Grand Rapids West Catholic beat Negaunee in the division 6 state finals by a final score of 59-14. That 59 points by West Catholic set the record for most points in a Finals game. The previous record was 56 points which was held by Flint Powers Catholic and Saginaw Nouvel, both of which came in the 2011 season.
GR West Catholic
Timmy Kloska Best Running Back in the State?
Blasphemy. What about Cole Cabana(Dexter) or Darius Taylor(Walled Lake Western), or insert name of any running back the state has to offer this year, and with the way Timmy Kloska plays, you can put him against any of them. Kloska committed to Air Force, and he will be a good fit for that offense. Kloska is a dangerous combination of strong and fast. That combination allowed him to score 39 touchdowns on the year, which is tied for the tenth most in MHSAA history. He showed he is a beast among boys in the Finals.
Balanced Attack.
West Catholic’s balanced attack was on full display in this one as you saw them run for four and throw for three. Running back Timmy Kloska went nuclear in this one, running for 242 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries, which was a majority of the yards on the ground. Elliot Zainea added a score and 26 on a carry, and then Quarterback Bernie Varnesdeel went 5 of 10 passing for 225 yards and three touchdowns to two receivers. On the night, West Catholic ran for 295 yards and passed for 225, which means they were able to keep Negaunee on their toes.
Negaunee
The Lack of Speed and Depth did you in
Whether it was a lack of speed or just flat-out tiredness, Negaunee looked like they were out of gas following the 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open up the third quarter. That lack of speed could have come from the 8-hour bus ride they had to get to Ford Field, or it could have been because seven players started on both sides of the ball compared to just three for West Catholic. You should be back in the finals before your 20-year team reunion; the last team from Negaunee to make the State Championship was in 2002, so in either case, hold your heads high.