Four Flivvers named to Dream Team
IM’s Lucas Maxon selected at guard
(Terry Raiche photos) Kingsford senior Lucas Tappy (55) pursues against Petoskey in a non-conference game Oct. 15 at Flivver Field. Tappy was named to the UPSSA All-U.P. Dream Team at offensive tackle for the second consecutive season.
Iron Mountain senior Lucas Maxon (52) hits Frankfort quarterback Nick Stevenson as he throws in an MHSAA Division 8 playoff game Oct. 30 at Mountaineer Stadium. Maxon was selected to the UPSSA All-U.P. Dream Team at guard.
(Terry Raiche photos) Kingsford senior Lucas Tappy (55) pursues against Petoskey in a non-conference game Oct. 15 at Flivver Field. Tappy was named to the UPSSA All-U.P. Dream Team at offensive tackle for the second consecutive season.
Iron Mountain senior Lucas Maxon (52) hits Frankfort quarterback Nick Stevenson as he throws in an MHSAA Division 8 playoff game Oct. 30 at Mountaineer Stadium. Maxon was selected to the UPSSA All-U.P. Dream Team at guard.
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IRON MOUNTAIN -- The 2021 Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association fall football meeting took place Wednesday at the Holiday Inn in Marquette. A number of area players received All-U.P. recognition on the 11-player side, including a handful of Dream Team selections.
On offense, 2020 Dream Team pick senior Lucas Tappy of Kingsford was again selected at offensive tackle. Iron Mountain senior guard Lucas Maxon joined Tappy on the Dream Team offense.
Kingsford seniors Diego Przeslakowski, kicker, and receiver/tight end Zach Person of Kingsford repeated as Dream Team picks, and were joined by Flivvers senior defensive back Brody Kopp. Przeslakowski was a unanimous choice.
First Team selections included Kingsford senior running back Toby Wilcox, Kingsford senior defensive tackle Levi Fiorucci and sophomore defensive back Luke Wolfe of Iron Mountain.
Kingsford junior Nic Nora was a unanimous First Team selection as return specialist.
Iron Mountain senior linebacker Hunter Fortner received two or more votes in the selection process, which tabbed him as a special mention. Kingsford senior quarterback Michael Meneguzzo has named as an honorable mention.
In a close vote, Menominee senior and Great Northern Conference Offensive Player of the Year Aidan Bellisle was named as the 11-player Offensive Player of the Year by the UPSSA.
Gladstone defensive end Hunter Potier was a unanimous selection as the Defensive Player of the Year. Potier was also selected as the Mitchell Snyder 11-player Lineman of the Year.
Large school Team of the Year went to the Marquette Redmen, while the small school Team of the Year selection was the Westwood Patriots.
The Redmen played a tough regular season schedule, with six of the nine teams on their schedule having made the MHSAA football playoffs. They were the 11-player No. 1 team in the final UPSSA U.P. football poll of the regular season.
Patriots head coach Scott Syrjala was the UPSSA's 11-player Coach of the Year selection. Westwood, who plays at Traverse City St. Francis on Saturday afternoon in round three of the Division 7 playoffs, advanced beyond the second round of the MHSAA playoffs for the first time in school history.
With the Patriots winning the conference championship in the West PAC Copper Division, it's the first time since winning the Mid-Peninsula Conference crown in 1992 that the Patriots earned a conference championship.
The 2021 8-player All-U.P. selections will be announced Monday evening and published on Tuesday.
2021 All-U.P. Football Team
* = unanimous selection
11-player
Special awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Aidan Bellisle, Menominee
Defensive Player of the Year: Hunter Potier, Gladstone*
Large School Team of the Year: Marquette
Small School of the Year: Westwood
Coach of the Year: Scott Syrjala, Westwood
Mitchell Snyder Lineman of the Year: Hunter Potier, Gladstone
Dream Team
Offense
Center: Spencer Harvala, Westwood, 5-11, 225, Sr.
Guard: Gavin Dawson, Westwood, 5-10, 245, Sr.
Guard: Lucas Maxon, Iron Mountain, 5-8, 180, Sr.
Tackle: Lucas Tappy, Kingsford, 6-0, 300, Sr.
Tackle: Alex Schlemm, Marquette, 6-1, 243, Sr.
Quarterback: Austin Ridl, Marquette, 5-11, 175, Sr.*
Running back: Aidan Bellisle, Menominee, 6-0, 185, Sr.*
Running back: Zach Carlson, Westwood, 5-11, 175, Sr.*
Running back: Dryden Nelson, Calumet, 5-9, 170, Sr.*
WR/End: Owen Beauchamp, Marquette, 6-0, 185, Sr.
WR/End: Zach Person, Kingsford, 6-5, 225, Sr.
Defense
Tackle: Lenny Bjorn, Calumet, 6-1, 250, Sr.
Tackle: Mason Kinnonen, Gladstone, 6-2, 240, Sr.
Tackle: Wyatt Kuhlman, Marquette, 5-8, 145, Sr.
End: Callen Campbell, Sault Ste. Marie, 6-4, 230, Soph.
End: Hunter Potier, Gladstone, 6-2, 225, Sr.
