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TOP YOOPERS: All-U.P. Football Picks Announced
 MARQUETTE---The Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters announced their All-U.P. football teams Friday evening. A panel of 21 people met for nearly seven hours at the Marquette Holiday Inn on Wednesday to come up with this list. The Marquette Redmen narrowly edged out the Calumet Copper Kings (on a 12-9 vote) to win the U.P. Large School Team of the Year honors. Westwood was the unanimous pick for the U.P. Small School Team of the Year.  The Offensive Player of the Year honors went to Menominee's Aidan Bellisle. He received ten votes, while Westwood's Zach Carlson and Marquette's Austin Ridl each received five. Calumet's Dryden Nelson got one vote. Gladstone lineman Hunter Potier was a unanimous choice for Defensive Player of the Year. He led the Braves defense with 63 tackles, 15 for loss, plus 13-and-a-half sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. Potier also brought home the Mitchell Snyder Lineman of the Year Award. He had 15 votes, with three going to Westwood's Gavin Dawson and two to Marquette's Alex Schlemm. There were 25 players picked to the Dream Team (11 offense, 11 defense, three special teams), plus there was a Hybrid Athlete of the Year selected. Players who did not make the Dream Team then were in the next 25 selections for "First Team All-U.P.". Players who did not make the Dream or First Teams, and had two or more votes, were Special Mention selections. The rest were Honorable Mention.  Negaunee's Phil Nelson reached the Dream Team on both defense and special teams, the only player to do that. Sault Ste. Marie, which won six games but still missed the playoffs, had one Dream Teamer: defensive end Callen Campbell. But the Blue Devils also put five players on the First Team. Gladstone had Potier and Mason Kinnonen as Dream Teamers, and also got defensive tackle Brett Boudreau and linebacker John Hansen on the First Team. Ishpeming's only nominee, Dawson Delongchamp, was a First Team selection at defensive. Bark River-Harris had three First Team picks: Trevor Lippens (running back), Corbin LaFave and Charlie Guenette (defensive line). Escanaba, which endured a 1-8 season, had no Dream Team or First Team players, but had three who received Special Mention: center Matt Zimmerman, running back Karson Krutina, and defensive back Ben Johnson. Receiver Trevor Brown got Honrable Mention. Manistique and St. Ignace were the only 11-man teams that did not have any nominations for the panel to consider. The Dream Team and First Team winners will receive certificates from the UPSSA. 2021 ALL-U.P. FOOTBALL TEAM As Picked by the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters SMALL SCHOOL TEAM OF YEAR…Westwood LARGE SCHOOL TEAM OF YEAR…Marquette COACH OF THE YEAR…Scott Syrjala, Westwood U.P. DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF YEAR…Hunter Potier, Gladstone U.P. OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF YEAR…Aidan Bellisle, Menominee MITCH SNYDER LINEMAN OF YEAR…Hunter Potier, Gladstone DREAM TEAM OFFENSE Center…Spencer Harvala, Westwood Offensive Guard…Gavvin Dawson, Westwood Offensive Guard…Lucas Maxon, Iron Mountain Offensive Tackle…Lucas Tappy, Kingsford Offensive Tackle…Alex Schlemm, Marquette Quarterback…Austin Ridl, Marquette Running Back…Aidan Bellisle, Menominee Running Back…Dryden Nelson, Calumet Running Back…Zach Carlson, Westwood Receiver…Owen Beauchamp, Marquette Receiver…Zach Person, Kingsford DREAM TEAM DEFENSE Defensive Tackle…Mason Kinnonen, Gladstone Defensive Tackle…Wyatt Kuhlman, Marquette Defensive Tackle…Lenny Bjorn, Calumet Defensive End…Hunter Potier, Gladstone Defensive End…Callen Campbell, Sault Ste. Marie Linebacker…Dustin Lohfink, Marquette Linebacker…Alan Bjorn, Calumet Linebacker…Luke Olson, Westwood Defensive Back…Phil Nelson, Negaunee Defensive Back…Desmond Mullen, Marquette Defensive Back…Brody Kopp, Kingsford DREAM TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS Kicker…Diego Przeslakowski, Kingsford Punter…Kaeden Calcari, Menominee Returner…Phil Nelson, Negaunee FIRST TEAM OFFENSE Center…Chris Ricker, Marquette Guard…Brett Boudreau, Gladstone Guard…Adam Horrigan, Sault Ste. Marie Tackle…John Burke, Sault Ste. Marie Tackle…Bode Bonovetz, Negaunee Quarterback…Jakob Davie, Sault Ste. Marie Running Back…Trevor Lippens, Bark River-Harris Running Back…Toby Wilcox, Kingsford Running Back…Easton Palomaki, Negaunee Receiver…David Eberhard, Marquette Receiver…Gaborick Carlson, Houghton FIRST TEAM DEFENSE Defensive Tackle…Chance Bridgers, Hancock Defensive Tackle…Joe Gimbel, Menominee Defensive Tackle…Levi Florucci, Kingsford Defensive End…Corbin LaFave, Bark River-Harris Defensive End…Charlie Guenette, Bark River-Harris Linebacker…John Hansen, Gladstone Linebacker…Dawson Delongchamp, Ishpeming Linebacker…Eli Van Buren, Negaunee Defensive Back…John Robinson, Sault Ste. Marie Defensive Back…Marcus Boase, Westwood Defensive Back…Luke Wolfe, Iron Mountain FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS Kicker…Cole Hawker, Sault Ste. Marie Punter…Hunter Stanaway, L’Anse Returner…Nic Nora, Kingsford SPECIAL MENTION OFFENSIVE PLAYERS (Two or more votes) Center…Matt Zimmerman, Escanaba Tackle…Kade Lesperance, Menominee Tackle…Victavian Hanson, Westwood Quarterback…Gerald Johnson, Negaunee Running Back…Karson Krutina, Escanaba Running Back…Cole Potier, Gladstone Running Back…Dysean Allen, L’Anse Receiver…Brayden Lee, L’Anse Receiver…Justin Jurmu, Marquette Kicker…Tom Erkkila, Calumet SPECIAL MENTION DEFENSIVE PLAYERS (Two or more votes) Linebacker…JR Tryan, Menominee Linebacker…Hunter Fortner, Iron Mountain Defensive Back…Ben Johnson, Escanaba Defensive Back…Eli Berthaume, Gladstone Defensive Back…Joe Javurek, Bark River-Harris HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSIVE PLAYERS Center…Cliff Jurmu, Calumet Guard…Gideon Bell, Marquette Tackle…Eli Ostermeyer, L’Anse Quarterback…Nate Young, Gladstone Quarterback…Mike Meneguzzo, Kingsford Quarterback…Zach Beckman, Westwood Running Back…Noah Gagne, Bark River-Harris Running Back…Ryan LaPlant, Sault Ste. Marie Receiver…Cooper Conway, Menominee Receiver…Trevor Brown, Escanaba HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSIVE PLAYERS Tackle…Austin Mosier, Bark River-Harris Linebacker…Carl Peterson, Gwinn Defensive Back…Braydon Lee, L’Anse |
