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MICHIGAN INDEPENDENT ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TEAM CAPSULES

Dan Stickradt | August 16, 2012 | Comments (0)

PREP FOOTBALL 2012

MICHIGAN INDEPENDENT ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

TEAM CAPSULES

Team capsules compiled by Dan Stickradt. He can be reached by email at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. Follow on Twitter @LocalSportsFans

Auburn Hills Oakland Christian

HEAD COACH: Bill Schaeffer, second season (2-7 at Oakland Christian).

ASSISTANT COACHES: Rusty Mandle, Brian Hoffman, Joe Whitt, Jeremiah Nichols, Andrew Kern, Chris Lewis, Nick Quinn

2011 RECORD: 2-7, 1-5 MIAC (sixth place); did not qualify.

NICKNAME: Lancers

POSTSEASON APPEARANCES: None

OFFENSE: Veer

DEFENSE: 4-3

RETURNING STARTERS: Josh Rupright, sr. DL-OL (6-0, 185); Stephen Nichols, soph. WR-QB (6-5, 230); Bobby Roose, jr. OL-DL (6-1, 285); Javarian Smith, soph. QB-DB(5-10, 175); Preston Lasala, jr. WR (6-5, 215); Chase Sumner, jr. WR (6-4, 200); Cody Marazita, jr. RB (5-8, 170).

KEY PROSPECTS: Ryan Kostich, fr. WR-DB (5-10, 175); Chris Polite, sr. K-P-WR (6-0, 165).

NOTABLES: This is the fifth year of football for Oakland Christian and second with Schaeffer in charge, a veteran who has coached prep football in Michigan since 1972. The Lancers have their most experience and talent yet and are hoping to climb above the five hundred mark for the first time. There are three Lancers currently on the college radar and this team is improved in all areas. Could this be a sleeper team in the six-team MIAC this season? The numbers are up to over 20 players and all indications point to Oakland Christian being one of the region’s most improved teams.

Grosse Pointe Woods University-Liggett

HEAD COACH: Lou Ray, second season (9-1).

ASSISTANT COACHES: Tom McCarren, John Folwer, Rod Sanders, Dan Banka, Sean Moran.

2011 RECORD: 9-1, 6-0 MIAC (first); lost in Division 7 pre-district to Royal Oak Shrine Catholic (49-7).

NICKNAME: Knights

POSTSEASON APPEARANCES: 6, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2011.

RETURNING STARTERS: Nate Gaggin, sr. QB; Charles Jones, soph. RB; Jake Smith, soph. FB; Joe Manniacci, sr. CT; Josh Dickens, jr. OG; Antonio Malkoun, jr. OT/DT; Antoine Crews, sr. OG; Nicky Kassab, jr. OT-DT; Kavaughn Jackson, sr. WR; Drew Jerome, sr. WR; Dan Baird, sr. TE-LB.

KEY PROSPECTS: Several unproven players hoping to break into lineup.

NOTABLES: Anyone following this program knows that they Knights have gone from the doghouse to the penthouse in just a few shorts years. Liggett finished 1-8 in 2004 and 0-9 in 2005, before cancelling their program early in the 2006 and 2007 seasons due to low numbers. In 2008, there wasn’t even a varsity football program at the school. In 2009, the Knights resurfaced with a 2-7 record, jumped to 6-4 in 2010 that included a postseason berth and finished 9-1 last autumn. There are 11 players returning that started games this season, which is why the Knights are picked to win the MIAC for the second straight season.

Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest

HEAD COACH: Don Justice, ninth season at Northwest (54-60); 18^th overall.

ASSISTANT COACHES: Mario Borrocci, Nate Myers, Harold Macks, Glenn Martin, Todd Strahan, Tom Meissner, David Krzewski, John Quigley

2011 RECORD: 4-5, 3-2 MIAC (tied-third).

NICKNAME: Crusaders

POSTSEASON APPEARANCES: 5, 1999, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010.

