Nouvel Catholic Central 2006 & 2007 State Champion Football Teams
Nouvel Catholic Central’s varsity football team etched its name into the Saginaw County record book when they became the first team in county history to win back-to-back state championships since the playoff system was introduced in 1975. The Panthers, coached by Mike Boyd, ran the table to finish the 2006 season with a perfect 12-0 record – thus becoming the first undefeated state champion from Saginaw County since St. Charles achieved the feat in 1999. Nouvel topped Inkster 28-14 to win the Division 6 state title at Ford Field. The Panthers outscored its opponents 435-71, and an average of over 30 points-per-game, to go with five shutouts on the season. The regular season included victories over Traverse City St. Francis, the defending Division 7 state champion, and Monroe St. Mary’s Catholic Central, the Division 6 runner-up in 2005. NCC’s 2006 captains included Brad Sonntag, John McColgan, Nicholas Birnbaum, Nick White, Adam Maine and Zac Themm. Sonntag (quarterback) and Jordan Roe (defensive end) garnered Class C first team All-State honors from the Associated Press and Detroit Free Press and Sonntag was the AP Class C Player of the Year. Both received the Saginaw News Dream Team honors. Birnbaum (running back), White (defensive back) and Patrick Graham (linebacker) collected first team All-Area laurels from the Saginaw News with Maine (linebacker) and McColgan (linebacker) capturing second team honors. Named honorable mention were Jamie Carpp (defensive lineman), Kyle Couture (offensive lineman), Kyle Henris (defensive back), John Herzler (linebacker), Dan Hurd (offensive lineman), Tim Ryan (receiver), Kenji Shaltry (defensive back), Andy Shooltz (defensive back), Themm (offensive lineman), and Jordan Weigl (offensive lineman). Boyd was the Saginaw News Coach of the Year. In 2007, Nouvel beat Blissfield 12-7 to win its second consecutive Division 6 state championship. The Panthers finished the season with a 10-3 record and outscored its opponents 290-185. The losses came to powerful Traverse City St. Francis, Detroit Country Day and Muskegon Catholic Central (overtime). Nouvel scored 30 or more points four times and posted a pair of shutouts. The Panthers 2007 captains included Ryan Palmer, Shooltz, Nick Awrey, Andy Carpp, Hurd and David Kazmierski. Palmer (linebacker) and Shooltz (defensive back) both earned Detroit Free Press All-State honors with Palmer capturing AP first team honors as well. Hurd and Awrey both nabbed Detroit Free Press honorable mention honors and Hurd was first team All-Area from the Saginaw News. Capturing Saginaw News second team All-Area honors were James Murtha (defensive lineman) and Awrey (All Purpose). Taking home Saginaw News honorable mention honors were Kyle Baranski (running back), Andrew Carpp (defensive lineman), Josh Fallon (linebacker), Kazmierski (quarterback), Paul Lewis (defensive back), Christian Miller (running back) and Murphy Wilson (linebacker). Boyd collected his second straight Saginaw News Coach of the Year honors and was inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2019