Detroit Cass Tech’s Demetric Vance

First-team defense

DL: Alaric Jackson

Detroit Renaissance, senior, 6-7, 285.

Highlights: A beast in the middle of the offensive and defensive lines, Jackson recorded 110 tackles and 12 sacks. “He led the way for a 1,300-yard rusher on

offense,” coach Lou Beatty said.

DL: Edrick Mathews

Detroit Cass Tech, senior, 6-3, 285.

Highlights: Big, strong and massive across the Technicians’ defensive line, he led the team entering the state semifinals with 12 sacks and 24 tackles for loss, and totaled 68 tackles on the season.

Committed to Toledo.

DL: Leon Page

Detroit King, senior, 6-3, 240.

Highlights: A disruptive force at end, Page recorded 52 tackles and nine sacks. Also had 16 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

DL: Cedrick Lattimore

Detroit East English, senior, 6-5, 265.

Highlights: Lists J.J. Watt as one of his favorite athletes. The Iowa commit had 51 tackles, a Watt-like 17 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. As a tight end, caught 22 passes for 375 yards and nine touchdowns.

LB: Adonte Calhoun

Detroit Denby, junior, 5-10, 210.

Highlights: A hard-hitting linebacker who performed well on both sides of the ball. On offense, he rushed for 1,345 yards and 15 touchdowns, and was one of the team’s leading tacklers. Sharp in class with a 3.5 grade-point average.

LB: Kailen Abrams

Detroit Loyola, junior, 6-2, 218.

Highlights: Coach John Callahan said Abrams, with a year of high school left, is one of the best linebackers in the state. Recorded 22 tackles in a loss to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s. Had an eye-opening 1491/2 tackles entering the state semifinals, 12 tackles for loss and 51/2 sacks. Is a sideline-to-sideline demon.

LB: Jaquez Williams

Detroit Collegiate Prep-Northwestern, senior, 6-0, 180.

Highlights: Registered 72 tackles, five sacks and two interceptions. On offense, had 25 catches for 375 yards and four touchdowns. Also kicked extra points and field goals.

DB: Scott Nelson

U-D Jesuit, junior, 6-2, 185.

Highlights: Two-year starter had a fine season with five interceptions, returning two for touchdowns. Had three fumble recoveries and returned one for a TD. Posted eight pass breakups and had 55 tackles and five tackles for loss. Returned a punt for a TD and had 1,955 all-purpose yards.

DB: Demetric Vance Jr.

Cass Tech (captain), senior, 6-2, 210.

Highlights: The U.S. Army All-America is headed to Michigan State with quite a résumé as a free safety. Had four

interceptions, 55 tackles and caught three touchdown passes. Also an all-state track performer. “He uses his speed to pull balls out of the air and close in on the running back,” coach Thomas Wilcher said.

DB: Lavert Hill

Detroit King, senior, 5-10, 175.

Highlights: A force on both sides of the ball, Hill had 33 tackles and eight

interceptions. Broke up 12 passes and tacked on 585 yards as a kick returner with two TDs. Had 21 receptions for 511 yards and five touchdowns, including a huge 85-yarder against Cass Tech in the PSL title game.

DB: Jaylen Kelly-Powell

Detroit Cass Tech, junior, 6-0, 190.

Highlights: A big-time recruit, the

speedster runs a 4.45 40-yard dash and brings a punch when he hits. A three-year varsity performer already, he had two interceptions this year and 53 tackles. On offense, he gained 145 yards on 14 carries with three touchdowns. Holds more than 30 college offers.

Coach: Jimmy Hill

Detroit Collegiate Prep-Northwestern.

Highlights: Led the team to a 9-0 regular season before losing in the first round of the playoffs. “It was great to see my kids who have worked so hard to build

something at this school be rewarded,” he said. “I had an extremely hardworking team on the field and in the classroom.”

All-Detroit football: Corley a great catch for King
All-Detroit football first-team offense
All-Detroit football second team, honorable mentions

Detroit King’s Donnie Corley

First-team offense

E: Donnie Corley

Detroit King (captain), senior, 6-3, 185.

Highlights: Since coming over from

Wyandotte Roosevelt, he has been a star at receiver and in the secondary. Entering the state finals, he caught 53 passes for 1,295 yards and 14 TDs. He had 75 tackles, nine pass breakups and one interception return for a touchdown. Wherever Corley goes, he has a chance to be a star.

OL: Anthony Fitzpatrick

Detroit Loyola, senior, 5-11, 255.

Highlights: A two-way starter who has been on the field since his freshman

season. Has played in three state championship games and has played every position across the defensive line, including linebacker. Entering the state semifinals, he had 78 tackles, nine for loss, 71/2 sacks and two

interceptions, one he returned for a 51-yard TD.

OL: Michael Onwenu

Detroit Cass Tech, senior, 6-3, 365.

Highlights: Michigan coach Jim

Harbaugh is going to love Onwenu, who loves to run-block. Big, fast and strong, he was selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Game. As an offensive guard, was selected as a top-five lineman at the Nike Opening combine. Bench-presses 400 pounds and runs a 5.2 40-yard dash.

OL: Keshawn Evans

Detroit Central, junior, 6-4, 285.

Highlights: Quick hands and quick feet make him a legitimate Division I prospect. Had 20 pancake blocks this season. On defense, he had 65 tackles, 43 assists, eight sacks and seven forced fumbles.

OL: Chauncey Golston

Detroit East English, senior, 6-5, 242.

Highlights: A right tackle on offense and a defensive end, the big guy was a three-year starter on both sides of the ball. On defense, he had 43 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. Committed to Iowa.

OL: James Pierce

U-D Jesuit, senior, 6-4, 265.

Highlights: Started every game at right tackle the past two years and gave up only one sack. Outstanding pass blocker with great feet. Coach Oscar Olejniczak: “Intelligent player that made a lot of calls on the line.”

E: Donovan Peoples-Jones

Detroit Cass Tech, junior, 6-3, 190.

Highlights: One of the top recruits in the country, he turned a great summer into a great season. Used his 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash to catch 58 passes for 898 yards and 15 touchdowns entering the state semifinals. Has been selected to the U.S. Army All-American Game and was MVP of the Nike Opening combine. Rated one of the top athletes in the country.

E: Lindrell Mitchell

Detroit East English, senior, 5-11, 170.

Highlights: A deep threat, caught 81 passes for 813 yards and 13 TDs. Had three punt returns for touchdowns, and on defense contributed 16 tackles and three interceptions.

QB: Armani Posey

Detroit King, senior, 6-1, 200.

Highlights: Moved from wide receiver early in the season, completed 83 of 138 passes for 2,138 yards and 20 touchdowns entering the state finals with only four interceptions. Also a big-time performer as a linebacker.

RB: Nathaniel Boleware

Detroit East English, senior, 5-7, 155.

Highlights: A four-year varsity performer at running back, totaled 2,373 all-purpose yards this season. Ran for 1,638 yards and caught 16 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns. Had 500 kick and punt

return yards, contributing four TDs.

RB: Martell Pettaway

Detroit King, senior, 5-10, 210.

Highlights: Led the Crusaders with 195 carries for 1,629 yards and 22 touchdowns entering the state finals, and had eight pass receptions for 211 yards and a

touchdown. Committed to West Virginia.

K: Niccolo Seilo

U-D Jesuit, freshman, 5-7, 125.

Highlights: Made 48 of 52 extra points, and was 5-for-5 on field goals, with his longest a 37-yarder.

All-Detroit football first-team defense
All-Detroit football second team, honorable mentions

Senior wide receiver Donnie Corley helped Detroit King win the Division 2 state championship over Lowell with a game-winning touchdown catch as time expired.

The toughest game Detroit King’s Donnie Corley played this year was against Wyandotte Roosevelt in the district final.

Don’t let the score fool you: King pounded Roosevelt, 42-6. But for Corley, the Crusaders’ wide receiver/defensive back, the victory came against friends.

As a sophomore, he started for Roosevelt.

“I liked it there, and I really didn’t want to leave,” Corley said. “I still have some good friends on the team. When I went there, I really didn’t get a lot of love playing there. I got moved up to varsity right before the first game of the season (sophomore year). They were trying to get the seniors in the lineup. I was still working hard and making plays. I didn’t play a lot. I played some receiver.”

After his sophomore year, Corley moved to Detroit to help care for his ill grandmother. The drive to Wyandotte was too much, so Corley’s family enrolled him at King.

“It was hard trying to get to school (in Wyandotte), so I came to King,” Corley said. “I loved everything about Wyandotte. It wasn’t anything wrong. The coaches were prepared and organized. The facilities and everything were amazing. I’m not going to lie; I didn’t really want to leave. I came here and kind of just got friends and teammates and it played out well.”