OFFENSE: Spread

DEFENSE: 4-4

RETURNING STARTERS: Nathan Drews, sr. QB-DB-K-P (6-1, 195); Josh Morrison, sr. WR-DB-KR; (6-0, 175); Ben Agosta, sr. RB-OLB (5-10, 160); Ian Wellhousen, sr. WR-DB (6-0, 185); Matt Mischley, sr. WR-OLB (6-1, 175); Greg Maynard, sr. OT-DE (6-3, 195); Nick Raby, jr. OT-DT (6-0, 230); Josh Macks, sr. RB-LB (6-1, 210); Justin Novack, sr. WR-DB (5-9, 165); Zach Woomer, sr. WR-DE (6-2, 180); Evan Carter, sr. LB-OL (6-1, 210).

KEY PROSPECTS: Jake Klausmeier, jr. LB-OL (6-2, 215); Drake Uplinger, jr. G-DT (5-11, 210).

NOTABLES: Inexperience and injuries hurt Northwest last season, snapping its chance of a fourth straight postseason berth. With 11 players back that started at least on one side of the football and in many cases both sides, this is a very experienced team and one that could give defending MIAC champ University-Liggett fits in the conference race and make a run at the postseason. Quarterback Nathan Drews may be the best player in the MIAC and is on course to break multiple school records.

Southfield Christian

HEAD COACH: Larry Weiss, first season.

ASSISTANT COACHES: Craig Schoon, Kirk Orr, Dante Garland, Ken Sanders, James Brasswell.

2011 RECORD: 2-7, 2-4 MIAC (fifth); did not qualify.

NICKNAME: Eagles

POSTSEASON APPEARANCES: 1, 2008

OFFENSE: Spread, Veer

DEFENSE: 4-3 or 3-5

RETURNING STARTERS: Jason Fusco, sr. LB (5-10, 215); Justin Pritchett, sr. RB (5-10, 205); Harding Fears, jr. WR (6-3, 195); Eion Donnelly, sr. DE-OL (6-2, 210).

KEY PROSPECTS: Bobby Banks, soph. RB (5-10, 175); Jonathan Springer, jr. QB (5-11, 180); Matt Taylor, jr. OG-DE (5-9, 190); Ryan Hanson, soph. K-P (5-10, 150).

NOTABLES: This is the seventh year of Southfield Christian football and the fifth head coach in that span. There has been a turn style of head and assistant coaches in this program, which has hurt its overall growth, Weiss was an assistant last season and hopes to have this team make an easy transition. The Eagles only have one college prospect on their roster this season and numbers are up 26 players. Will that translate into more wins in a much-improved league?

Sterling Heights Parkway Christian

HEAD COACH: Todd Francis, fourth season (19-10)

ASSISTANT COACHES: Mark Rudzinski, Matt Duynslager, Jim Sinsel, Brian Gladki

2011 RECORD: 5-4, 3-2 MIAC (tied-second); did not qualify.

NICKNAME: Eagles

POSTSEASON APPEARANCES: 5, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.

OFFENSE: Spread Option

DEFENSE: 4-2-5

RETURNING STARTERS: Noah Allen, jr. QB-DB (5-10, 140); Phil Lapinski, jr. TE-LB (6-2, 215); Jonny Kocik, sr. WR-DB (5-10, 150); PJ Dysarczyk, sr. C-LB (5-10, 220).

KEY PROSPECTS: Roger Narlock, jr. OL-DL (5-10, 250); Jake Schwartz, sr. K-P (6-0, 170).

NOTABLES: There are five starters back on both sides of the football and plenty of optimism. Could this team be the one that steps up and challenges University-Liggett for the league crown or will this be another middle-of-the-pack finish. Numbers could be an issue as only 15 players have trained with the team during the first two weeks.

Westland Lutheran

HEAD COACH: Paul Guse

ASSISTANT COACHES:

2011 RECORD: 6-4, 3-2 MIAC (tied-third); Lost in Division 8 pre-districts to Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech (46-14).

NICKNAME: Warriors

POSTSEASON APPEARANCES: 1, 2011.

OFFENSE:

DEFENSE:

RETURNING STARTERS:

KEY PROSPECTS:

NOTABLES: Since first launching its football program in 1986, the Warriors finally broke through with their first postseason appearance in 2011. Westland is one of many teams in the MIAC, now with six football teams, that is eying a playoff berth this season as talent around the league tends to be up from last season.

Team capsules compiled by Dan Stickradt. He can be reached by email at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. Follow on Twitter @LocalSportsFans