Divine Child High School Head Coach Chris Laney Named Michigan Coach Of The Year

Divine Child High School was 1 of nan champion teams successful each of Michigan precocious schoolhouse shot past year, sloppy of division. The Falcons went 13-1, playing a difficult schedule, pinch their only nonaccomplishment coming to an out-of-state team, St. Francis De Sales, 24-17 successful a roadworthy crippled down successful Toledo. 

Divine Child yet won nan MHSAA Division 4 authorities title astatine Ford Field, beating a awesome Unity Christian squad 23-22 successful a thriller. 

The Michigan High School Football Coaches Association is hosting its yearly gathering successful Mount Pleasant, and each eyes were connected nan large moment, arsenic Divine Child caput coach Chris Laney was named Coach of nan Year, an grant recognizing his outstanding activity and occurrence connected nan field.

Laney posted a humble acceptance of nan grant on X, saying, “Was honored past nighttime to person nan @michiganhsfca Coach of nan Year award. As immoderate coach knows, it was really an grant for my full staff…certainly, not conscionable me. Was honored to get a image pinch nan legend, Coach John Herrington afterwards. Go Falcons.”

Defense Wins Championships

A large logic for Divine Child's occurrence was its standout defense. The Falcons had 5 shutouts past play and averaged just 7.5 points allowed per game. Divine Child gave up a mixed 13 points successful nan first six games, proving that stopping opponents was their specialty.

In an question and reply pinch Paul Costanzo after nan authorities title win, Laney said,  "I wasn’t nan 1 that coined it, but defense wins championships, and we had a awesome defense this year. Great protect staff. The kids bought in, they really checked their egos this twelvemonth astatine nan doorway and played wrong our strategy defensively.”

Divine Child has sent galore players to nan adjacent level who person had success. The adjacent large prima could beryllium Marcello Vitti, who was a two-way standout connected nan 2025 Divine Child team. Vitti is taking his talents to Iowa to play connected Kirk Ferentz's elite defense. Vitti had a stellar authorities title game, posting 14 tackles while besides providing connected offense.

NFL Pro Bowler Aidan Hutchinson is simply a 2017 postgraduate of Divine Child. He had 14 sacks successful his elder twelvemonth astatine Michigan earlier being drafted No. 2 wide by nan Detroit Lions.

Former Divine Child halfway Dylan Senda committed to Northwestern retired of precocious schoolhouse and has since transferred to Auburn and now Toledo.