MUSKEGON – For a team that’s won so many games over so many great seasons, the West Michigan Ironmen haven’t had many chances to celebrate a championship in style.

The Ironmen have won four titles in various leagues since they launched in 2016 – in 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

But in 2021 and 2022 the title was determined by regular season play, and there were no championship games. That was due to ongoing COVID restrictions in 2021, and the fact that the other team folded before the big game in 2022.

The Ironmen also advanced to championship games in 2016 and 2024, but those were no fun because they lost both times.

The most painful of those losses came last year, when the Ironmen advanced to the title game of the old Great Lakes Arena Football league, and were widely expected to win. But the visiting Michigan Avengerz had other ideas and upset the Ironmen in Muskegon, 32-12.

That’s why Saturday’s American Indoor Football league title game, against the Coralville Chaos, is so important to the Ironmen.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. at Muskegon’s Trinity Health Arena.

“It would really be nice,” said second-year Ironmen head coach Terry Mitchell. “Last year we came up short of the championship, but this year we added some new players, the guys bought in, and it has showed throughout the season.

“That was our goal this year, to go undefeated and win the championship.”

The Ironmen have achieved part of their goal in style, rolling to a 6-0 record this year, including 4-0 against AIF league opponents.

They beat Coralville and Cedar Rapids twice, and also beat two quality teams from outside the league – the Michigan Avengerz (vengeance for last year’s title game loss) and the Detroit Ravens.

Overall the Ironmen have beaten their opponents by a combined score of 321-97.

To put a cap on that kind of domination with a championship trophy would be great for the players and fans – and Mitchell admits that he wouldn’t mind getting his first title as a head football coach, either.

“That’s what a head coach drives to do when he takes the job – have the guys buy in, have a great season and ultimately win the championship,” Mitchell said. “We have some phenomenal coaches on this staff, and to have them hold that trophy up after the game would let them know that their work has paid off.”

The Ironmen certainly have the team to finish the job this year.

Their offense has been high-powered, as usual, putting up at least 42 points in five of the six victories this year.

The main reason has been the always-reliable  performance of veteran quarterback Alex Carder, who has been under center for the Ironmen for every season but one since 2016.

The good news is that Carder is healthy and ready to play in the championship game this season. Last year he started the title game, but had to leave early due to a recurring injury, and the Ironmen offense sputtered for the rest of the game.

Carder was also absent from the Ironmen’s last game against Cedar Rapids this season, and the team only won 28-20, with no passing touchdowns.

That’s how important the veteran QB is to the team.

‘He is playing, he is healthy,” Coach Mitchell said about Carder. “He is a veteran, and you can see the difference when he’s not around. Our backups have done a phenomenal job, but when he’s not in there thing change a little bit.”

The offense has also been sparked by the presence of several big point producers, including receivers Toni Sok, Tyler Bruce, Tyler Hunt and Jeremiah Dault, who have all caught their share of TD passe this season.

“I feel like we have the best receiver corps around, and I would put them up against any receivers at any level of arena football,” Mitchell said.

The Ironmen defense has been extraordinary this season, holding opponents to fewer than a combined 100 points, and 14 or fewer points in four of the six games.

The defense even had a shutout this year, holding Cedar Rapids scoreless in a 56-0 victory at home. Shutouts are almost unheard of in a big-scoring sport like arena football, which is played on a short 50-yard field.

“They have made opposing quarterbacks feel uncomfortable and make throws they normally would not make,” Mitchell said about his defense. “Our D line does a great job of making it easier for the defensive backs, because they get to the quarterback so fast. All of our defensive linemen have high motors and our linebackers fly around.

“This is the best defense we’ve had in a long time.”

The Ironmen will again be big favorites to win the championship game, especially since they routed Coralville 75-7 and 56-14 in the regular season.

But Coralville and Cedar Rapids, who are from neighboring communities in Iowa, have the same owner, and somehow the Coralville squad has “miraculously” added some players from the Cedar Rapids roster, according to Coach Mitchell.

But that doesn’t matter, according to the coach, because the Ironmen are planning to win, no matter who lines up on the other side of the ball.

“Come Saturday, that’s what we are planning to do,” Mitchell said.