By Nate Thompson
LocalSportsJournal.com
NORTON SHORES – There’s an old cliche used by coaches when an injury or unfortunate situation takes a star player out the lineup:
Next man up.
Most of the time, it’s wishful thinking that someone else can step up and fill the shoes of the standout. But occasionally those players-in-waiting seize the opportunity and becomes stars in their own right.
Mona Shores senior James Gilbert is one of those rare players, in football and basketball.
When the Sailors’ standout senior Damari Roberson suffered a second season-ending torn ACL injury during summer football drills, it elevated Gilbert to No. 1 receiver, and made him a crucial member of the defensive secondary.
He didn’t disappoint.
“Coach (Matt Koziak) said I gotta be the guy,” Gilbert recalled. “I’d have to put everything into it and not take any plays off or take it easy during practice.”
The quarterback-receiver duo of Caden Broersma and Gilbert worked wonders together throughout the football season. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Gilbert hauled in 61 catches for 1,466 yards and 15 touchdowns in an eye-popping, All-State season. The total receiving yards set a single-season school record at Mona shores.
He also excelled in the secondary as a defensive back, helping the Sailors post a great season that extended all the way to the Division 2 state finals.
“I was pretty fortunate to have Caden at quarterback,” Gilbert said. “He’s the best quarterback I’ve ever played with. He’s so big and lanky and he’s got a great arm. He can throw the ball really far. He brought so much energy to our offense.”
About a week after the Sailors suffered a 29-16 setback in the state championship game to Warren DeLaSalle, Gilbert shifted his attention to basketball, where he knew he’d again have to take on a new, elevated role on the team.
Before school started in August, Gilbert learned that former teammate Jarvis Walker had decided to transfer to play for the Sailors’ rival, Muskegon. Walker led the Sailors in scoring a year ago with 22 points per game as a sophomore.