Linebacker: Alan Bjorn, Calumet, 6-2, 195, Soph.
Linebacker: Dustin Lohfink, Marquette, 6-0, 215, Sr.
Linebacker: Luke Olson, Westwood, 6-2, 185, Sr.
Back: Brody Kopp, Kingsford, 6-1, 175, Sr.
Back: Desmond Mullen, Marquette, 5-10, 187, Sr.
Back: Phil Nelson, Negaunee, 6-1, 180, Jr.
Special Teams
Kicker: Diego Przeslakowski, Kingsford, 5-10, 175, Sr.*
Punter: Kaeden Calcari, Menominee, 5-11, 180, Jr.
Return specialist: Phil Nelson, Negaunee, 6-1, 180, Jr.
First Team
Offense
Center: Chris Ricker, Marquette, 6-2, 275, Sr.
Guard: Adam Horrigan, Sault Ste. Marie, 5-11, 255, Jr.*
Guard: Brett Boudreau, Gladstone, 6-3, 250, Sr.
Tackle: Bode Bonovetz, Negaunee, 6-1, 240, Sr.
Tackle: John Burke, Sault Ste. Marie, 6-3, 275, Jr.
Quarterback: Jakob Davie, Sault Ste. Marie, 5-8, 170, Sr.
Running back: Trevor Lippens, Bark River-Harris, 6-1, 190, Sr.
Running back: Toby Wilcox, Kingsford, 5-10, 155, Sr.
Running back: Easton Palomaki, Negaunee, 5-11, 170, Jr.
WR/End: David Eberhard, Marquette, 6-1, 189, Sr.
WR/End: Gaborik Carlson, Houghton, 6-1, 170, Jr.
Defense
Line: Chance Bridgers, Hancock 5-11, 270, Sr.
Line: Joe Gimbel, Menominee, 6-0, 195, Sr.
Line: Levi Fiorucci, Kingsford, 5-10, 276, Sr.
Line: Corbin LaFave, Bark River-Harris, 5-9, 205, Jr.
Line: Charlie Guenette, Bark River-Harris, 6-0, 225, Soph.
Linebacker: Eli VanBuren, Negaunee, 5-11, 215, Jr.
Linebacker: Dawson Delongchamp, Ishpeming, 5-10, 190, Sr.
Linebacker: Josh Hansen, Gladstone, 6-0, 160, Sr.
Back: John Robinson, Sault Ste. Marie, 5-11, 185, Sr.*
Back: Marcus Boase, Westwood, 5-10, 175, Sr.
Back: Luke Wolfe, Iron Mountain, 5-11, 170, Soph.
Special Teams
Kicker: Cole Hawker, Sault Ste. Marie, 6-0, 165, Sr.*
Punter: Hunter Stanaway, L'anse, 5-6, 170, Sr.
Return specialist: Nic Nora, Kingsford, 5-10, 170, Jr.*
Special mention (received 2 or more votes)
Matthew Zimmerman, Escanaba, 6-0, 205, Sr. (center); Victavian Hanson, Westwood, 6-3, 290, Sr. (off. tackle); Kade Lesperance, Menominee, 5-10, 240, Sr. (off. tackle); Gerald Johnson, Negaunee, 6-2, 200, Sr. (quarterback); Dysean Allen, L'Anse, 5-10, 205, Sr. (running back); Karson Krutina, Escanaba, 6-0, 175, Sr. (running back); Cole Potier, Gladstone, 5-10, 185, Jr. (running back); Braydon Lee, L'Anse, 6-1, 165, Sr. (WR/end); Justin Jurmu, Marquette, 6-1, 200, Sr. (WR/end); Hunter Fortner, Iron Mountain, 5-7, 160, Sr. (linebacker); J.R. Tryan, Menominee, 5-8, 179, Sr. (linebacker); Eli Berthaume, Gladstone, 5-11, 175, Soph. (d-back); Josiah Javuerk, Bark River-Harris, 5-9, 150, Jr. (d-back); Ben Johnson, Escanaba, 5-9, 170, Soph.; Tom Erkkila, Calumet, 5-10, 165, Sr. (kicker).
Honorable mention
Cliff Jurmu, Calumet, 5-9, 205, Sr. (center); Gideon Bell, Marquette, 5-11, 210, Sr. (guard); Eli Ostermeyer, L'Anse, 6-6, 275, Sr. (off. tackle); Zach Beckman, Westwood, 6-2, 210, Sr. (quarterback); Nate Young, Gladstone, 5-9, 165, Soph. (quarterback); Michael Meneguzzo, Kingsford, Sr. (quarterback); Noah Gagne, Bark River-Harris, 5-7, 150, Soph. (running back); Ryan LaPlaunt, Sault Ste. Marie, 6-0, 220, Sr. (running back); Cooper Conway, Menominee, 6-5, 230, Sr. (WR/end); Trevor Brown, Escanaba, 6-2, 180, Sr. (WR/end); Austin Mosier, Bark River-Harris, 6-1, 275, Jr.; Carl Peterson, Gwinn, 5-10, 176, Sr. (linebacker).