After Answering Call, MCC's Caughey Finds Football Lessons Pay Off in Priesthood
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
August 5, 2025
Michael Caughey was known for his brute force and ability to bully opponents as an all-state offensive lineman at Muskegon Catholic Central.
Today, 10 years after his high school graduation, suffice to say that his life has made a 180-degree turn and he’s using an entirely different skill set in his first “real world” job.
“I’m trying to help people get to heaven,” he said.
The kid that everybody called Mikey is now Father Michael Caughey, FSSP, after completing seven years of training at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Nebraska and being ordained as a Catholic priest on May 28 in Lincoln, Neb.
He returned home briefly – basically for a busy month of June, saying Mass at various stops around West Michigan – before leaving in early July and making the nearly 1,700-mile, one-way trip to El Paso, Texas, where he is now serving as one of two assistant pastors at Immaculate Conception Church in downtown El Paso.
Fr. Michael is slowly adjusting to the triple-digit heat (he calls it “Hell Paso”) and also the pressure and responsibility of serving his congregation.
He often relies on the discipline and work ethic he learned as a Crusaders football player, where he was a two-way starting lineman on back-to-back Division 8 championship teams in 2013 and 2014 – the first two of four consecutive Finals winners for MCC.
“I went through seven years of preparation in the seminary but, I tell you what, nothing can totally prepare you for being on the other side of the altar,” said Caughey, 28, who also speaks fluent Spanish.
“My football days at MCC helped get me ready for this. I learned how to stay focused and get the job done under pressure.”
Gridiron dreams
When he was a little kid, Michael dreamed of playing football for MCC, then later for Michigan State and the Detroit Lions.
His biggest role model was his dad, Shawn, who was a member of Muskegon High School’s 1986 Class A championship team, although the two had completely different body types. As a senior, Shawn was a 5-foot-11, 165-pound free safety, while Michael was a 6-1, 270-pound offensive tackle.
Michael more closely resembled his uncle, Rob Vanderleest, a fellow all-state lineman at Muskegon Catholic who went on to become a 6-4, 270-pound tight end at Michigan.
Caughey was a three-year varsity starter for the Crusaders as a two-way tackle. He made all-state in 2013 and 2014 and was a team captain his senior year.
Muskegon Catholic coach Steve Czerwon, who was in his first season leading the program in 2013, said Caughey was a “dominant drive blocker” who also caught the coaching staff’s attention off the field.
“We noticed he carried a Bible around with him,” said Czerwon. “But he was very sincere about it, and that’s just who he was. I had him in class, and I would put him in the top one percent of students I’ve ever had in intelligence.”
Caughey said one of the first times he felt a calling to do more with his faith was during the first week of Lent during his freshman year, when he made an individual confession.
It wasn’t until his junior year that he contacted the Diocese of Grand Rapids about the priesthood and gathered more information about that possible career path.
“I didn’t really go too far down that road because I had a girlfriend at the time,” Caughey said with a chuckle.
Faith over football
He had opportunities to play college football in Michigan, but he also wanted to explore his faith further, so he chose to play at Benedictine College – a small, Catholic, NAIA school in Atchison, Kan.
He redshirted his first year, then made the travel team and played in every game the following fall as a backup offensive lineman and member of the field goal unit.
But early in his redshirt sophomore year of 2017, his interest in the priesthood, which had been smoldering for about five years, was reignited after being introduced to the Latin Mass.
“All those feelings about the priesthood came back and I knew I needed to pursue them,” said Caughey, whose younger sister, Molly, will be a senior at MCC this year. “I called my parents and told them I wanted to drop out of college and enter the seminary. The calling was so strong.”
Shawn and Sharon Caughey were initially skeptical, but have come to understand that Michael’s calling to the priesthood was a great gift to their family.
“We are all better people because of Michael and his journey,” said Shawn. “We are a stronger family, and I am a much better person because of him. I know that for a fact.”
Michael spent the past seven years at the Fraternity of St. Peter House of Formation in Denton, Neb., where he not only transformed himself spiritually with intense study of Catholic theology, but also physically – dropping about 60 pounds, and even running a marathon last year.