Quiet by nature, Corley blended in with his new teammates.

Sort of.

Corley was so good he made the Free Press Dream Team as a junior. He’s a good candidate to make it again this year, especially after helping King win the Division 2 state championship with a game-winning touchdown catch as time expired. In the semifinal, his first two catches went for 85 yards and two touchdowns.

People forget Corley also is a lock-down corner, King coach Dale Harvel said.

“He’s always working towards the details that need to be done on the football field and in the classroom,” Harvel said. “What he does in the classroom translates to the football field. Since he has been here, he acted like he had been here all along. His personality … he’s so levelheaded and all the attention hasn’t changed him.

“He’s a natural, quiet leader. He leads by example. He’s the type of kid that’s easy to get along with. You go up and down the hallway and you look at him and he doesn’t stand out. He’s not loud. He’s not boisterous.”

Harvel said he realized Corley still had relationships with some Wyandotte Roosevelt players.

“That might have been the toughest part, but once he got on the field he knew he had a job to do,” Harvel said. “He had to go out and try to lead us to the next playoff game, which he did.”

Even with fellow All-Detroit first-teamers like Lavert Hill (Penn State) and Armani Posey roaming the King secondary, Corley — who is uncommitted — still stands out.

“He’s a good teammate,” Harvel said. “He’s about his business. What has been great about this year is we’ve been very consistent with our play except for one week. The key to this whole thing for us is Donnie is a star wide receiver, but if you sit down and talk to him, he talks a lot about his defense. With him and Lavert at the corners, sometimes that’s the first thing out of his mouth.

“I told (Michigan State) Coach (Mark) Dantonio that he’d be good at defensive back or corner, but personally, being a defensive guy all my life, I’d like to see him play corner.”

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555, pafarrell@freepress.com, Twitter @farrellperry.

All-Detroit football first-team offense
All-Detroit football first-team defense
All-Detroit football second team, honorable mentions

Michigan and Georgia rarely have gone head-to-head on the recruiting trail in recent years, but that’s not the case with the 2016 class. The Wolverines and Bulldogs are top options for a few players — many of them from the Peach State — with Georgia in stronger position than Michigan for many of them.

A coaching change in Athens, however, could diminish Georgia’s chances to reel in some of their targets and, thereby, help Michigan. Georgia coach Mark Richt parted ways with the school this week, after 15 years in charge.

Tight end recruit Isaac Nauta

The top two players who could see a change in their recruitment are five-star athlete Mecole Hardman of Elbert County, Ga., and five-star tight end Isaac Nauta, a native of suburban Atlanta who is attending boarding school in Florida.

“If they get rid of coach (Jeremy) Pruitt, I think that’s really going to hurt them,” Hardman said of Georgia’s defensive coordinators. “I can deal with coach Richt (departing), but if they get rid of Pruitt, I don’t know what will happen.”

Recruiting: Full coverage

Signing Day 2016: Feb. 3

U-M football, hoops recruits

MSU football, hoops recruits

Photos: Michigan’s 2016 football recruits

Photos: MSU’s 2016 football recruits

Photos: 2015 Sound Mind Sound Body

More recruiting news

Nauta has taken all five of his official visits and emerged with Georgia and Michigan his most serious options. There’s a family factor at each: close to home for Georgia, close to plenty of extended family in western Michigan for the Wolverines. The U-M offense, in which tight end Jake Butt caught nearly twice as many passes for twice as many yards and three times the touchdowns as all Georgia tight ends combined, might be a better fit.

Other recruiting battles are less directly between Michigan and Georgia. Tampa tight end Jacob Mathis and D.C.-area offensive lineman Terrance Davis have both schools on their lists, but Michigan is a more serious factor for both.

It’s also possible that U-M pursues prospects already committed to the Bulldogs, particularly Lake Stevens (Wash.) five-star quarterback Jacob Eason. With four-star Indianapolis signal caller Brandon Peters in the fold, though, U-M is likely to pass on him, despite Eason’s talent and past interest in Michigan.

Tim Sullivan is the football recruiting editor of The Wolverine magazine and thewolverine.com. He is also a contributor to national football recruiting coverage on the rivals.com network. You can follow him on Twitter @tims_wolverine.

Romeo QB Paul Hurley, right, hugs John Houbeck after defeating Detroit Cass Tech, 41-27, during the Division 1 finals at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday.

Second team

Offense

E: Jimmy Czarnik, Chippewa Valley

OL: Jason Jarubas, Dakota

OL: Jay Young, Anchor Bay

OL: Pelton Schneider, Grosse Pointe North

OL: Zak Hill, Roseville

OL: Ethan Culberson, Utica

E: Jake Mitrak, L’Anse Creuse North

QB: Paul Hurley, Romeo

RB: Taylor Maize, South Lake

RB: Karry DeBose, Warren Cousino

RB: Latorris Greer, Grosse Pointe North

K: Anthony Cecchi, Warren Cousino

Defense

DL: Dillon Webb, Grosse Pointe North

DL: Jeremy Harshaw, Center Line

DL: Reno Giacalone, Anchor Bay

DL: Patrick Navert, Grosse Pointe South

LB: Christian Yattoma, Sterling Heights

LB: Jalen Williams, South Lake

LB: Kyron Davis, Warren Mott

LB: Jacque Lovejoy, Warren Woods Tower

DB: Tru Wilson, De La Salle

DB: Joe Servito, Warren Cousino

DB: Andrew Trost, Grosse Pointe South

Honorable mention

Receivers: Jerodd Vines, South Lake; Jerrold King, Cousino; Dillon Webb, Grosse Pointe North; Tristin Richardson, Grosse Pointe North; Dominick Fiscelli, Utica Ford; Kadari Johnson, Utica Eisenhower; Matt Jolliffe, Warren Cousino.

Linemen: John Goetish, Utica; Kimon Patrick, Clintondale; Kris Campbell, Warren Mott; Mike Kizer, Warren Fitzgerald; Joseph Lechkun, L’Anse Creuse; DaQuan Pope, Grosse Pointe North; Andrew Sharp, Grosse Pointe South; Darrick Gibson, Chippewa Valley; Blake Brady, Dakota; Colin Shock, Dakota; Tony Palushaj, Dakota; Brian Meredith, Utica Ford; Jack Hensley, Parkway Christian; Jordan Davis, Michigan Collegiate; Ryan Pini, Lutheran North; Dominic DeClaire, Parkway Christian.

Quarterbacks: Jacob Cyccone, Sterling Heights; Stephen Gregerson, Warren Fitzgerald; Evan Gates, Roseville; Brett Droski, Dakota; Logan Mico, Grosse Pointe South; Frank D’Ascenzo, Sterling Heights Stevenson; Datrell Milling, South Lake; Charles Kruse, Lutheran North; Ben Malesyzk, Warren Cousino.

Running back: Colton Randle, Lake Shore; Devin Cleghorn, Sterling Heights; Mike DeRoy, Utica Ford; Jordan Irwin, Anchor Bay; Luke Warchol, Fraser; Jayvon Wilson, Warren Mott; Montana Essian, Parkway Christian; Keshawn King, Harper Woods.

Linebackers: Sonny Cooper, Dakota; JuJuan Clowers, Clintondale; Jalen Williams, South Lake; Brendan Martinez, Lakeview; Austin Potter, De La Salle; Chase Falco, Dakota; Brendan Martinez, Lakeview; Abdono Berry, Roseville.

Defensive backs: David Burnett, Grosse Pointe South; Kevin Large, Utica Ford; Jordan Gammage, Sterling Heights; Stanley Williams, Chippewa Valley; Deanta Young, Chippewa Valley; Adam Porter, L’Anse Creuse North; Delano Bolar, Warren Fitzgerald; Devaghn Lewis, Clintondale; Khalil Rogan, South Lake; Markael Butler, Grosse Pointe North; Brendan Rybicki, Utica Eisenhower.

Kickers/punters: Kyle Kessler, Anchor Bay; Matt Bell, Warren Woods Tower.

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

DL: Josh Eldridge

Clintondale, senior, 6-feet-3, 275 pounds.

Highlights: A disruptive force in the middle of the defense, he recorded 34 tackles, three tackles for loss, four sacks and caused three fumbles from his defensive end position.

DL: Jack Steinhauer

Grosse Pointe South, senior, 6-3, 270.

Highlights: Three-year, two-way starter, playing left tackle on offense. On defense he was great at sniffing out screen plays. “Great feet on offense,” said coach Tim Brandon. “Only one screen was completed on us all year because he sniffed them out. Smart kid, getting interest from GLIAC schools.” Had 47 tackles, 19 solo tackles, five sacks and six tackles for loss.

DL: Nicco Moroso

Chippewa Valley, senior, 6-1, 225.

Highlights: The heart and soul of the defense, Moroso finished with 42 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Batted down one pass and had one fumble recovery.

