“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg
For the primary time in my life, I had a vote for some form of postseason award in a sport.
John Vrancic and I ventured to Marquette for the second time in beneath 24 hours for the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association’s 74th annual soccer assembly.
After hours of deliberation, 19 of us voted on award winners and who belonged on the All UP Dream Team, First Team, Special Mention and Honorable point out listing.
Today, I’ll give some perception as to how that assembly went, and the way I voted for sure groups and award winners. I’ll do the identical for volleyball and eight-player.
Mr. Football
Winner: Elizin Rouse, Kingsford (16 votes)
Nominees: Kai Lacar, Negaunee (2), Luke Wolfe, Iron Mountain (1)
Big Dog’s vote: Lacar
Big Dog’s clarification: When you take a look at the 11-player scene within the UP as an entire it’s no secret Rouse was worthy of this award. He claimed 16 of 19 first-place votes for a cause and I knew he wasn’t going to win unanimously.
With that information I had no drawback nominating another person to at the least be thought of. So, who was the one child that I noticed that earned an opportunity to cope with Rouse for this award?
I nominated Lacar.
Here’s why.
He tallied 1,375 dashing yards and 19 touchdowns as a working again. He earned six interceptions on protection. He was electrical as a kick returner. He served as a kicker. I believe he may need bought scorching dogs and had a tuba solo within the marching band at halftime.
But when Gladstone collided with Negaunee in district finals, the Braves gameplan revolved round one participant.
Lacquer.
Any participant together with his capacity and respect from opponents is greater than worthy of my vote on this occasion.
Offensive Player of the Year
Winner: Rouse (17)
Nominees: Nate Young, Gladstone (1), Wolfe (1)
Big Dog’s vote: Young
Big Dog’s clarification: Again, there was no query Rouse was successful this award, however credit score needs to be given to Young. The dude has all the pieces you need in a highschool quarterback.
He has a dependable arm. He’s cell. But extra importantly, he’s extremely clever in terms of the sport of soccer.
It’s the rationale he’s described as an on-field coach. It’s the rationale why he’s so environment friendly on third and fourth down. It’s additionally a giant, however not the one, cause why the Braves are of their second-straight regional title sport.
Defensive Player of the Year
Winner: Noah Johnson, Kingsford (15)
Nominees: Noah Gagne, Escanaba (4)
Big Dog’s vote: Gagne
Big Dog’s clarification: Big Dog’s clarification: By the time Week 9 rolled round I had a reasonably good concept as to what gamers in our protection space wanted to be nominated for All UP. There was additionally one child on protection that, in my eyes, stood firmly above the remaining,
That was Escanaba linebacker Noah Gagne.
If opposing groups tried to run the ball in between the tackles, Gagne was there. If groups tried to run a halfback display, Gagne was there.
This child has a nostril for the ball that I not often see on Friday nights.
And my pitch should have been higher than I believed, as a result of I 100% believed that he would earn First-Team honors and lose the DPOY vote 18-1 with solely my hand up preventing for him. Instead, Johnson beat Gagne within the DPOY vote 15-4. Gagne earned 15 votes for Dream Team. Only Calumet’s Alan Bjorn (17) and Sault Ste. Marie’s Kaydin Lujan (17) earned extra votes.
Mitchell Snyder Lineman of the Year
Winner: Dasan Smith, Marquette (6)
Nominees: Vinny Howes, Gladstone (5), Connor Owens, Iron Mountain (4), Callen Campbell, Salute Ste. Marie (4)
Big Dog’s vote: Howes
Big Dog’s clarification: This was the toughest vote of the day. You have Smith, a 6-foot 6, 300 pounder dedicated to play at Central Michigan University, You have Campbell, a 6-foot 5, 250 pounder dedicated to Northwestern, and possibly would’ve had higher defensive numbers if he didn’t play quarterback. There’s Owens, the West-PAC Iron Division Lineman of the Year and the smallest of the bunch as 6-foot 1, 215 kilos. Then there’s Howes, the West-PAC Copper Division Lineman of the Year.