Even though his football career was done, he was able to satisfy his competitiveness on the basketball court. Michael helped his team to five national championships against other seminaries and is proud to be the leading rebounder in the school’s history.
His time at the seminary culminated and concluded with his ordination ceremony in late May, which was attended by a large group of family and friends, including Czerwon.
Getting to the next level
Caughey admits his life has been something of a whirlwind for the past two months since his ordination day.
He is just now settling in at Immaculate Conception, where English is, essentially, his third language. He delivers all of his Masses and homilies in Latin and a high percentage of the congregation speaks Spanish.
“I just can’t believe how quickly everything happened,” he said during a recent phone interview, taking a break from his parish duties. “I was just a kid at the seminary, and now I’m saying Mass and hearing confessions. I’m responsible for people’s souls.”
While he misses home, he is thankful he was able to return to Muskegon as an ordained priest.
He said one of the best moments of his life was saying Mass on June 2 at his home parish, St. Mary’s in downtown Muskegon, followed by a reception in his honor.
The next day, he returned to his alma mater and said a Mass at Muskegon Catholic’s Nugent Auditorium. He delivered the Mass in Latin, as always, but he was “amazed at how locked in all of the kids were.”
He was then able to roam the halls of MCC for the first time as a priest, stopping to take pictures next to his all-state photo in the school’s “Hall of Fame,” and realizing that, as much as things have changed, the process to greatness remains the same.
“I remember playing tackle and telling the guard next to me, Jacob Holt, that we need to double-team the tackle and then get to the next level,” Caughey said. “The goal back then was to get our running backs into the end zone, which we did a pretty job of.
“Our goal now is to get our parishioners into heaven. The goal is just a little bigger now, I guess.”
2025 Made In Michigan
July 31: After Enjoying Pro Golf Stardom, Flynn Relishing Roles as Instructor, Sports Mom - Report
July 29: Marckel Supplies Marketing Magic to Hunter's Heisman-Winning Campaign - Report
July 28: Union City to Omaha: Skirka Takes Murray State Baseball to 1st College World Series - Report
July 22: TC West's Wheelock Still 'Living My Dreams' as CMU Assistant Soccer Coach - Report
July 17: Stevenson's Travels Following Lake Orion Success Include Space Force, Penn, NYC - Report
July 15: 'Who Will Cheer for the Nimrods?' Peterson IV, Watersmeet Found Fans Worldwide - Report
July 10: Feeding 'Drive to Win,' Loy Norrix Grad Morgan Impresses with Strong USBC Showing - Report
July 9: After Blazing Multiple Volleyball Trails, Bastianelli Charting Next Career Path - Report
PHOTOS (Top) At left, Michael Caughey rushes the quarterback in a playoff game against Mendon. At right, Father Michael Caughey, FSSP, was ordained a Catholic priest on May 28 in Lincoln, Neb. (Middle) Caughey poses in front of his all-state picture in Muskegon Catholic Central's Hall of Fame. (Below) Caughey (62) walks onto the turf at Ford Field before the 2014 Division 8 championship game as one of Muskegon Catholic Central's four captains. (MCC action photos by Tim Reilly; recent photos courtesy of Shawn Caughey.)
Bollman Cousins Making Plenty of Noise as 'Wrecking Balls' for Surging Big Rapids
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
October 9, 2025
BIG RAPIDS – On Friday nights, the Bollman boys are always in the middle of the action, bringing the muscle and the fight and the power to the Big Rapids football team.
But for the rest of the weekend, senior Jack Bollman and his first cousin, junior Max Bollman, are happiest when they are able to get away from it all at their family’s deer hunting ranch in nearby Canadian Lakes – appropriately named “The Sanctuary.”
“I just love being out there,” said Jack, a four-year starting running back for the Cardinals. “Our whole family works out there, and it’s just a great environment. It’s our second home, out in nature.”
The Bollmans haven’t spent much time at The Sanctuary lately, as they are laser-focused on what is becoming a special season for Big Rapids (6-0), which earned honorable mention in the latest Division 4 state rankings and heading into Friday’s game at Grant.
