TROY CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY PREVIEW: Defenders shooting for tops of the CFLM
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
TROY — Troy Christian Leadership Academy made an abrupt turnaround in 2011. The Defenders had their best football season to date by a long shot.
Troy finished the season 9-2 overall and had the second-best record in the Christian Football League of Michigan, going 5-1 in conference games.
“We came a long ways last season,” recalled Chris Vitale, a former assistant coach at St. Clair Shores South Lake, Sterling Heights Parkway Christian and Warren DeLaSalle who took over last season.
Troy went from being outscored 179-84 in 2010 to outscoring the opposition 306-148 overall in 11 games last season. That’s a 222-point improvement in one season and one of many program records the Defenders set last autumn.
The Defenders lost only two games last season. One came against North Baltimore (Ohio), a Class C-sized school in northwestern Ohio and another to Lansing Capital CHAP, which has posted back-to-back seasons in the CFLM.
LEADING THE WAY: Troy Christian Leadership Academy senior Emmanuel Swiggins should be the featured running back for the Defenders this season. File Photo | Dan Stickradt
The .818 winning percentage recorded last season was by far the most in program history. The Defenders were 4-4 in their debut season in 2008, then finished 2-7 in 2009 and 2-6 in 2010.
They also were ranked nationally on a poll of home-schooled and alternative school programs last season.
“I came in last season and saw we had a lot of potential. Everything just kind of clicked,” said Vitale. “To go from two wins to nine wins is a nice turnaround.”
This is the fifth season of the Christian Football League of Michigan. The league is comprised of players from small Christian schools, special education schools, alternative schools, home-schooled athletes and at-risk athletes that are not eligible at traditional MHSAA-member schools. The league does not hold a postseason playoff system.
This will be the first season of two divisions with many first- and second-year programs on board and the league has expanded into northern Ohio and northern Indiana. The Defenders will be in the Metro Division while teams from the western and northern portions of Michigan will be placed in the Lakes Division.
As of early August, administration forecasted between 16-18 teams in Michigan and northern Ohio and Indiana, which would be nearly double the size of the previous four campaigns of the league. Nine teams began the 2011 season, although one squad didn’t finish the campaign due to low numbers and coaching commitments.
With most of their team back, the Defenders are expected to contend for the Metro Division title. Troy had 26 players registered with the team and the roster is still open for additions.
While many of the team’s key players will line up on both sides of the football, that didn’t seem to be a problem last year when the Troy ventured through its breakthrough campaign.
After becoming the No. 1 quarterback last season, senior Maclane Essian (5-10, 170) is back after setting multiple program records last season. Sophomore brother Montana Essian (5-11, 170) should inherit more of prominent role as a receiver or tight end.
Senior Emmanuel Swiggins (6-0, 200) is the featured back this season and he’ll have plenty of running room with pile movers Josh Traylor (6-0, 200), Nathan Klarr (6-0,200), Deonote Moore (6-2, 280) and Mike Kray (6-1, 220) back in the trenches. All four are seniors.
On the defensive side, Swiggins and Kray lead the linebackers corps. Moore, Traylor, Klarr and Kray will all play on the line and the Essian brothers will anchor the secondary.
The Defenders also welcome Hamtramck transfer Cortez Tipton (6-3, 210), who will be a two-way starting lineman. Tipton’s older siblings both play college football after staring at Parkway Christian in the past few years and is also starting to gain some college exposure himself.
Tipton is one of several newcomers that hope to make an impact this season.
“We have some nice looking athletes. I have to wait and see what they can do out on the field,” said Vitale. “We lost 4-5 kids that were good players for us. We have some shoes to fill.”
Still, the Defenders open the season with higher expectations than their previous four seasons.
“Based on what we did last year, I think we have a shot of being one of the better teams in our league,” continued Vitale. “It’s sometimes hard to predict. With two divisions this season and some new teams, plus with other teams picking up new players, it’s not always easy to tell. I don’t think anyone thought we’d have the kind of year we did last season.”
NOTE: If you are a home-school athlete in the area, attend a non-MHSAA member school such as an alternative or small parochial school, will be entering grades 9-12, and are interested in playing high school football, please contact Troy Defenders head coach Chris Vitale via email at coachvpceagles@aol.com.
Troy Defenders
HEAD COACH: Chris Vitale, second season (9-2).
2011 RECORD: 9-2, 5-1 CFLM (tied-second).
NICKNAME: Defenders
OFFENSE: Multiple
DEFENSE: 4-4
RETURNING STARTERS: Maclane Essian, sr. QB-DB (5-10, 170); Montana Essian, soph. WR-TE-DB (5-11, 170); Nathan Klarr, sr. OL-DL (6-0, 200); Josh Traylor, sr. OL-DL (6-0, 200); Deonte Moore, sr. DT-OT (6-2, 280); Emmanuel Swiggins, sr. RB-LB (6-0, 200); Mike Kray, sr. C-LB (6-1, 220).
KEY PROSPECTS: Cortez Tipton, jr. OL-DL (6-3, 210).
NOTABLES: One of the charter members of the CFLM, the Defenders were the league’s most improved team in 2011, winning more games last season (9) than the combined win total from its first three seasons (8). There were 26 players and counting in the preseason training with the team, similar numbers to last season. Could this squad win the newly formed Metro Division title of the CFLM this season? This is a senior- and junior-laden team with plenty of experience with size, speed and athleticism.
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