GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Since he was hired last May, Davenport head football coach Lou Esposito and his offensive coordinator, Steve Casula, have worked tirelessly laying down the bricks of the newly-created program. On Saturday during the women's basketball game against UM-Dearborn at the Student Center, the two coaches brought together the 32 student-athletes who have committed to play for the Panthers in the inaugural season in 2016.
 
"This is a good time for Steve and I to introduce these young men who have agreed to become Panthers. We have watched them play this season and they fit perfectly into our coaching philosophy," Esposito said in a statement. "These incoming student-athletes understand the path we are taking and are looking forward to the challenges that will come to starting a new program.
 
"Our work is not done yet," Esposito added. "We still need to keep building the foundation of the program so we can be ready for not only 2016, but for next fall. I am pleased, though, with the progress we are making."
 
All incoming student-athletes will be redshirted during the 2015-16 academic year and will have all four years of eligibility available when Davenport takes the field in the fall of 2016. In the meantime, Esposito said he plans on doing workouts and drills along with scheduling a couple of intrasquad games for his squad in August and September.
 
Below are the following incoming student-athletes who have agreed to play at Davenport:
 
Alex Bos – Grand Rapids Christian High School – Tight End
As a tight end and slot receiver at Grand Rapids Christian, Bos was the team captain of the Eagles as a senior and was also named All-OK White Conference.
 
Blake Bockheim – Northview High School – Tight End
Bockheim, a 6-foot-5, 230 tight end, was selected to the second-team All-Area during his career with Northview.
 
Caden Burrows – Cedar Springs High School – Center
As a junior, Burrows was named All-OK Bronze along with earing an athletic letter and being named to the Advance All-Area honorable mention. In his senior season, he led Cedar Springs to the OK Bronze Championship along with being named all-conference, Advance All-Area and was on the Division 3 AP All-State honorable mention team.
 
Devin Butler – Zeeland East – Defensive Back/Wide Receiver
Butler, who at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, is a two-time All-OK Black Conference selection while playing for Zeeland East.
 
Nate Couturier – Allendale High School – Wide Receiver
Courtier was named All-State honorable mention with Allendale three times as well as having earned All-Area, the Grand Rapids Dream Team and the All-OK Blue.
 
Mason Dekker – West Ottawa High School – Linebacker
As a linebacker for West Ottawa he compiled a total of 291 tackles in his career, along with being named both All-OK Red and the Holland Sentinel All-Area team the last three seasons.
 
Keenan Erb – Vicksburg High School – Kicker
Erb was selected to the All-Wolverine B first team as a senior and an honorable mention as a junior. In addition to his final year with Vicksburg, Erb made the Kalamazoo Dream Team and was named to the Detroit Free Press All-State first team.
 
Jawan Gaines – Fremd High School – Wide Receiver/Cornerback
In his career at Fremd High School in Palatine, Ill., Gaines was named All-Mid-Suburban West Conference and to the All-Area honorable mention team.
 
Jacob Geter – Plainwell High School – Running Back
Geter was named all-county and All-Wolverine B Conference team for two seasons with Plainwell. Among accomplishments on the field, he broke the school's single-game record for touchdowns with six as well as tied the single-season record with 26 in that category. He also set the conference and school record for rushing yards in a season with 1,923. Geter was named to the MLive Top Ten Players of the Year list along with being named the Kalamazoo Gazette Player of the Year.
 
Parker Hall – Forest Hills Northern – Wide Receiver
Hall is a two-sport athlete for Forest Hills Northern, having lettered in both football and track. With the football program he was an All-OK Bronze selection at wide receiver and he was named All-State and regional champion in the high jump.
 
Josh Hart – Zeeland East High School – Strong Safety/Wide Receiver
Hart was a two-way performer for Zeeland East, having played both safety and wide receiver. The Chix clinched a playoff berth in both Hart's sophomore and junior seasons. The 6-foot-3, 205 pounder was second on the team in receiving and tackles.
 
Andrew Homik – Grand Rapids Northview – Running Back
At 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, Homik is an All-OK Bronze selection with Grand Rapids Northview.
 
Michael Ivy – East Kentwood High School – Running Back
Ivy was named All-OK Red Conference along with being named to the All-Area Dream Team. He was selected to the first-team All-State and was named the Grand Rapids Press Player of the Year as he helped the Falcons to an 11-2 record this season.
 
Kaden Kempker – Hudsonville High School – Wide Receiver/Cornerback
Kempker helped Hudsonville win the last two district titles while compiling for 390 receiving yards, 69 total tackles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries along with averaging 27 yards per kick return and 14 yards per punt return.
 
