Offensive keys:
New coach Ryan Wesley expects “really good line play” from the Mustangs’ front five and tight ends.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to grind the ball down the field,” the coach said. “We need them to be our strength. We’re ready to pass at any time, but our goal is that our running game will wear teams out.”
North has an experienced quarterback in junior Will Kruse, who enters his third year with the varsity. His weapons include a “strong, fast” running back in junior Trevor Mason and a “quick, athletic” receiving corps led by junior Jonathan Taykowski.

Defensive keys:
Wesley said the key on defense is matching up physically with their opponents week in and week out.
Leading the way on this side of the ball is another player entering his third year on varsity in senior strong safety David Craig. Junior Vince Petitta joins Craig in the secondary, where they’re expected to do “great things.” In front of them are a trio of linebackers in Trevor Mason, Seth Majeski and Jonah Taykowski. Wesley described the group as being “aggressive at getting to the football.”

Coaches outlook:
“Enthusiasm is high right now, and we hope that continues through adversity,” Wesley said during the preseason. “Our playbook is completely in after two days of practice, and even though we’ll do some tweaks here and there, we’ve got everything we need except competition. I think the kids are hungry and ready to go.”