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Football players sign letters of intent

Nocerini, Paramski sign with Michigan Tech; Kingsford’s Roberts signs with NMU

Forest Park's Daniel Nocerini will play football next year at Michigan Tech University. The senior signed his letter of intent on Wednesday. Pictured, from left: Jim Nocerini (grandfather), Gene Giuliani (uncle), Chris Nocerini (father), Daniel Nocerini, Dave Graff (Forest Park head coach), Mick Valesano (Forest Park coach) and Bill Santilli (Forest Park athletic director and former head coach). (Submitted Photo)
Kingsford's Trevor Roberts signed a national letter of intent on Wednesday to play football at Northern Michigan University. The standout running back and defensive end is the son of Doug and Tracy Roberts (seated). Also pictured are Kingsford High School head football coach Chris Hofer (left), athletic director Al Unger and principal Lyle Smithson. (Burt Angeli/The Daily News)

HOUGHTON – Two of Michigan Tech’s football recruits have ties to Forest Park High School in Crystal Falls.

MTU head coach Steve Olson announced that Daniel Nocerini and John Paramski are among the seven UP student-athletes signing national letters of intent Wednesday.

They will join the Huskies this fall.

“First off I’d like to thank our staff for their hard work throughout the season,” Olson said. “Michigan Tech has a strong reputation academically, but the people here really help students to understand how special MTU is.”

Nocerini  (6-foot-2, 215 pounds), listed at tight end by the MTU football staff, starred at running back and linebacker at Forest Park. He shared Western Eight Conference and eight-player U.P. Player of the Year honors this past season.

Newberry’s Paramski (6-2, 210) is the son of former Forest Park standout Pete Paramski, who played football for the Huskies.

Paramski’s cousin, Max Maloney from West Iron County, is a member of the Tech football squad.

Projected to play linebacker at MTU, John Paramski led Newberry as a quarterback and linebacker. As a quarterback, he threw for 1,662 yards, ran for 952 yards and scored 34 touchdowns.

Tech’s other UP football recruits are Russ Bjorn (6-1, 215), linebacker, Calumet; Corey Cotey (6-1, 230), fullback, Munising; Ryan Jones (6-foot, 180), defensive back, Sault Ste. Marie; Brendan Middleton (6-foot, 160), defensive back, Lake Linden; Ashok Ravindran (5-10, 260), defensive line, Ishpeming.

Michigan Tech wrapped up the 2016 season with a 4-6 record. The Huskies have been conditioning and lifting weights since returning from semester break.

Michigan Tech will begin spring practices in late March, with the annual spring game coming up in April.

Kingsford’s Trevor Roberts is a part of the first recruiting class for new Northern Michigan University head football coach Kyle Nystrom.

Roberts and Negaunee’s Mike Pizziola were the only UP players to sign letters of intent with NMU on Wednesday.

“We’re excited and happy with the young men who signed with us today,” Nystrom said. “They’ll have a great future at Northern Michigan. We’re happy with where we’re at in the recruiting process considering our late start. This is just the beginning, and we’ll continue signing prospects until April 1.”

Nystrom said NMU’s base recruiting areas are Michigan, Wisconsin and Chicago.

“But we will recruit any player, anywhere, that has the potential to help this program,” Nystrom said.

Roberts (6-foot, 180 pounds) is projected to play safety for the Wildcats. He served as Kingsford’s captain and was named team MVP. Roberts was coached by former Wildcat Chris Hofer, a 1985 team captain and 1984 most valuable defensive back.

“NMU was just the best fit for me,” said Roberts, who also considered Michigan Tech, Lakeland University in Sheboygan (Wis.) and St. Norbert College in De Pere (Wis.) “I really like the coaches and the facilities. I’m planning on going into exercise science and they have a good exercise science program.”

There’s also other factors, Roberts said.

“I also like that it is close to home and camp, and my brother (Tyler) is already going there,” Roberts said.

Pizziola (6-5, 270), slated for the NMU offensive line, was selected to the All-U.P. Dream Team.

The Wildcats also welcomed preferred walk-on Travis Christensen, an offensive lineman from Marquette Senior High School.

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