West Bloomfield High School’s football season began the way it always does — with early morning workouts, long days in the summer heat and a group of athletes coming together for something bigger than themselves.
The grind was exhausting, but it was never just about getting stronger or faster. It was about building trust, about learning to rely on the guy next to you when it mattered most.
When the season kicked off, the Lakers faced high expectations and an unforgiving schedule. A 6-4 record doesn’t always tell the full story. There were games that tested them, moments that pushed them to their limits. But the real story wasn’t written on the scoreboard — it was written in the sweat-soaked jerseys, in the shared glances before a big play and in the quiet moments of reflection after a tough loss. Football isn’t just about winning; it’s about showing up, even when it’s hard.
Through every snap and every setback, the bonds between teammates only grew stronger. The locker room became a second home, a place where they could be themselves, where inside jokes and shared struggles wove together like threads of an old family quilt. The seniors took the younger guys under their wing, passing down lessons learned the hard way — how to keep your head up after a mistake, how to push through when your body wants to quit, how to find strength in the people around you.
And that’s what makes this team special.
Not just the talent, not just the plays, but the way they lift each other up. Some teams measure success by championships, but the Lakers know it's about more than that. It’s about the friendships that will last long after the final whistle, the lessons that will stick with them beyond high school.
This year’s seniors may be moving on, but they’ve left their mark. They’ve shown that tradition isn’t just about the past. It’s something that’s built every day.
Because at West Bloomfield, football isn’t just a sport. It’s a brotherhood.
And tradition starts here.
Kentral Myer, an eighth-grade student at West Bloomfield Middle School and a potential football prospect for next season, balances on top of a tire during practice at West Bloomfield High School in West Bloomfield, Mich. “I like to stand apart and be different from everyone else — it’s just how I make my mark,” Myer said.
West Bloomfield High School football players rest between practices during football camp at West Bloomfield High School in West Bloomfield, Mich. “I’m done with this s***,” senior offensive lineman Dwayne Broome said.
West Bloomfield wide receiver and linebacker Jaiden Allos (7) is tackled by an Oxford defender during the second quarter at West Bloomfield High School in West Bloomfield, Mich., on Friday, Oct. 10, 2024. The Lakers lost 38-14.
West Bloomfield High School players stretch before a game against Wylie E. Groves High School in Birmingham, Mich., on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
Senior quarterback Beau Jackson (8) of West Bloomfield High School naps between the bleachers before preparing for a game at West Bloomfield High School in West Bloomfield, Mich., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Reflecting on the demands of the season, Jackson said, “Week two, and it’s already exhausting. Sometimes, you just have to rest whenever you can.”
Defensive coach Leron Jones leads West Bloomfield High School players in the team’s signature “L Boyz” chant following a 42-0 victory over Chippewa Valley at West Bloomfield High School in West Bloomfield, Mich., on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. “This is just the beginning - we’re getting that ring,” Jones said.
Junior defensive back Will Espy (12) of West Bloomfield High School sits in the locker room while waiting for a teammate before a game against the Roseville Panthers at Roseville High School in Roseville, Mich., on Friday, Oct. 25, 2025. The game marked the final contest of the regular season.
Junior defensive back Kaliq Robinson (21) of West Bloomfield High School asks Kyelle Smith, a junior at Southfield A&T, to the homecoming dance following the Lakers’ homecoming game against Southfield A&T at West Bloomfield High School in West Bloomfield, Mich., on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Teammates helped plan the proposal. “Having my teammates involved made it even more special,” Robinson said. “This is a moment I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
Senior offensive lineman Nicholas Mars (80) of West Bloomfield High School recites prayers in the locker room before a first-round playoff game against the Novi Wildcats at Novi High School in Novi, Mich., on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Mars, known for his pregame ritual, prays before every game for good luck and guidance on the field.
West Bloomfield junior defensive back Kameron Flowers (14) stiff-arms an Adams defender during a game at Rochester Adams High School in Rochester Hills, Mich., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024.
Head coach Zachary Hilbers of West Bloomfield High School FaceTimes with his 1-year-old son, Zeke, and his wife, Sarah, on their anniversary while traveling to a game against Wylie E. Groves High School in Birmingham, Mich., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. “These are the sacrifices I make,” Hilbers said. “For three months, I often only see my family on the weekends because when I leave, they’re sleeping, and when I get home, they’re sleeping.”
Junior defensive back Will Espy (12) of West Bloomfield High School sits in the locker room at halftime, his jersey splattered with blood, during a game against the Clarkston Wolves at West Bloomfield High School in West Bloomfield, Mich., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. “It’s not pretty, but this is what Friday nights are about - giving everything you have for the guy next to you,” Espy said.
Senior wide receiver and linebacker Jaiden Allos (7) of West Bloomfield High School boards the offensive bus after a 28-13 loss to Birmingham Groves in Birmingham, Mich., on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. “Losses like this hurt, but they show us what we need to fix and how much harder we have to work,” Allos said.
Senior offensive lineman Nicholas Mars (80) of West Bloomfield High School wears eye black reading “KILL” before the Lakers’ homecoming game against Southfield A&T at West Bloomfield High School in West Bloomfield, Mich., on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. “I don’t think I’m that scary,” Mars said with a grin as the team prepared for the matchup.