DL: Drew Beesley

Warren De La Salle, senior, 6-3, 225.

Highlights: Filled out the stat sheet with 141 total tackles, 45 solo tackles, 17 sacks, two caused fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

LB: Anthony Saputo

Utica Eisenhower, senior, 6-1, 185.

Highlights: A tackling machine, Saputo finished with 138 tackles, caused one fumble and had one interception. “He’s a sure tackler in the open field,” said coach Chris Smith. “His speed and quickness allowed him to play the run and pass effectively.”

LB: Brendyn Pittman

Macomb Dakota, senior, 6-0, 220.

Highlights: A two-way star, Pittman subbed for Kaiser Carleton during a playoff game and rushed for 157 yards. He finished with 116 tackles, one sack, seven quarterback hurries, four pass deflections and two caused fumbles. On offense he finished with 384 yards on 36 carries and scored eight touchdowns.

LB: Jerome Cooper

Sterling Heights Stevenson, junior, 6-0, 200.

Highlights: Registered 73 tackles (39 solo, 34 assists). Had one pass deflection and one forced fumble and came through with five tackles for loss and one interception. “Jerome played sideline to sideline this year and was great against the run,” said coach Kevin Frederick.

LB: Mitch Heimbuch

Romeo, senior, 6-3, 225.

Highlights: Hard to stop on both sides of the ball, he had 87 tackles heading into the team’s regional final. Registered eight tackles for loss and three sacks. Forced three fumbles and recovered three. Had two interceptions, one going for a TD. On offense caught 23 passes for 566 yards and was a great run blocker at tight end.

DB: Ty Redding

Warren Mott, senior, 6-2, 170.

Highlights: Intercepted 18 passes in three years. This season had 18 tackles and four interceptions as the team’s lockdown corner who took on the opponent’s best receiver. On offense had 20 receptions for 381 yards and four touchdowns and had 11 kickoff returns for 179 yards.

DB: Jared Cutlip

Sterling Heights Stevenson (captain), senior, 6-0, 205.

Highlights: The all-time leading tackler at Stevenson, Cutlip had 73 tackles this season with four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions and a pass deflection. “Jared was a punishing tackler and running back,” said coach Kevin Frederick. “His play on both sides of the ball contributed to our success.” He also rushed for 500 yards and had 10 touchdowns. Scored 29 on his ACT.

DB: Tavin Allison

Macomb Dakota, senior, 6-1, 181.

Highlights: A shutdown corner and top-flight receiver who is going to be a factor on the basketball team as well, registered 49 tackles, one pass interception, seven pass deflections and one fumble recovery. Caught 12 passes for 297 yards and carried the ball seven times for 87 yards.

Coaches: Jason Couch, Curt Rienas

Romeo.

Highlights: Led the Bulldogs to the Division 1 state title. The two had played on Romeo’s last state semifinalist, when Couch was a senior and Rienas was a sophomore. They have co-coached together since the 2003 season. Couch had to dye his hair blonde when this team reached the semifinals, losing a wager to the team. A MAC White power now, the Bulldogs under Couch and Rienas more than held their own when they were in the MAC Red.

All-East football first-team offense
All-East football second team, honorable mention

Romeo senior Brad Tanner

First-team offense

E: Stefan Claiborne

Chippewa Valley, senior, 6-feet-2, 185 pounds.

Highlights: Four-year starter has a school record 10 blocked kicks in his career and caught a school-record 59 passes this season for 665 yards and seven touchdowns. Had 14 kickoff returns for a 27.9 yard average and on defense had 79 tackles, two tackles for loss, four interceptions, three pass breakups and one forced fumble. Committed to Western Michigan.

OL: Adam Wojcik

Macomb Dakota, senior, 5-9, 260.

Highlights: Anchored the Cougars line as the starting center. A two-year starter. “Great punch, good feet and balance,” said coach Mike Giannone. “Leader of our offensive line.”

OL: Malachi Taylor

Warren Mott, senior, 6-0, 260.

Highlights: Dominant on defense and offense as a run blocker on the offensive line. On defense had 33 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Drew double teams on most nights as a force in the middle of the defense.

OL: Derek Hentkowski

Utica Eisenhower, senior, 6-1, 250.

Highlights: A three-year starter at center, Hentkowski also got it done in the classroom with a 3.55 grade-point average. School had the second-best rushing total in its history this season.

OL: Zach Olvera

Chippewa Valley, senior, 6-2, 225.

Highlights: Should have been a tight end, but because of a shortage of offensive linemen he moved to fill in at tackle. Was one of the team’s most consistent linemen for a group that struggled at times.

OL: Jerome Davis

Warren Cousino, senior, 6-3, 270.

Highlights: Cousino runners piled up more than 2,000 yards behind the guard. He was voted outstanding lineman of the year by his peers. “Jerome is very dedicated in the weight room,” said coach Brad Nettles. “He scored 26 on his ACT. A good football player, a good student and even better young man.”

E: Brad Tanner

Romeo (captain), senior, 6-2, 180.

Highlights: Had a fantastic year in helping the Bulldogs to the state title. Entering the semifinals, had carried the ball 61 times for 683 yards and 10 TDs. Had 28 catches as a receiver for 548 yards and six touchdowns. Had 22 total TDs. On defense had 27 tackles, 12 pass breakups and an interception return for a touchdown that beat Macomb Dakota. Had a great regional final against Novi Detroit Catholic Central in the secondary and with a 63-yard kickoff return.

E: Jalen Martin

Chandler Park Academy, senior, 6-2, 200.

Highlights: A deep threat, Martin hauled in 45 passes for 988 yards and 11 TDs. Had 110 rushing yards for another score and had two kick returns for touchdowns.

QB: Patrick Briningstool

Chippewa Valley, senior, 6-1, 195.

Highlights: Broke every school passing record. This year completed 187 of 293 passes for 2,375 yards and 25 TDs with just seven interceptions. Finished with 52 career TD passes. Carried the ball 82 times for 204 yards and four TDs.

RB: Kaiser Carleton

Macomb Dakota, junior, 5-7, 170.

Highlights: Rushed for 1,342 yards on 179 carries. Caught 17 passes for 270 yards. Tallied 1,612 all-purpose yards and scored 19 TDs rushing, plus two receiving.

RB: Kumehnnu Gwilly

Utica, senior, 6-2, 210.

Highlights: The top back in the MAC for the last two seasons, the Central Michigan-bound star rushed for 1,497 yards on 188 carries and scored 20 touchdowns. A three-year captain, “he has the ability to put his foot down and explode off a cut,” said coach Tony Smith.

K: Dominic Nardozzi

Macomb Dakota, junior, 5-7, 150.

Highlights: Made all 44 of his extra points and converted six of eight field goal attempts. Had a long of 47 yards and scored 59 points.

—teams selected by Mick McCabe,

capsules written by Perry A. Farrell

All-East football first-team defense
All-East football second team, honorable mention

Romeo senior wide receiver Brad Tanner, center, celebrates scoring a touchdown with his teammates during a 41-27 win over Detroit Cass Tech in the Division 1 state championship.

How good is Brad Tanner?

The Romeo coaching staff changed the entire offense to take advantage of his immense talents.

It worked. The Bulldogs captured their first Division 1 championship game with a 41-27 win over Detroit Cass Tech, and the 6-foot-2 senior had a great deal to do with it.

Whether he was catching the football, intercepting passes as a defensive back, returning punts and kickoffs or running the football on jet sweeps, Tanner was dynamic.

One of the defining moments of his season was a 65-yard interception return at Macomb Dakota to help keep the Bulldogs undefeated.

After getting by on natural ability for three years, Tanner worked extra hard after track season and the results were dynamic.

“Bradley has a natural gift that obviously not everybody has,” said Romeo co-coach Jason Couch. “Over the last year, he has really worked hard at developing those gifts he was given. He worked hard in the weight room.

“Last year during track really opened his eyes. He long-jumped 22-feet, seven inches. I think he realized that with some hard work he could even build on the talent that he has. It has paid off.”

Couch said Tanner’s speed and natural ability made him a good football player. “Now with the extra work he puts in and working on the game he has become better,” Couch said.

Tanner said he would get up early and work out three times a day during the summer.

“Going hard at practice every day and really paying attention and having the will to do it every single day,” said Tanner. “No days off. I’m glad I did it. That 22-7 in the long jump was huge. I’m a football guy that runs track.

“It’s my jumping ability and my speed, but you can’t really underplay my instincts. I’ve got great football instincts. I know when to make a cut. I know when to hit outside or cut it up.”

With Tanner’s versatility in mind, the coaching staff put the ball in his hands more.