The Cardinals are known for their triple-option veer offense, operating out of the shotgun and often with four wideouts. But if the defense gets spread out too thin, the Bollmans will make it pay.
“Jack and I, we look at it as our job to bring the physicality on every play,” said Max, a 6-foot-1, 235-pound defensive end who also plays tight end, primarily in short-yardage and goal-line situations. “We want to be a problem for the other team. Other teams know that we can pass, but we can run over you, too.”
The Bollmans are part of a golden era of Big Rapids football under 11th-year coach Mike Selzer. The Cardinals – who were 7-3 in 2022, 10-2 and Regional finalists in 2023 and 9-2 last season – are hoping to take a couple more steps this fall with a senior-laden roster.
“We have so much experience this year that our practices are not learning things, but just fine-tuning and adjusting,” said Selzer, who starts 10 seniors on offense and nine on defense. “That experience makes it much easier to make adjustments on the fly during games.”
Big Rapids has overwhelmed its first six opponents, with the closest game a 19-7 win at Paw Paw in the opener. The big Central States Athletic Association Red showdown against Reed City on Sept. 26 turned into a one-sided 40-13 win.
Senior quarterback Cole Haist has completed 59-of-90 passes for 947 yards and 11 touchdowns, and rushed for 249 yards and a team-high nine touchdowns. He throws the ball to a plethora of receivers on the edge, notably seniors Trenton Mossel, Owen Craven, Kurt Wilber and Wyatt Skiera.
But when it comes to short-yardage situations, Max Bollman will check in as a tight end and often lead the way for his cousin, Jack, who is the team’s leading rusher with 56 carries for 429 yards, an average of 7.7 per carry, and six touchdowns.
Big Rapids is looking forward to a big game Week 8 at perennial Division 3 playoff team Coopersville, before pursuing its ultimate goal of a Division 4 championship.
The Cardinals appear to be on a collision course with familiar rival Ludington, which is also unbeaten and features a senior-heavy team led by senior quarterback Cam Gunsell. Big Rapids nipped Ludington, 28-21, in last year’s playoff opener.
In preparation for this postseason, Selzer is working on team-building every Tuesday to try and give his a little edge. This past Tuesday, he brought in Saginaw Valley State assistant coach Jeremy Prudhomme for some trust and team bonding exercises.
“We’ve been climbing every year, and now we want to take those final steps,” said Haist, a three-sport athlete who is in his second year as the team’s starting quarterback. “We have the talent and the ability to go farther. Now we are working on that belief to know we can do it.”
One bond that is already unbreakable is between the Bollman boys, who have grown up together and played football together since they were little kids.
The duo is especially lethal on defense, as the leaders of a group that has allowed only 33 points all season – fewer than six per game.
Max Bollman, a third-year starter as a junior who already has a Division I college offer from Central Michigan, is the leader of that unit from his edge position, with 24 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks. Jack Bollman (5-11, 215) has 14 tackles from his linebacker spot, including four for loss and one sack.
“Max is an off-the-charts kid in terms of strength, and he demands a lot of attention – but he has a motor unlike any kid I have ever coached,” said Selzer, a Wayland native who coached for 11 years at Potterville before taking the Big Rapids job in 2015.
Jonathan Losinski, a senior middle linebacker, is the team’s leading tackler with 26 stops, while Bryce Selzer and Austin Brandt both have 18 tackles.
But the emotional leaders of the Cardinals’ defense are the Bollmans, who are double trouble for every opponent.
“We have a bond, that’s for sure,” said Jack, who is hoping to play college football next year. “We want to be dangerous and blow up plays. Other teams have told us after the game that it’s unbearable to try and block us both on the same play.
“I would say we are like two giant wrecking balls out there, plowing things over.”
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS (Top) At left, Max Bollman lines up from at defensive end, while at right, Jack Bollman finds his way into the end zone against Howard City Tri County. (Middle) Junior Max Bollman (10) and his cousin, senior Jack Bollman (7). (Below) Mike Selzer is in his 11th year as head coach at Big Rapids. (Photos provided by the Big Rapids football program.)