TROY CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY PREVIEW: Defenders hope for better success in fourth season

LOOKING FOR OPTIONS: Troy Christian Leadership Academy's Mitchell Essian is a fourth-year starter for the Defenders and will shift to the running back slot this season. File Photo | Dan Stickradt

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

TROY — As Chris Vitale watches his troops go through drills during football practice, the first-year head coach notices many things. There is a large disparity between several of his players.

Some are very well-advanced and some are just on the learning curve.

The most important thread, collectively, is that these student-athletes are playing high school football.

This is the fourth year for the football programs in the Christian Football League of Michigan and Vitale took over the program at Troy Christian Leadership Academy, which encompasses students at the small, independent Christian high school in Troy and home-schooled athletes around the Detroit area.

“A lot of these kids wouldn’t be playing otherwise,” said Vitale, who spent the past two years as an assistant coach at Class B St. Clair Shores South Lake. “Some of them their football IQ isn’t very high. Some of them have been playing for a while now and have a good understanding of the game. Others are just beginning. It’s just a good thing that these kids have an opportunity to play.”

There have been between six and nine programs in each year of the CFLM. The teams play a traditional nine-game schedule against each other or small-school or home-school teams from Indiana, Illinois or Ohio. In football-only, these teams cannot play MHSAA varsity squads due to playoff points.

Currently there are 20 players on the roster for the Defenders, who open Saturday against Flint Genesee County Home School at Whitmore Lake High School. There is hope for some late arrivals.

“We hope to bring 5-6 more kids. But it’s a lot different because these kids have to drive a ways,” said Vitale. “We’re not gathering at the field outside of our school like most schools.”

The Defenders actually practice at Five Points Baptist Church in Auburn Hills adjacent to Oakland University and play games on the road. The program is trying to work out some Saturday home games at various area high schools with turf fields through rental agreements.

Regardless of where they end up playing games, which are either on Friday or Saturdays, the Defenders hope to improve upon their 3-6 ledger from a year ago. The program has landed two players into the collegiate ranks, including one a the NCAA Division II and another at a Division III school and has several quality athletes this season that hope to take the program to its first winning season.

Senior Mitchell Essian (5-10, 175) is a fourth-year starter who shift from quarterback to running back and will also play linebacker. McLane Essian (5-10, 170), a junior, moved over to the QB position midway through last season and will be the starter this season.

Freshman Montana Essian (5-9, 160), the third brother on the team, will play some wide receiver. Senior Cortez Saine (5-10, 160), who played previously at Detroit Finney, is a lightning quick athlete who will play some running back and defensive back in the secondary, while senior Caleb Kaiser (5-10, 185) is another sure-handed receiver.

Senior Joe Schuster (6-2, 200) is a quality two-way lineman playing defensive end and tackle, and is joined on both sides by Deonte Moore (6-2, 280), who brings in a wide-body to the trenches. Junior Mike Kray (6-1, 220) will start at center.

Chris Vitale

“We’ll know a lot more after our first game,” said Vitale of what the best fits are for each player. “We have a couple of very good athletes and these kids are (eager). They want to learn.”

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Tags: Christian Football League of Michigan, high school football, prep football, Troy Christian Leadership AcademyDefenders Football 2011, Troy Defenders Football

Category: High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps, Troy Christian Leadership Acadamy