“We’ve gone to a different system,” said Couch. “We run the ball more. He carries the ball, which has allowed him more opportunities to touch the football. When you’re just a wide receiver, sometimes it’s difficult to get the ball in their hands. We’re able to do it in some different ways.”

Utilizing the run game allowed Romeo to still be effective in bad weather. In the regional final against Novi Detroit Catholic Central, the Bulldogs were still able to put up 40 points under less-than-desirable conditions.

Tanner had a big kickoff return against the Shamrocks.

“We kicked the ball to the wrong person,” admitted CC coach Tom Mach.

Before the season Tanner was considered one of the best players in the Macomb Area Conference, and he lived up to the hype on both sides.

“That (offensive) change was huge,” said Tanner. “Last year I got the ball a good amount, but it was limited. The way we changed the offense this year, it got me the ball so much more in open spaces so I could utilize my speed. I’m thankful my coach did it.

“I’m not sounding cocky, but you could see my results from being in the open field. I got it in my head before the season started. My parents and everybody was telling me this is my last season. They told me it was all or nothing and I had to go all out. That’s what I did; senior year, go hard. That was my mentality.”

Said quarterback Paul Hurley: “He’s the man. He saved me so many times.”

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.

All-East football first-team offense
All-East football first-team defense
All-East football second team, honorable mention

Mt. Pleasant’s Obie Ricumstrict

One of the best all-around athletes in Michigan for the class of 2017 is Mt. Pleasant’s Obie Ricumstrict. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound prospect was in East Lansing this past weekend checking out Michigan State’s win over Penn State.

Ricumstrict is one of the in-state players MSU is taking a serious look at for the class of 2017. This past season, he starred on both sides of the ball for Mt. Pleasant and recently received All-State honors for his efforts.

If the name Ricumstrict rings a bell to college football fans, it should. Obie is the son of current Central Michigan defensive line coach George Ricumstrict. Before working for the Chippewas, where he was a 4-year letterman and All-MAC performer, Ricumstrict was at Indiana from 2005-2010 as the Hoosiers’ linebacker and defensive ends coach.

Obie Ricumstrict has been to MSU several times, but this time was a bit different since he was there as a recruit.

“I enjoyed my visit very much,” Ricumstrict said. “I’ve been able to see the campus a lot the past year from being recruited and offered by baseball. This was really the first time I have been down here for football. It was great meeting the coaches and learning more about the football program.”

Ricumstrict is one of the top baseball prospects in the Midwest and that could definitely have an impact on where he attends schools. We asked him about being a two-sport standout.

“If I had the opportunity to play both I would love to for sure. A few schools said I would have the option to do both. I’ve been offered by Missouri, Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Liberty, Central Michigan and other MAC schools for baseball. For football I’m being recruited by Notre Dame, Iowa, Purdue and Kansas as well as Michigan State. Right now, I have offers in the MAC,” he said.

Whether he selects baseball or football in college, Ricumstrict has a good idea of what will ultimately determine where he attends school.

“Finding the right fit academically, socially, and a good athletic program,” he said.

You do not see a lot of baseball/football combinations these days because spring practice overlaps with baseball season. With that said, it is not something that cannot be done. Two of the most decorated athletes ever to wear an MSU uniform played both football and baseball, Kirk Gibson and Steve Garvey. Whether he ends up paying baseball, football or both, he will certainly be one of the more sought after athletes in Michigan.

Elite recruits back in East Lansing

On Wednesday, Detroit King High School players Donnie Corley and Lavert Hill were on campus to watch MSU prepare for the Big Ten title game and watch the basketball team take on Louisville.

Corley is the top uncommitted wide receiver in the Midwest for the class of 2016 and is fresh of his championship-winning catch against Lowell in the Division 2 title game. The Rivals top 100 recruit has been a priority for MSU for two years. The Spartans see him as a player who can come in and contribute early due to the graduation of seniors wide receivers Aaron Burbridge and McGarrett Kings.

Hill made news this past weekend when he indicated that he was decommitting from Penn State. Hill is a four-star recruit and the No. 5 prospect in Michigan for the class of 2016. Hill is considering teams such as U-M, MSU, Ohio State and Tennessee are seen a contender. Hill’s brother Delano current plays for U-M.

Matt Dorsey is a recruiting analyst for SpartanMag.com and Rivals.com.

Nolan Eriksen

Second team

Offense

E: Kahlee Hamler, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

OL: Brendan Klaus, Brighton

OL: Luke Henry, Walled Lake Northern

OL: Blake Bueter, Catholic Central

OL: Kyle Sassack, Notre Dame Prep

OL: Royce Davenport, Oxford

E: Navon Mosley, West Bloomfield

QB: Alex Bageris, Novi

RB: Nolan Eriksen, Clarkston

RB: Earnest Allen, Groves

RB: Keith Fields, Lake Orion

K: Alex Kessman, Clarkston

Defense

DL: Robert Hudson, Walled Lake Western

DL: JaRaymond Hall, Oak Park

DL: Brendan Genereau, Troy Athens

DL: Jared Schultz, Hazel Park

LB: Nate Wagner, Groves

LB: Mike MacLean, Country Day

LB: Luke Adams, Notre Dame Prep

LB: Guam Lee, Harrison

DB: Drew Casey, Lake Orion

DB: Justin Clark, West Bloomfield

DB: Jamison Scarber, Harrison

Honorable mention

Receivers: Nate Highley, Groves; Jacob Netschke, Waterford Kettering; Cody White, Walled Lake Western; Nick Moore, Groves; Andy Durkin, Notre Dame Prep; Devin Senerius, Waterford Our Lady; Jay Cooke, Bloomfield Hills; Darius Stokes, Oak Park.

Linemen: Mike Edwards, Catholic Central; Brendan Thompson, Lake Orion; Aden Eisenhart, Brighton; Mike Kibzey, Madison; Jackson Ross, Catholic Central; Mitch Wochoski, Troy Athens; Ethan Davis, Royal Oak; Matt Winiarski, Notre Dame Prep; Trevor Barndollar, Madison; Cole Nelson, Stoney Creek; Jeremy Patrick, Troy Athens; Philip Norris, Farmington; Eric Eldridge, Southfield; Cameron Tucker, Southfield; Jimmy Gray, Holly; Chandler Johnson, Waterford Kettering; Andrew Hayduk, Ortonville-Brandon; Tamarion Johnson, Southfield Bradford.

Quarterbacks: Brendan Tabone, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s; Jacob Baldwin, Waterford Mott; Ross Herron, Berkley; Beau Kewley, Groves; Kyle Wood, Rochester Adams; Clay Senerius, Waterford Our Lady; Tyler Santangelo, Cranbrook; Matt Durkin, Notre Dame Prep; Steve Mann, Country Day.

Running backs: Travell Weatherby, Waterford Kettering; Michael Fluegel, Clarkston; Jake Vincent, Troy Athens; Brendan Beerer, Royal Oak; Carlton Williams, Berkley; Sterling Alexander, Lathrup; Cam Jones, Clawson; Luke Adams, Notre Dame Prep; Lance Mitchell, Madison; Jared Char, Harrison; Justin Myrick, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s; Adam Tooly, Holly; Jason Wooster, Lakeland.

Linebackers: Jimmy Tomsick, Clawson; Ian Shelby, Walled Lake Northern; Mike Redlinger, Brighton; Darnell Lanier, Walled Lake Western; Brendann Brown, Southfield; Max Sandzik, Clawson; Spencer Barr-Redmond, Stoney Creek; Austin Wood, Berkley; Ian Rice, Groves; Everett Bateman, Royal Oak; Ryan McWood, Brother Rice; Mitchell Payne, Clawson; Ryan Kostich, Waterford Our Lady; Kevin Hazen, Troy Athens; Jeff Ross, Bloomfield Hills; Christian Barr, Holly; Hunter Ward, Lamphere.

Defensive backs: Ryan Flaherty, Groves; Avery Carter, Waterford Mott; Delan Wynn, Southfield; Drew Casey, Clarkston; Mondreg Beverly, Lathrup; Gradell Mosely, Ferndale; Chris Bergin, Country Day; Donovan Stepowski, Clawson; Derek Lynch, Bloomfield Hills; Jakkar Jackson, Farmington; Andre Sarfoh, Farmington; Miles Daniels, Oak Park.

Kickers/punters: David Vinsky, Harrison; John Kwiecinski, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s; Taylor McCarty, Lake Orion.

Novi Detroit Catholic Central’s Alex Bock

DL: EYIOMA UWAZURIKE

Southfield-Lathrup, senior, 6-feet-6, 240 pounds.

Highlights: Was a key factor in the Chargers’ drive to the playoffs, with 50 tackles, including 12 for a loss and six sacks. “He’s always played football because of his size, but his football IQ really grew this year,” coach Jason Solomon said. “We challenged him not just to get sacks, but to take away one side of the field.” Committed to Toledo.

