Red Hawk Varsity football coach Gus Kapolka at last year’s game against Greenville. He has been named the coach of the week by the Detroit Lions. Photo by Kelly Alvesteffer.

The Detroit Lions have named Gus Kapolka, the Cedar Springs High School varsity football coach, the week three recipient of the 2014 Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan High School Football Coach of the Week Program.

On September 12, Kapolka led his Red Hawks to a 46-7 victory over Belding to go to 3-0 on the season. Currently in his 2nd year at Cedar Springs, Kapolka spent nine seasons as a head coach at Manistee, taking the Chippewas to three state playoff berths. He also spent four years as an assistant at Boyne City and four years as an assistant at Warren Lincoln.

This Friday, the Red Hawks go on the road to take on Grand Rapids Catholic Central at Forest Hills Northern, in what will be the MLive Grand Rapids Press Game of the Week.

In terms of student-athlete health and safety at Cedar Springs High School, all Cedar Springs coaches from varsity to the middle school are first aid, CPR, and AED certified. Student-athletes in varsity football, boys/girls soccer and wrestling are also administered baseline concussion testing through Concussion Vital Signs. This scientifically based system, as part of a medical evaluation, helps facilitate confident return-to-play decisions, while helping to protect the future of student athletes in sports, academics, and life.

Each week throughout the 2014 nine-week high school football regular season, one coach that best develops his players’ character, discipline, and football skill in addition to emphasizing player health and safety in their program, will be recognized for his commitment to the team, school, and community.

The winner is selected by a panel of high school football media members: Mick McCabe (Detroit Free Press), Hugh Bernreuter (Saginaw News), Bret Bakita (WOOD Radio-106.9 FM, ESPN 96.1 FM-Fox 17/Grand Rapids), Scott DeCamp (Mlive.com/Muskegon) and James Cook (Traverse City Record-Eagle).

Each winning coach during the regular season will receive a $2,000 donation to his school’s football program. At the conclusion of the 2014 Michigan High School Football season, the Lions will also select the High School Football Coach of the Year. This season’s Coach of the Year will receive a $4,000 donation to his school’s football program. All winners will receive a certificate signed by Lions’ head coach Jim Caldwell and National Football League (NFL) commissioner Roger Goodell, a personalized game ball as well as acknowledgement at an upcoming Lions home game.

This season’s program will award $22,000 to aid in the development and promotion of high school football in the state of Michigan, thanks to contributions from the Detroit Lions, the NFL Foundation and presenting partner, Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan.

Currently in its’ 18th year, the Detroit Lions High School Coach of the Week program has awarded $323,000 to high school football programs throughout the state of Michigan.

The Red Hawks blazed a trail to the endzone against Belding last week, even in the pouring rain. Photo from Kelly Alvesteffer.

The steady rain could not dampen the home opener for the Red Hawk varsity football team last Friday night, September 12, which honored the Cedar Springs Rocket Football and Cheerleading programs.

Collin Alvesteffer, Kaden Myers, and Anthony Topolski led the Cedar Springs Red Hawks by using a solid running game to defeat Belding 46-7.

“We got Belding on their heels and scored on our first two possessions,” Red Hawks Head Coach Gus Kapolka said. “We focused on getting off to a quick start and we were able to keep the pressure on with our no-huddle offense. We’ve been working on it since Day 1. It’s a part of our game that we want to feature, but we hadn’t gotten to yet. We still need to work on it, but the kids came out and executed really well tonight.”

The Red Hawks offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage all night while 346 rushing yards and six touchdowns were recorded in the game stats. Kaden Myers, Anthony Topolski, Zach Wamser and Isaiah MacDonald all reached the end zone for the Red Hawks.

“Our offensive line does a great job,” Kapolka said. “We have four seniors on the offensive line and have some guys that are very hungry. We played with great pad level tonight. Belding has great size, but I felt like our line controlled the line of scrimmage.”

The Red Hawks defense was able to hold back Belding throughout the entire rainy night, only allowing one score by Belding’s Connor Barker. MavRick Cotton was on fire with 14 tackles, and one was for a 4-yard loss.

“We have to continue to improve,” Kapolka said. “We had a couple coverage breakdowns this week and that will be a point of emphasis this week.”

This week the Red Hawks will travel to Forest Hills Northern to take on Grand Rapids Catholic Central at 7:00 p.m. Friday, in the M-Live Grand Rapids Press Game of the Week. Please come out and support your Red Hawks!

The Red Hawk Defense hard at work in Sparta. Photo By Kelly Alvesteffer.

Mother Nature proved to be the only thing that could slow down Coach Gus Kapolka’s Red Hawks football team on Friday night, Sept. 5, in Sparta. After a one-hour rain delay, the Red Hawk offense, led by senior Captain Zach Wamser, with two touchdowns and a solid game plan, proved to be too much for the Sparta Spartans, who managed a playoff run in the 2013 season. MavRick Cotton, Taylor VanDyke, Anthony Topolski and Connor Willits all found the end zone throughout the game, as the Red Hawks executed their strategy.

As the offense rolled and skies threatened more rain, the Red Hawk defense controlled the Spartans with a relentless stranglehold that was led by Anthony Topolski’s nine tackles and nine tackle assists, with 18 Red Hawk defenders registering at least one tackle in the stats column for the game, with five tackles for loss and two sacks being counted throughout the night, for the Cedar Springs D.

The special teams play, led by kicker Hunter Larsen, for the Red Hawks, also managed to keep the Spartans at bay, by only allowing 19 return yards, in six kick off opportunities.

The Spartans managed a touchdown late in the game, with Nick Yeck breaking free in the fourth quarter to put up six points for Sparta.

This week, the Red Hawks will host Belding at 7:00 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12. Please come out to beautiful Red Hawk stadium and support your Red Hawks!