Yeah, you see why this was such an in depth vote. Ultimately, I went with Howes. When the brilliant lights come on he’s a special creature. I’ve but to see anybody manhandle him within the trenches, and I’d be shocked if I do.
In the top you’ll be able to’t go flawed with any of the 4 nominated, however Howes had my vote.
Dream Team choices
Here are the realm nominees that claimed a spot on the 11-player Dream Team listing, and what went into the method to get every child the popularity they earned.
Offense
Guard: Lucas Sischo, Bark River Harris – I watched Lucas play one time this yr, it was Week 8 in opposition to Manistique. The Broncos moved the ball extraordinarily properly in opposition to the Emeralds on the bottom, however that’s not the first cause why he was nominated.
I’ve been right here for 4 months. One factor I’ve realized thus far is that BR-H head coach Al Stenberg has a excessive degree of respect within the space. He instructed me after the sport that Sischo was most likely one of the best offensive lineman he’s coached at BR-H.
When that form of coach says that a few participant, you pay attention. The remainder of the panel did too.
Tackle: Aaron Hughes, Gladstone – at 6-foot 5, 230 kilos, the junior was a simple selection for me. Much like Howes, he was a child I noticed win so much within the trenches. Only Smith had extra Dream Team votes for OT’s. Also, Hughes completed thirty second on this yr’s cross nation state finals. How many left tackles can say that they run cross nation within the first place? Hughes is that kind of athlete. Speaking of athletes.
Quarterback: Nate Young, Gladstone – You can copy and paste all the pieces I stated about him for offensive participant of the yr. He claimed 10 of 19 of Dream Team votes.
Wide Receiver: Wyatt Demers, Manistique – 500+ receiving yards and 10 touchdowns… off 25 catches. The 6-foot 3 receiver’s efforts have been acknowledged by all the room. We every voted for 2 Dream Team receivers. Iron Mountain’s Matthw Colavecchi led all receivers with 12 votes. Demers had 9, together with one in all mine. The subsequent closest was Gladstone’s Kaden Gibbs with seven whole and my second vote.
For Demers to be in that firm says all the pieces that must be stated about his senior season.
Defense
Tackle: Jacob Perryman, Gladstone – Perryman completed with 39 tackles and 1.5 sacks, however the numbers that popped most have been his 11.5 tackles for loss and 12 quarterback pressures. For this class we picked three gamers, and all have been voted on in alphabetical order.
My first vote went to Negaunee’s Mitch Paltzer. It wasn’t as a result of I actually like his first identify, however this dude was a monster once I watched him play Gladstone within the district title sport. Plus his 63 tackles, eight TFL’s, 4 sacks and two fumble recoveries for a 6-foot 1, 250 pounder made me give him one in all my three votes. He completed with 18 votes.
Ishpeming’s Carlos Perez earned seven votes to say the third spot. Perryman completed second with 15 votes, together with one from me.
Linebacker: Noah Gagne, Escanaba – Similar to Young, please copy and paste what I wrote earlier. This is as a result of, properly, if you happen to’re studying this in print I’m beginning to run out of room with three youngsters left.
Back: Eli Berthaume and Austin Solis, Gladstone – So, right here’s one thing for y’all. All 19 of us picked three defensive backs. Berthaume, Solis and Menominee’s Trevor Theuerkauf all earned a Dream Team spot with 10 votes with Berthaume and Solis getting mine. Kingsford’s Gavin Trevillian earned 9. Manistique’s Parker Graphos earned eight, together with one for me. Ishpeming’s Caden Luoma earned seven votes. Yeah, it was that tight.
Special groups
Punter: Elliot Vitito – Well, there have been two nominations for punter and kicker every, so whoever completed second was mechanically getting First staff honors. Vitito edged Escanaba’s Bon LaChance by two votes.
I hope that after studying this that you simply begin to grasp how I believe as a sports activities author. More importantly, if there’s an worthy athlete on this protection space you higher imagine I’m going to combat for his or her recognition they deservewhile being honest throughout all the UP.