DL: JEREMIAH TYLER

Birmingham Detroit Country Day, senior, 6-1, 205.

Highlights: The Yellowjackets didn’t hesitate to showcase Tyler, whether it was in the defensive backfield or on the line. He registered 96 tackles, 28 for loss, with 13.5 sacks. “He’s been so good and so disruptive at defensive end,” coach Dan MacLean said. “He can throw around the blockers. He’s been a problem for offenses.” Uncommitted.

DL: KHALID KAREEM

Farmington Hills Harrison, senior, 6-4, 255.

Highlights: A repeat All-North selection, Kareem rang up 17 sacks among 53 total tackles. “He can explode off the ball, and that makes him a good pass rusher,” coach John Herrington said. “He’s a hard hitter, he’s learned to read offensive schemes, and he’s got a good sense for the game.” Plans to enroll at Notre Dame in January.

DL: THEO MAJETTE

West Bloomfield, senior, 5-10, 255.

Highlights: Majette, a three-year starter, had 16 sacks, one interception and one defensive TD this fall. “He plays with a motor every single down, and it’s infectious — he allows everyone else to make plays too,” coach Ron Bellamy said. “He’s the best defensive lineman on the field, and we moved him back and forth across the line.” Uncommitted.

LB: DAVID REESE

Farmington, senior, 6-1, 230.

Highlights: Made 150 tackles, including 91 solos. Recovered six fumbles and scored six TDs as a fullback. “When Division I schools watch a high school game, they’re looking for players who dominate the game — that’s what he does,” coach John Bechtel said. “If there’s a better two-way prospect, I’d like to meet him.” Committed to Michigan.

LB: JOSH ROSS

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, junior, 6-1, 225.

Highlights: A team captain completing his third season as a starter, Ross made 101 tackles, recovered two fumbles and intercepted three passes. “He has tremendous range and reads his keys real well,” coach George Porritt said. “Even at a young age, we were impressed that he had the ability to make plays, and he had the physicality to play.”

LB: LORENZO McCASKILL

Southfield, junior, 6-1, 200.

Highlights: A starter for the first time, he made 102 tackles in 10 games, 13 behind the line. Forced five fumbles and recovered two. “He’s a superb athlete; he has the ability to play a lot of different positions, we just didn’t know where to put him,” coach Tim Conley said. “He only has one speed — even in practice — and he decapitates people.”

LB: TREVOR TANK

South Lyon, senior, 6-3, 240.

Highlights: Made 210 career tackles, 76 this year, as one of very few four-year, two-way starters to come through the Lions’ program. “He’s a once-in-a-lifetime kid,” coach Jeff Henson said. “He’s extremely smart, and that helps him when he’s out on the field. He’s a leader; he makes the defensive calls and plays sideline to sideline.” Uncommitted.

DB: ALEX BOCK

Novi Detroit Catholic Central, senior

(captain), 5-11, 180.

Highlights: Bock’s ball-hawk skills helped the Shamrocks win a district title this fall. He intercepted three passes and made 43 tackles, and returned five kicks for touchdowns. “He’s multi-talented; he plays multiple positions for us and always has,” coach Tom Mach said. “Obviously he’s our big-play man; he’s broken more games open than anybody.”

DB: SAMAAD ALI

Birmingham Groves, senior, 6-1, 190.

Highlights: Made 74 tackles, 13 for a loss, with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. “He’s our most versatile player,” coach Brendan Flaherty said. “He’s a strong safety type, but also played half the field. He played defensive end; he got to do a lot of stuff. He’s a ferocious hitter and he really gets after it.” Drawing interest from MAC schools.

DB: TYLER LAURENTIUS

Novi Detroit Catholic Central, senior, 5-10, 175.

Highlights: Intercepted four passes and made 65 tackles, including 36 solos, for the Shamrocks. “He was a very good athlete and played with a great deal of courage and passion,” coach Tom Mach said. “He’s a tough guy that broke up a lot of passes. His leadership on the field and his hitting ability are outstanding.” Uncommitted.

COACH: BRENDAN FLAHERTY

Birmingham Groves, 15th season (10-1, 7-0 OAA Blue).

Highlights: Guided the Falcons to an undefeated regular season and a playoff win, a 10-0 shutout of Farmington Hills Harrison. “I think we accomplished a lot,” he said. “We had a lot of great players making big plays at the right time.”

Walled Lake Western’s Kyle Thomas

SLOT: EMANUEL JACKSON

Novi, senior, 6-feet, 180 pounds.

Highlights: Had 800 yards rushing and 1,000 receiving — numbers flipped from 2014 — and caught 92 passes this fall. “He’s the most talented kid I’ve been around so far,” coach Jeff Burnside said. “He can catch, he can run, he sees a hole when he needs to, he can break tackles; he does what he needs to do.” Committed to Western Michigan.

OL: TOM KOWALKOSKI

Novi Detroit Catholic Central, senior, 6-4, 280.

Highlights: He bench-presses 500 pounds and squats 525, so it’s no wonder Shamrock backs followed Kowalkoski’s lead. “He’s got technique, movement and strength,” coach Tom Mach said. “He’s been a tremendously hard worker the past two years. Our motto is ‘Discipline and knowledge’ and he fits that to a T.” Committed to Boston College.

OL: JOSH BENSON

Lake Orion, senior, 5-11, 265.

Highlights: The Dragons’ center has a 3.95 GPA. “He’s also a wrestler and plays the position as a wrestler,” coach Chris Bell said. “His first three steps are quick and he has great leverage. He can run-block and pass-block; he has no issues. He hits heavy and stays on blocks. He’s a nightmare for people to play against.” Uncommitted.

OL: CAMERON KOLWICH

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, senior, 6-4, 270.

Highlights: The Eaglets rushed for 25 touchdowns behind their captain and two-year starter. “He’s a smart offensive lineman, very technique-oriented, and he has good strength and good feet,” coach George Porritt said. “He’s tough, very physical and follows through with blocks. He plays to the whistle.” Committed to Northwestern.

OL: TYLER SHREVE

Walled Lake Western, senior, 6-4, 270.

Highlights: Shreve’s dependability in the trenches was a factor in the Warriors breaking their school scoring record this fall. “He brings intensity and a confidence to the guys up front,” coach Mike Zdebski said. “He’s a guy that really takes charge. He’s a powerful young man who’s worked hard in the weight room.” Offered by Ferris State.

OL: BRADY ANDERSON

Birmingham Groves, junior, 6-0, 225.

Highlights: Anderson’s athleticism powered the Falcons, who rushed for 2,200 yards and allowed no sacks. “He’s a tremendous athlete, a former year-round swimmer and he’s in fantastic condition,” coach Brendan Flaherty said. “He’s over-qualified athletically; he’s tenacious, nimble and moves real well.” Also plays defensive end.

E: DESMOND FITZPATRICK

Waterford Mott, senior, 6-3, 195.

Highlights: The transfer from Farmington caught 60 passes for 1,315 yards and scored 25 touchdowns. Defensively, he intercepted seven passes, returning two for scores. “He made a great impact on both sides of the ball,” coach Chris Fahr said. “He was amazing. You’ll have a hard time finding anyone who’s a better player.” Committed to Louisville.

QB: TRISHTON JACKSON

West Bloomfield, senior, 6-2, 185.

Highlights: Scoring TDs as a running quarterback, a receiver and punt returner, Jackson led the Lakers to the OAA Red crown and a 9-0 regular-season mark. “He brought the program to a level it’s never been before,” coach Ron Bellamy said. “His biggest quality is his ability to make plays — he finds a way.” Committed to Michigan State.

QB: KYLE THOMAS

Walled Lake Western, senior (captain), 5-11, 170.

Highlights: The dual-threat quarterback set a school record with over 2,150 passing yards, while also rushing for over 750 and scoring 10 TDs. “In terms of a high school quarterback, he’s everything you want for a spread offense,” coach Mike Zdebski said. “He brings a successful winning attitude to the program.” Uncommitted.

RB: JOEY CLIFFORD

Brighton, senior, 6-1, 205.

Highlights: Rushed for over 4,000 yards as a 3-year starter, including 1,659 this fall. “He’s a downhill runner, and he can outrun most everybody,” coach Brian Lemons said. “He is a great kid; tough and humble. He’s so far under the radar someone (coaching a college team) is going to get lucky.” Uncommited.

RB: KYLE BRUNSON

Farmington, senior, 6-0, 195.

Highlights: Averaged 7.0 yards per carry, racking up 1,170 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Falcons this fall. “His biggest selling point is his toughness,” coach John Bechtel said. “He’s a bruiser, he’s a hard-nosed runner and he likes running over people. He was a great leader for us.” Considering Ohio and Kansas, among others.

