Playmakers Make Way for GRCC Repeat
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
January 23, 2021
DETROIT – Frankenmuth came into Saturday’s Division 5 Football Final with staggering defensive numbers.
The Eagles had held opponents to 6.8 points and 27 yards rushing per game, and 1.1 yards per carry. Just three opponents had scored in double digits, and Frankenmuth had won each of those games comfortably.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central was well aware of those numbers – so much so that coach Todd Kolster recited them off the top of his head after the game. But the Cougars were also aware of the playmakers they had on offense, and the opportunities they would have to make plays.
Behind a six-touchdown performance from junior quarterback Joey Silveri, Catholic Central did just that, claiming a 48-21 victory against the Eagles at Ford Field. It’s the second-straight title for the Cougars, and fourth in five years. The previous three came in Division 4.
“They are a great defense; they don’t give up a lot of rush yards,” Silveri said. “We knew going into this game that we were going to have to win our matchups one on one to make some big plays, and I was very confident in our guys.”
It was the second-straight year that Silveri accounted for six touchdowns in the Finals, as he did the same against Detroit Country Day in 2019. On Saturday, he threw for three touchdowns and ran for three more. He finished the night with 172 yards on 9 of 15 passing, and 104 yards on the ground.
“I love playing in big games,” Silveri said. “It’s what you play for; it’s a lot of fun. All the preparation we did through this week, it all paid off. When you play a defense that’s basically man-on-man coverage, they bring a lot of pressure, it leaves a lot of chances for big plays, and we took advantage of that tonight.”
Silveri and the Cougars (11-0) wasted little time spreading the field and putting their athletes in space to keep Frankenmuth’s aggressive defense off balance. He hit senior running back Nick Hollern for a 30-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage, and each of the first two drives ended with touchdown passes to the Cougars’ Division I-bound receivers – an 11-yard pass to junior tight end Nolan Ziegler (Notre Dame) and a 13-yard pass to senior receiver Jace Williams (Miami of Ohio).
The Cougars built a 28-7 lead by the half and went up 35-7 early in the third quarter.
“I thought our guys really came out aggressive, and that was the big thing for us,” Kolster said. “We knew they were a heck of a football team, they’re very physical, they play hard, so we had to be able to match that intensity and get some matchups early. We were able to do that, and we were able to continue to go.”
The hill was too high to climb for Frankenmuth (11-1), which was making its first Finals appearance. The Eagles have been a near-constant playoff presence, making it in each of the past 10 years and qualifying for seven Semifinals since 1987. This year’s group was able to take a big step, even if it wasn’t the final one.
“Today, leaving town was amazing,” Frankenmuth coach Phil Martin said. “Our community rallied around this team. It was a sendoff like no other. I want to say it was probably close to 14 miles long with people lined up showing support for this team. The community was outstanding. They stepped up and supported us for this state championship with contributions for buses and meals. It’s just been awesome.”
While Frankenmuth finally broke through this season, Grand Rapids Catholic Central has entered elite territory, with five titles since 2010 and its recent dominant stretch. With key players like Silveri and Ziegler coming back, it might not be over – although Silveri wasn’t quite ready to think beyond Saturday’s accomplishment.
“I’m just trying to enjoy tonight – enjoy the win,” he said. “We’ll worry about next season when we get there, and hopefully we’ll win another one.”
Ziegler had a pair of touchdown catches on the night, adding a 35-yarder early in the second quarter. Silveri’s rushing touchdowns came on runs of two, one and 12 yards. Hollern, who had 192 yards rushing, added a one-yard touchdown. Ziegler and Dan Mikolay each had seven tackles to lead the Catholic Central defense.
Daniel Barger, Davin Reif and Konnor Roche had touchdown runs of four, seven and four yards, respectively, for the Eagles. Cole Lindow led the team with 99 yards rushing, while Reif had 85. Ben Reinert led the Frankenmuth defense with 12 tackles, while Dalton DeBeau had eight.
Barger’s touchdown was set up by an Ashton Benkert fumble recovery, with the ball sprung loose by Ethan Jacobs. That made the score 14-7 late in the first quarter, but Catholic Central scored the game’s next 21 points to pull away.
“I can’t ask any more of our kids; they came out and fought hard,” Martin said. “We got a little behind early. Field position kind of put us in a bind, and we didn’t convert a couple first downs early, and they were able to take advantage of that field position. We made a couple pretty good adjustments at half, but it just wasn’t enough.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Joey Silveri (6) makes a move upfield as Michael Carter gives chase. (Middle) Frankenmuth quarterback Davin Reif (4) unloads a pass as GRCC’s Ryan Beggs (59) works to break free of Zach Adkins’ block. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
As Grayling Navigates Changes, Hunter Provides Reliable Impact in Return
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
September 12, 2025
Changing.