Michael Johnston – East Grand Rapids High School – Linebacker/Fullback
Johnston East Grand Rapids' leader in tackles in both his junior and senior seasons along with being named team captain. He was named first-team All-OK White along with being named to the Advance All-Area East Football Team. MLive named him to the Grand Rapids second-team Dream Team and was placed on the honorable mention All-State in Divisions 3 and 4, along with being named to the Detroit Free Press first-team All-State in Division 3.
 
Dalton Ketelaar – Vicksburg High School – Quarterback/Athlete
Ketelaar led Vicksburg to the second round of the MHSAA state playoffs along with setting a school record for scoring the most points. He was named the MLive Player of the Week along with making the Kalamazoo Dream Team this past season.
 
Aaron Klang – Plainwell High School – Linebacker
Klang, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound incoming freshman, was named All-Wolverine Conference and All-County along with being named to the Kalamazoo Dream Team this past season.
 
David Lange – Forest Hills Northern High School – Guard
Lange was named first-team All-OK Bronze his senior season and helped Forest Hills Northern to 7-2 record and finished second. He helped Forest Hills' offense set a new record for points scored and yards gained in a season.
 
Mason Opple – Hudsonville – Quarterback
Opple has been earning varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball for Hudsonville High. He captained the football and baseball teams the last two years and basketball for one. During his football career, Opple was an All-OK Red Conference and an all-area west team selection the last two years. The Grand Rapids Press also selected him to the second-team dream team as a senior.
 
Trevor Raby – Zeeland West High School – Tight End/Defensive End
Raby was named All-State and was named to MLive's Grand Rapids Dream Team. He was also selected to the All-OK Green Conference and was named the All-Area Player of the Year by the Holland Sentinel.
 
Austin Rohr – Plainwell High School – Free Safety
Rohr follows his teammates Klang and Geter to Davenport after playing free safety for Plainwell. He was named first-team All-Wolverine B Conference in both his junior and senior seasons along with being tabbed all-county as senior and being team captain.
 
Smith Saenbouttarath – Zeeland West High School – Offensive Tackle/Defensive Tackle
Saenbouttarath was named to the MLive Grand Rapids Dream Team and All-State honorable mention. In addition, he was an All-OK Green and all-area selection.
 
Dakota Scholten – Grant High School – Tight End
Scholten was named second-team All-CSAA Gold for both offense and defense his junior year along with being named second-team all-area.
 
Chase Snyder – East Kentwood High School – H-Back/Linebacker
Snyder helped the Falcons to an 11-2 record this season en route to winning the OK Red Conference Championship this season and a berth into the MHSAA state playoffs.
 
Jetari Tatum – Northview High School – Linebacker
Tatum was named All-OK Bronze honorable mention as he helped his team to a state playoff appearance in the MHSAA.
 
Nick Trolian – Lincoln Way West High School – Defensive Line/Linebacker
Trolian was named Lincoln Way West's captain his senior season and led the team with 68 tackles, 13.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles. He was named second-team All-State, the South Suburban Red Conference's Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Hunter Van – Vicksburg High School – Wide Receiver/Defensive Back
At 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, Van was a first-team All-Wolverine B selection and had won the school's Captain's Award. The South County News also named him Player of the Month once.
 
Daniel Walker – Flint Southwestern Academy – Quarterback
Walker holds the Flint Southwestern Academy record for all-purpose yards in a game (542) and is an All-State honorable mention. He was selected to the All-Saginaw Valley League first and second teams and is a three-time all-city first team.
 
Logan Wilcox – Lowell High School – Defensive Tackle
He helped is team to an OK White Conference Championship and led his team to an 11-2 record on the season. Wilcox was named All-Conference his senior season along with being part of the wrestling state championship team as a junior.
 
Luke Wilkerson – Forest Hills Eastern – Quarterback
Wilkerson, a two-time All-OK Bronze Conference selection, has been the starting quarterback for Forest Hills Eastern all three years and has served as the team's captain the last two. Outside playing for the Hawks, Wilkerson reached the final four of the Ferris State 7-on-7 Tournament and the semifinal in the Notre Dame 7-on-7 Tournament.
 
Victor Williams – East Grand Rapids High School – Defensive Tackle
Williams was Davenport football's first ever commit. The East Grand Rapids product helped lead his team to a state playoff appearance in the MHSAA state tournament and the team posted a 6-4 record and finished in third in the OK White Conference.
 
Jake Zola – Lincoln Way West High School – Guard
Zola was named second-team All-South Suburban Red Conference in Illinois and followed with a first team honor his senior season.
 
Football Contact: Rick Hoskin | 616-871-6180 | rhoskin@davenport.edu
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