K/P: JOHN CAMILLERI

Walled Lake Western, senior, 6-0, 160.

Highlights: Powerful leg produced 28 touchbacks from 58 kickoffs. Also hit 59 of 62 extra point attempts and 10 field goals, the longest was 46 yards. “He hits all the clutch field goals when we need them,” coach Mike Zdebski said. “He didn’t have as many field goals this year, but that’s a direct correlation of how many touchdowns we scored.”

—Teams selected by Mick McCabe, capsules written by Wright Wilson

All-North football first-team defense
All-North football: Second team, honorable mention

Novi Detroit Catholic Central’s Alex Bock runs for a big gain against Birmingham Brother Rice. The Shamrocks tied for first in their division and won a district title.

Coming off a season without a playoff appearance for the first time in seven years, Novi Detroit Catholic Central really needed someone who could incite the team to play at the level that followers expect.

Alex Bock filled that role for the resurgent Shamrocks, who won a district title and finished in a three-way tie atop the Catholic League’s rugged Central Division.

“Every team needs a go-to guy, the guy that makes big plays when you need them, and Alex was the guy this year,” coach Tom Mach said. “You’ve got to find a play or something to get excited about in the game, and he did that a whole lot toward the end of the year. He made big plays against big opponents and that really inspired the whole team into playing a lot better.”

Opponents never knew when Bock was going to strike next. The versatile three-year starter ran for two touchdowns, had two receiving touchdowns, and returned two punts and three kickoffs into the end zone. He also intercepted three passes and had 43 tackles, including 28 solo.

Mach said Bock’s signature play came in a victory against defending Division 2 state champion Warren De La Salle. After the Pilots marched down the field and scored fairly easily, Bock took the ensuing kickoff back for six points and “that just changed the whole momentum. We really needed to win that game. It was pretty inspirational and we really took off after that.”

It wasn’t a one-time occurrence.

Against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Bock had a 99-yard kickoff return TD and brought another back 74 yards. When the Shamrocks fell behind eventual state champion Romeo early in the Division 1 regional, CC made a game of it after Bock scored on a 90-yard kick return and added a 72-yard touchdown catch.

“Obviously he’s our big-play man; he’s broken more games open than anybody,” Mach said. “He’s been that way in the Catholic League for three years. He’s got great athletic ability; he’s multitalented and plays multiple positions for us.”

The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder played wide receiver and running back, returned kicks and punts and used to be the Shamrocks’ field goal kicker. Mach said his best spot is in the defensive secondary.

“I think he’s one of the best defensive backs we’ve ever had at Catholic Central,” he said. “We put him on the best opponent and he does a very, very good job defending. Nobody has done very well against him.”

According to Mach, Bock is drawing interest from Division II and Ivy League colleges.

“Somebody’s going to take a chance on him and they’ll be glad they did,” he said.

All-North football first-team defense

■COACH OF THE YEAR: Another of Oakland County’s revived programs was Birmingham Groves, as Brendan Flaherty guided the Falcons to an undefeated regular season and a signature playoff victory.

“I think we accomplished a lot,” Flaherty said. “We had great players making big plays at the right time. It was not just an amazing season, but just part of our resurgence.”

The Falcons sailed through the Oakland Activities Association’s Blue Division, soundly defeating all seven opponents to grab their first crown since sharing a title with North Farmington in 2011. But what really put Groves in the spotlight was a 10-0 win over Farmington Hills Harrison, the OAA White champions, in the opening week of the playoffs.

“That was huge,” Flaherty said. “Coach (John) Herrington is a legend — he’s a guy you’d like to emulate. It was a tough draw for us to get them out of the gate, but our kids bought in and just believed that we could beat them.”

Flaherty, in his 15th year leading Groves and 23rd year overall, credited his staff and feeder programs for the Falcons’ rise.

“I have a great staff. Most of them are in the building and they are working with our kids. That has been key,” he said. “It’s definitely not a ‘me’ thing. I’ve got a great administration and community, and our (Birmingham Patriots) youth football program and the team at Berkshire Middle School have helped. We’re in a sweet spot.”

All-North football: Second team, honorable mention

Honor teams!

Come back all week for the Detroit Free Press’ football honor teams. Read about previous teams at usatodayhss.com/market/detroit.

■Saturday: All-West

■Sunday: All-state

Vote Michigan!

USA TODAY High School Sports is looking for the best football program in the country, and Detroit King,

Lowell and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s are in the running. Go to contest.usatodayhss.com/football to vote.

Standout Lansing Catholic Central quarterback Tony Poljan poses for pictures after practice Wednesday August 18 2015.

The Spartans hosted a pair of talented in-state prospects on unofficial visits Wednesday. The players watched the Michigan State Spartans practice ahead of Saturday’s Big Ten Championship Game against Iowa, and then were able to watch the Spartan basketball squad take on Louisville in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Tony Poljan of Lansing Catholic High School

Poljan recently decommitted from Minnesota following their coaching changes. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound prospect has starred as a quarterback for Lansing Catholic, but many see his greatest potential at the next level as a tight end. Nebraska is the most recent team to offer him a scholarship and the Spartans are taking a serious look as well. Poljan reminds me of former Iowa Hawkeye and NFL tight end Scott Chandler as far as size and athletic ability. If the Spartans have scholarship room, Poljan would be an outstanding addition.

Brad Tanner of Romeo High School

The 6-foot-1 185-pound Tanner is seeing his recruiting stock take off after he helped lead Romeo High School to the Division 1 Championship over perennial powerhouse Detroit Cass Tech.  Tanner scored 26 touchdowns this fall playing running back, receiver and returning kicks for the Bulldogs. He scored 3 touchdowns in the win over Detroit Cass Tech and provided outstanding defense on the Technicians talented corps of receivers. The Spartans could be looking at Tanner as a preferred walk-on or potential grey-shirt option depending on the scholarship numbers. Though he can play multiple positions, the Spartans project Tanner as a defensive back.

Ohio offensive lineman enjoys MSU visit

Offensive lineman Sam Gerak of Avon High School is one of the top prospects at his position in the state of Ohio for the class of 2017. Last weekend, the 6-foot-3, 285-pound recruit was in East Lansing watching the Spartans defeat Penn State.

“I attended the Oregon game but there were too many people there to be able to talk to the coaches. This time I had the opportunity to talk to coaches (Jim) Bollman and (Mark) Staten and really enjoyed my visit. I look forward to getting up there early in 2016 and continuing the recruiting process with them.”

Gerak already has a solid list of offers and it is possible he is on the short list of prospects the staff is evaluating for a scholarship. We spoke with him about his current list of offers and what feedback he has received from the MSU staff.

“I have offers from Northwestern, Illinois, Rutgers, Ohio, Toledo and Bowling Green. Coach Bollman commented that the staff likes how I finish plays and that they would be evaluating additional offers early in 2016. I hope to hear from them soon. If I receive an offer, I’ll definitely be back up in January or February for a basketball game or junior day.”

Offensive line recruiting is always important. The crop of lineman in Michigan for the class of 2017 does not appear to be especially strong. At this time, only one in-state player has multiple Power Five offers and Michigan State has yet to offer. Contrast that with Ohio, where Gerak is one of half a dozen prospects that already have multiple Power Five scholarship offers on the table.

Matt Dorsey is a recruiting analyst for Rivals.com and SpartanMag.com

River Rouge high school senior wide receiver Aaron Vinson practices at the schools field in River Rouge Michigan Tuesday, September 22, 2015.

Second team

Offense

E: Darron Wheeler, Belleville

OL: Marouf Hamade, Fordson

OL: Jacob Jenkins, Thurston

OL: Isaac Wyckoff, River Rouge

OL: Corey Reed, Dearborn

OL: Kyle Foster, Livonia Stevenson

E: Traivon Clayton, Robichaud

QB: Denzel Adams, Livonia Franklin

RB: Da’Raun McKinney, Melvindale

RB: Dontell Hampton, Trenton

RB: Alexander Carter, River Rouge

K: Hunter Morse, New Boston Huron

Defense

DL: Adnan Silmi, Fordson

DL: Nick Edney, Garden City

DL: Austin Simpson, Churchill

DL: Justice Williams, Belleville

LB: Tyler Chase, Riverview

LB: Marquise Hathaway, Redford Union

LB: George Douglas, Belleville

DB: Reggie Pearson, River Rouge

DB: Nate Bunton, Stevenson

DB: Aaron Vinson, River Rouge

DB: Devon Carson, Lincoln Park

Honorable mention

Receivers: Neal Smorch, Grosse Ile; Ollie Berry, Dearborn; Chad Gaillard, Dearborn Edsel Ford; Victor Abraham, Plymouth; Zach Kohn, Gibraltar Carlson; Mike Hill, Livonia Churchill; Brennon Pelland, Canton.

