The Grand Rapids Catholic football team put a bow on the 2020 high school football season with a state championship after eight months and several stoppages.
The Cougars scored early and often on the way to a 48-21 win over Frankenmuth in the division five final at Ford Field to claim their second straight state championship.
The Cougars get it done in Division 5! pic.twitter.com/cXgLwShom4
— FOX 17 Blitz (@FOX17Blitz) January 24, 2021
Junior quarterback Joey Silveri threw three touchdown passes and ran for three more scores, he completed 9 of 15 through the air for 172 yards.
"It's special considering what a crazy year it has been," Silveri said. These seniors I have played with for three years in a row now so it has been a long time and it has been a long season, eight months, only ten games, not a lot of opportunities but we had to be ready and make the most of it."
Junior safety Nolan Ziegler played as large an offense role as he has at any time this season catching TD passes of 11 and 35 yards.
"I love these dudes," Ziegler said. "I was very emotional seeing these guys coming back, all this time, these eight months we have spent together practicing everyday you just build such close relationships with them."
Senior running back Nick Hollern ran the ball 26 times for 192 yards and a touchdown.
Senior wide receiver Jace Williams added two catches for 55 yards and a touchdown to finish with a state record 49 for his career.
"It feels great we have been grinding for eight months with my boys," Williams said. "We finally got the job done, had a great season it is kind of sad that it's over but ended it out the right way."
Catholic Central head coach Todd Kolster wins his fifth state championship in nine years leading the Cougars program. He is now the leader for active high school coaches in the FOX 17 viewing area.
"The workouts, the competitive drive, the consistency with it, the expectations, the standard," Kolster said about his 2020 team. "All those things are great but obviously how things have unraveled this year is really, really special."