That may be the best description of the Grayling High School football team this year. Fairly big changes have already occurred, more are ahead, and at least one is already scheduled for next fall.
Grayling, off to a 1-1 start, has a new head coach – Michael Kososky, who served as an assistant for the Vikings the past 10 years, has taken over the helm. He started as a defensive backs assistant and became the defensive coordinator in his fourth year. Kososki replaced Eric Tunney, who stepped down after a 2-7 finish last year.
The latest change for the Vikings is losing junior running back Gregory Martin for the season with a neck injury. That happened during last week’s 36-6 win over Benzie Central. The game was stopped with 3:22 remaining after Martin was taken off the field by emergency medical staff. Kososky said he hopes Martin will return for track in the spring and next football season.
What didn’t change much this year is the Vikings’ schedule. They lost five games last year to playoff teams. One of those five is not on the schedule this year, but Maple City Glen Lake, another returning playoff qualifier, has been added. Grayling hopes to compete for the Northern Michigan Football League Legends title one more time, as the Vikings will be playing in the Northern Shores Conference beginning next season.
Perhaps the biggest change for the Vikings this year is senior Daniel Hunter lining up on both sides of the line of scrimmage. That was not the case last year as he battled a complication-riddled ankle injury suffered his during a basketball game as a sophomore center.
The injury, first diagnosed as an ankle sprain, kept him off the basketball court last winter as a junior.
“I ended up finishing that (2023-24) basketball season on it, and I got it checked out again because it was not getting better,” said Hunter, who plays wide receiver and defensive end. “They found out that there was a bone fracture, a talus bone.”
Even though it’s a very small bone, the talus plays a big role in one’s ability to stand and move. Injuries and damage to the talus can take longer to heal and have a higher risk of complications than those to other bones.
Doctors told Hunter he could either play on it and delay surgery or undergo an immediate procedure. Because he was advised he likely couldn’t damage it further, Hunter chose to play summer basketball and football last fall before scheduling surgery.
“I decided to play on it throughout the summer and then into my junior year of football so I wouldn't miss out,” Hunter said. “I got surgery on it after football season and sat out my junior year of basketball.”
That football season was wrought with pain for the Hunter. He played in all but one of the Vikings’ games though.
“I only ended up playing one way — I only played on offense for the season,” he said. “It was pretty tough. Game day adrenaline helped.”
Kososky vividly recalls Hunter overcoming pain to play every down he could.
“He took it as far as he could take it,” Kososky said. “He was a kid that never missed a practice. Even if he decided to sit out that day because his ankle was throbbing, he wasn't taking the day off.”
So far this season, Hunter has six receptions for 71 yards. Now moving from linebacker to defensive end, he also has one tackle for a loss, a forced fumble, two assists and one sack.
“Daniel is an impact player on both sides of the line of scrimmage,” Kososky said. “He put a little bit of size on over the spring and summer. So it suits him real well at defensive end.”
Kososky, who played football for Mio High School and Northern Michigan University, points to Hunter as a shining example of the culture he’s trying to instill in the Grayling football program.
“There are a couple staples that I brought here to Grayling, and I kind of just refocused them this being my first year,” Kososky said. “We have a mantra we talk about each and every day: DEAD. It's dedication, effort, attitude and discipline, and Daniel holds those standards.”
Kososky has significantly reduced the size of the Vikings’ playbook this season.
“The way we do one thing is the way we do everything,” he said. “Instead of running as many plays as possible, we’re focused on being really efficient and perfect at what we have in front of us.”
Grayling has a couple of significant league road games coming up, and both Kososky and Hunter are really looking forward to them. Tonight the, Vikings will take on Kingsley, and next week Traverse City St. Francis.
Kingsley is 1-1 this season, and St. Francis is 2-0. Hunter hasn’t experienced a win over either conference foe during his high school career.
“I think a win over Kingsley would feel really good because I have lost to them every time we played them,” Hunter said. “I did end up sitting out a game last year, and that was St. Francis, and I have to get that win before I graduate.”
Regardless of the outcomes against the Stags and Gladiators, Kososky will keep focused on teaching life skills.
“Wins will help put you on the map and everything like that, but what my kids learn from the program I think is more important,” said Kososky, who also teaches special education and math at Grayling. “I can go back to many seasons that that I've coached and we were 3-6 and 4-5, and I'm going to be honest, the kids out of those groups probably are more successful in life than some of the teams that have gone undefeated. It’s how successful we are after the game of football, not during the game of football.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Grayling’s Daniel Hunter wraps up a Benzie Central player during an incompletion in Week 2. (Middle) Hunter points to his team’s sideline after the play. (Photos by Mylie D’Amour.)