Linemen: Sean Stephens, Allen Park; Mustafa Khaleefah, Dearborn; Kyle Foster, Stevenson; James Slone, Kennedy; Dylan Clark, Churchill; Wyatt Gardocki, Riverview; Devin Obrec, Canton; Elie Atallah, Plymouth; Austin Sheffer, Plymouth.

Quarterbacks: Patrick Czarnecki, Trenton; Steve Glenn, Lincoln Park; Michael Phillips, Dearborn; Chris Tanderys, Stevenson; Hamze Elzayat, Fordson; Conner Sampson, Belleville; Tyler Thorington, Wyandotte; Matt Hartwick; Jairus Grissom, Robichaud; Nate Holmgren, Carlson; Antoine Burgess, River Rouge; Evan Cummins, Churchill; Justin Roberts, Flat Rock; Jake Lipetzky, Riverview Richard.

Running backs: Austin Petrie, Stevenson; Michael Carter, Robichaud; Dajon McGregon, Truman; Daniel Rice, Riverview; Josh Blaszczak, Riverview Richard; Shane Conn, Summit Academy.

Linebackers: Kobe Williams, Thurston; Lou Baechler, Canton; Devonte Pipkins, River Rouge; Grant McClellan, Trenton; Loren Sauve, Trenton; Darius Timmons, Plymouth.

Defensive backs: Larry Rivers, Annapolis; Hussein Fayz, Crestwood; Devonni Reed, Belleville; I’land Amerson, Taylor Kennedy; Ryan Fish, Allen Park; Muhammed Sanders, Kennedy; Colin Troup, Canton.

Kickers/punters: Jake Giacobbi, Franklin; Sean Stenzel, Churchill; Wesley Fiema, Wyandotte.

ryan tracy, livonia franklin

First-team defense

DL: Ryan Tracy

Livonia Franklin, senior (captain), 6 feet, 260 pounds.

Highlights: Tracy had 65 tackles, 10 for loss, and four sacks. Tracy also played tight end at midseason and made a huge impact on the running game for the state semifinalists. “He was there to block and get the edge for us,” coach Chris Kelbert said. “He’s the kid that put in hours and hours in the weight room in the summer to be the best he could be, and it worked out for him.”

DL: Jalen Cochran

Canton, senior, 6-4, 235.

Highlights: The three-year starter has offers from Iowa, Iowa State and many others. He recovered one fumble, forced another and added an interception to go with 39 tackles, 41/2 sacks and three batted passes. “His biggest asset was how much ground he could cover in the flats on pass coverage or bringing him off the edge,” coach Tim Baechler said. “He also had a knack for making an explosive, momentum-changing play when our team needed it.”

DL: Matt Compeau

Wyandotte, senior, 6-0, 185.

Highlights: Had 74 tackles, 71/2 sacks for 45 yards in losses, and seven forced fumbles. He also scored a touchdown on a blocked punt and had a safety. Coach Ron Adams: “Matt had a great year for us. What he lacked in size he made up for with strength and speed. Matt was selected our defensive player of the year.”

DL: Matt Komorous

Northville, senior, 6-2, 295.

Highlights: Had 46 tackles, including four sacks and a fumble recovery for a team that won the league title and went undefeated until the district final. The 10-1 record was the most wins in a season for Northville. “Matt’s combination of size, strength and discipline aided him in becoming one of the most dominant interior defensive linemen in our school’s recent history,” coach Matt Ladach said.

LB: Demarco McKinney

Livonia Churchill, senior, 6-0, 225.

Highlights: In 10 games, McKinney had 117 tackles, 71 solo, two sacks and 11 tackles for loss. He added two interceptions with a pick-six, plus a safety. Coach Bill DeFillippo: “He’s the heart of our defense at middle linebacker. Had a tremendous year for us and was the obvious leader. Very consistent player, good versus the run but athletic to play against the pass as well. No weaknesses in his game.”

LB: Nate Berrelez

Allen Park, senior, 5-11, 190.

Highlights: The three-year starter made 62 tackles and had an interception for a pick-six. Coach Tom Hoover: “Nate helped set the tone in several games this season with his physical play.” Berrelez also was the leading ballcarrier on offense, gaining 863 yards on 150 carries (5.75 average). The offense averaged 38 points per game.

LB: Trevor Anderson

Lincoln Park, senior, 5-8, 165.

Highlights: He recorded 65 tackles and two interceptions. He also moved to safety when needed. Racked up 1,339 all-purpose yards rushing, receiving and returning kicks. Coach Jamie Grignon: “He was like an iron man, playing with a bad shoulder. Never came out of the game, like having a coach on the field. Would knock down passes on ‘D,’ and he could go from one position to another in the offensive backfield.” Team reached the playoffs for the first time in 13 years.

DB: Hassan Hachem

Dearborn Fordson, senior, 5-11, 185.

Highlights: The team MVP had six interceptions, 15 pass breakups, 25 tackles and a sack. He also scored six touchdowns on special teams, and on offense made 39 catches for 456 yards and three TDs, rushing 27 times for 300 yards and two additional TDs. Coach Fouad Zaban: “Anytime we needed a big play, he was the one who stepped up and made it. Is a leader by example, was always positive with his teammates and worked as hard as anyone in practice.”

DB: Jamal Allen

Livonia Churchill, junior, 6-0, 185.

Highlights: Will be a three-year starter before graduating next year. Had 60 tackles and five INTs, including two pick-six touchdowns. Has early offers from two MAC schools. Coach Bill DeFillippo: “A terrifically talented kid with tremendous ability and good speed. A terrific athlete with the ability to make plays.”

DB: Jared Stephens

Canton, senior, 6-0, 180.

Highlights: Stephens grabbed three interceptions and made 56 tackles. Has one Division II offer. On a team that rarely throws the ball, Stephens was the leading receiver with 11 catches for 279 yards, He also rushed for 701 yards and 14 TDs on 120 carries. Coach Tim Baechler: “He was an explosive playmaker for us this year on both sides of the ball, and he was our team MVP this year. He played sick and hurt and has a lot of football savvy. A true football player.”

DB: Jack Burke

Northville, junior, 6-0, 184.

Highlights: Burke was a leader with 75 tackles, one sack, 12 breakups and five INTs, including a pick-six. In the 28 times he carried the ball, he scored three touchdowns and led the team with a 7.8-yard average. “Jack is one of the best athletes in our program,” coach Matt Ladach said. “He is one of our most intelligent student-athletes, and he is a true leader. He has a thorough understanding of our offense and our defense. He’s like a coach on the field.”

— Teams selected by Mick McCabe; capsules written by Tom Lang.

Justin Zimbo, Northville

First-team offense

Slot: Alonzo McCoy

Redford Thurston, senior, 5-foot-10, 185 pounds.

Highlights: McCoy showed his versatility by playing almost every position at some point, which led to 1,815 all-purpose yards. He led Thurston in rushing, receiving yards and interceptions. He scored 21 touchdowns and also threw two touchdown passes and made 89 tackles. Coach Bob Snell: “There were games he was a highlight reel all to himself.”

OL: Alex Angelas

Northville, senior, 6-2, 315.

Highlights: While playing occasional defense and notching 26 tackles, coach Matt Ladach credited Angelas with leading an offensive line that protected the QB extremely well. “I don’t know that he gave up a single sack all season. The majority of our interior run plays went behind Alex. We were either running to his side, or he was pulling through the hole.”

OL: Michael Jordan

Plymouth, senior, 6-6, 300.

Highlights: Called the best offensive lineman to come through the Plymouth program, Jordan is headed to Ohio State. “He’s a big kid that only came off the field for special teams,” coach Mike Sawchuk said.

“Offensively, he didn’t give up a single sack all year, just a dominating blocker, averaging about six pancakes a game. He’s an international business student, great kid; but when he gets on the field, he’s all nasty.”

OL: Josh Retting

Livonia Franklin, senior, 6-2, 241.

Highlights: Retting was the anchor of the line for a team that reached the state semifinals and rushed for more than 4,900 yards, a school record. Coach Chris Kelbert said: “Josh was our team leader on the line, both sides, our best two-way lineman. A very intelligent student and football player.” The team captain made 46 tackles, seven for loss.

OL: Dylan Pasquali

Trenton, senior, 6-4, 290.

Highlights: Trenton had more than 3,000 yards rushing and 1,500 passing, of which 80%-90% went behind Pasquali’s lead. He also played DT and recorded 85 tackles with 61/2 sacks and a pick-six interception. “He has great feet, he’s really strong and just plays hard, and when you get a kid that size that plays hard, you’ve got a good one,” coach Bob Czarnecki said.

OL: Ryan Compean

Allen Park, senior, 5-11, 260.

