Flat Rock Rams: 2024 Team Preview

Flat Rock finished the 2023 season with a 9-4 overall record and a birth in the Division 5 semi-finals while finishing in an interesting 3-way tie for 3rd in the Huron League. The Rams return 13 starters including 4 on the offensive line and one of the best QB’s in southeast Michigan in Graham Junge

Starters Returning Offense/Defense

OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING (7)

Aicher, Carter- Senior OL

Arredondo, Issac- Senior OL

Booth, Drew- Senior OL

Hagan, Jacob- Senior RB

Junge, Graham- Senior QB

Percha, RJ- Senior OL

Szalay, Adam- Senior WR

DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING (6)

Burke, Aaron- Senior LB

Zirkle, Aidan- Senior DL

McKay, Owen- Senior DL

Hagan, Jacob- Senior DB

Szalay, Evan- Junior DB

Scully, Ben- Junior LB

Impact Players

1. Graham Junge, 6-1, 180, Senior, QB: (Four year starter) Graham returns to direct the offense again after another historic year where he threw for 2,419 yards & 27 TDs.  He will be the focal point of the offense both throwing and running and has many weapons to distribute the ball to. 

2. Jacob Hagan, 6-0, 180, Senior, RB/DB:  (Three year starter)  Jacob is a QB on defense from his safety position.  He was the Rams second leading tackler last year with 109 tackles.  He will be one of the main ball carriers on the offensive side this year.    

3. Adam Szalay, 6-2, 180, Senior, WR/DB: (Three year starter) Adam led a loaded receiving group in receiving yards last year with 592 yards and 7 TDs.    His pass catching ability makes him a threat every time the ball is thrown his way.  

4.  RJ Percha, 6-5, 255, Senior, OL/DL: (Three year starter) RJ has started the past 2 years at right tackle and DE.  He will switch to left tackle this year and is one of the best tackles in the area.  

5.  Andrew Booth, 6’1, 235 Senior, OL/DL: (Three year starter) Andrew will anchor the O-line and D-line.  He has started the past 2 years at left guard and is a tremendous puller.  

*This year’s five captains above have started since their sophomore year.  

KEY NEWCOMERS

Braylen Crump Junior WR/DB

Landon Dwyer Senior WR/DB

Ben Scully Junior RB/LB

Nick Sikorski  Senior LB

Caleb Rollins Senior WR/DB

Coaching Staff

-Buck Reaume, Jeff Zipfel, Jeff Booms, John Clair, Michael Blosser, Seth Kamin, Michael Zwolinski, Travis Brown, John Logan, & Joe Godfrey

OUTLOOK Offense

Several starters at the skill positions return on the offensive side of the ball.   Junge returns under center after leading the Rams to a Regional Championship last year.  He will command the offense with his dual-threat ability. Senior Jacob Hagan and junior Ben Scully will have enormous shoes to fill in the backfield with the departure of Brian Booms who holds every school rushing record.  Both saw action last year and are hard, tough runners who will carry the load in the backfield this year.  Several WRs return for the Rams including the Szalay brothers, Adam and Evan.  Seniors who will see action at WR will be Landon Dwyer, Caleb Rollins, Edward Reese, and Logan Coplen.  Juniors from last year’s JV team who will battle for time at the wideout position will be Braylen Crump, Addison Sturgill, Andrew Gillum, and David Knezovich.   The line returns four (Drew Booth, RJ Percha, Issac Arredondo, & Carter Aicher) of the five starting linemen.  They will be joined by seniors with varsity experience-  Kaden Luff & Owen McKay and James Adams.  Underclassmen vying for spots on the line are Blaine Demyon, Davion Moore, & Mario Zapata  among others.  

OUTLOOK Defense 

The Ram linebackers are led by Aaron Burke and Ben Scully who started there last year.  Logan Coplen and Nick Sikorski to fill in next to them at the linebacker position.  Speed in the secondary will be led by Jacob Hagan who is the quarterback of the defense.  Joining him in the secondary will be Dwyer, Szalay, Crump, Rollins and Sturgill.  The D-line will rotate a bevy of big men up front starting with Zirkle, McKay, Percha, Booth, Arredondo, Aicher, and Luff among others.  Newcomers who will battle it out upfront will be Sebastian Smith, Frankie White, Elijah Turner, Moore, Demyon, and Zapata. The Rams should have some depth upfront this year where they will be able to rotate guys in and out and have fresh bodies available.  

COACH’S FINAL WORD

We will need some guys to step up and fill some other key spots we lost to graduation.  We have 20 seniors on the roster this year and they are a talented group with several of them who have been playing varsity football since their sophomore year.  Our senior kicker, Mitchell Smith will play a major role in our Special Teams this year as well. The kids are excited for this season and we look forward to competing each and every week.

FNV OUTLOOK

Look for the Rams to have another outstanding season with perhaps the most talented team that Flat Rock has had in decades. The goal for the Rams has to be a league championship or bust. Replacing Brian Booms, the FNV Co-Overall Player of the Year from 2023 will be a tall task, but a solid, deep defense along with the record-setting Junge returning in 2024, should give the Ram faithful hope.