Highlights: A three-year starter at center, he was the stalwart of an offensive line that helped the team gain 3,421 yards rushing (averaged 285 per game). Coach Tom Hoover said: “He hustles, works his butt off. The better the center, the less you notice them is my belief; he just quietly did a great job. I don’t think he gave us a bad snap all three years, including all the shotguns.”

E: Frank Carlin

Livonia Stevenson, senior, 5-9, 175.

Highlights: Carlin had 57 carries for 355 yards and six TDs, 40 receptions for 545 yards and five TDs, plus 15 kick returns for 239 yards. Playing some DB, he made 16 tackles. Coach Randy Micallef: “Frank was a tireless worker who was the complete football player. He would block, tackle. He didn’t have to have the ball in his hands to make an impact on the game.”

QB: Justin Zimbo

Northville, senior (captain), 6-0, 191.

Highlights: Was 98-for-165 passing for 1,488 yards and 15 TDs, and rushed 148 times for 798 yards with 11 TDs. Coach Matt Ladach: “The biggest thing about him is he has the ‘it factor.’ Whatever it is, he has it going on. Under pressure, he’s real cool, doesn’t panic. He protects the football, and during crunch time he’s the guy you want on your side.”

RB: Markus Sanders

Canton, junior, 5-8, 180.

Highlights: Sanders dashed to three school records at one of the state’s top programs: 266 carries for 2,495 yards, an average of 191.9 yards per game. He scored 31 touchdowns. “Extremely quick and strong,” coach Tim Baechler said. “He gains a lot of yards after first contact. He is very difficult to tackle one-on-one. He has great vision and balance.”

RB: Cam Stella

Plymouth, senior, 5-11, 180.

Highlights: Stella missed three regular-season games and most of the first playoff game with an injury, yet gained more than 1,000 yards rushing. “He reminded me of Edgerrin James, with the ability to stop and start on a dime,” coach Mike Sawchuk said. “He’s a talented, gifted runner, with great speed and great vision. He is so smooth and fluid it never looked like he was 100% sprinting, then you’d see him beating everyone.”

RB: David Long

Wyandotte, senior, 5-8, 190.

Highlights: Had 174 carries for 1,000 yards, 16 touchdowns with a long of 81 yards, and was named team MVP. “He was a powerful runner,” coach Ron

Adams said. “David was one of the top scorers in our league. He was effective as a receiver out of the

backfield.” Also recorded 43 tackles at linebacker.

K: Jake Moody

Northville, sophomore, 5-10, 152.

Highlights: Moody was 9-for-12 on field-goal attempts, two for more than 50 yards, and was 34-for-38 on extra points. “Jake is a weapon,” coach Matt Ladach said. “He consistently sets up our defense for success by burying opponents on kickoffs. His range and accuracy on field goals make him invaluable.”

All-West football first-team defense
All-West football: Second team, honorable mention

River Rouge head coach Corey Parker cheers on his team against Grand Rapids West Catholic during 2nd half action in the MHASS Division 5 football championships at Ford Field in Detroit, Nov. 28, 2015. Grand Rapids West Catholic defeated River Rouge 40-34.

The 9-0 regular-season record was almost the perfect ending to the senior quarterback’s high school career. A district title and beyond would have made it better.

Justin Zimbo was the catalyst for Northville’s run to a season that ended at 10-1 with a 34-27 loss to Canton in a Division 1 district final. Many would say the Mustangs wouldn’t have come nearly that close to the most wins in Northville history without him.

“We feel great having a 9-0 season, because it’s been over 50 years since Northville had a 9-0 season and we’re the first class to reach 10 wins, so that’s a big accomplishment,” said Zimbo, the offensive captain of the Detroit Free Press All-West first team.

This from a Northville team that went 6-3 last year and lost three offensive linemen to college programs.

Zimbo was a second-year starter and third-year varsity player for the Mustangs, a do-everything quarterback who ran for 798 yards on 148 carries and 11 touchdowns. He was 98-for-165 passing for 1,488 yards and 15 TDs.

“Justin has an innate ability to make plays, even when things break down around him,” coach Matt Ladach said. “He’s smooth under pressure, and his toughness is absolutely admirable. He played through multiple injuries this season, and people outside of our program never even knew it.”

Zimbo missed the game against Plymouth Salem because of an injury.

Many fans and players sweat over statistics, but Zimbo seems to take them in stride as long as they come with a team “W.” Zimbo said he liked his completion percentage, but he believes he could have gained a few more yards.

“I think the play-calling by the coaches was great, I just wished we could have won a district,” he said.

Zimbo said he has played football for 10 years, and has played quarterback about half that time. He also played running back and linebacker growing up but stuck to the offensive side of the ball in high school.

“I like to be in charge, be a leader, and the offensive side of the game is in your hands,” Zimbo said. “The offensive line was great this year, and the defense kept us in every game.”

Ladach agreed about Zimbo’s leadership skills — on and off the field.

“He’s always well composed — not a whole lot that really bothers him,” Ladach said about Zimbo’s command of the huddle.

“Justin’s a good guy, very likeable, good kid in school, very friendly with everyone at the school. He definitely has the respect of his peers and isn’t afraid to tell people what they need to hear, but he goes about it in a way that’s very tactful and well respected.”

Zimbo would like to use those skills as a high school gym teacher.

“I think it would be a fun job,” he said. “And I think I’d be good at working with kids.”

Coach of the year:

Corey Parker, River Rouge

Corey Parker said River Rouge football is ahead of the pace he and the coaching staff set as a goal when coming on board seven seasons ago.

Reaching the state finals in 10 years was the plan, one that was accelerated to Year 7 when River Rouge reached Ford Field before a 40-34 loss to Grand Rapids West Catholic in Division 5.

“This is some great news after a bitter defeat,” Parker said of the award. “Definitely a blessing and something I am thankful for.

“This is a program that we hold up as a ministry to the kids, making sure we wrap our arms around all the kids while uplifting them, showing them the respect they might not get elsewhere. We want to show them how to be successful in all things.”

Parker said the Panthers’ program had six consecutive losing seasons before he took over, and has since gone 54-20 (12-2 this year) with one losing season. He is also dean of students at the school.

“I heard from other coaches saying what a great job our program did to get to Ford Field in seven years,” Parker said. “However, the next step is getting there again and reaching the ultimate goal of a state championship. We’ve got a really good group of JV guys and backups this year who can all step up in key roles and help keep us going.”

All-West football first-team offense
All-West football first-team defense
All-West football: Second team, honorable mention

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh

With no football game today, Michigan’s coaches are working the recruiting trail.

So far, so good as the Wolverines landed a 2017 four-star offensive tackle, Ja’Raymond Hall from Oak Park, according to Scout.com.

#Michigan lands 4-star 2017 OT Jaraymond Hall: scout.com/college/footba… https://t.co/sXca7rt64t

—
Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) December 05, 2015

Hall later tweeted confirmation of the commitment: “I’m excited to announce that I’m committing to The University Of Michigan #goblue“

I'm excited to announce that I'm committing to The University Of Michigan #goblue 〽️ https://t.co/PdBPplFgtp

—
HOLLYWOOD-HALL (@hall_american) December 05, 2015

Hall, 6-foot-5, 272 pounds, is the No. 196 overall player in the class by Scout’s rankings and the No. 21 tackle in the class.

Rivals lists him at the No. 9 junior in the state.

He is the fourth commit in the class, joining Birmingham Brother Rice tight end Carter Dunaway, Covington (Ga.) Newton tailback Kurt Taylor, and Montreal (Vieux) defensive back Benjamin St-Juste.

Verbal commitments are not binding and those players cannot sign a letter-of-intent until February 2017.

Contact Mark Snyder at msnyder@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @mark__snyder. Download our new Wolverines Xtra app on iTunes and Android!

John Shillito led Zeeland West to its fourth state title this year. He is 111-22 in 11 seasons at West, 29-5 in the playoffs.

Muskegon Orchard View was unbeaten in 1993 with a pair of players who would go on to play Division I college football when it met Belding in the state playoffs. Without a Division I player on its roster, Irv Sigler’s Belding team and his wing-T offense defeated Orchard View, 34-15.

Despite being an I-formation team back then, there was something about the wing-T that fascinated Orchard View coach John Shillito.

“We looked at it and felt we did not have the guys to do what we were doing,” Shillito said, “but we felt like we had guys to do what they were doing.”

The next season Orchard View made the move to the wing-T — and high school football in Michigan hasn’t been the state since.

Shillito has since ended up at Zeeland West, completing his 11th season there this fall by winning the school’s fourth state championship and being named the Free Press’ 2015 All-State Dream Team coach of the year.

There are many teams in the state that employ the wing-T, but few run it like West runs it — two tight ends and a full-house backfield.

“People give it a lot of names,” Shillito said. “You hear the power-T, but we don’t care what they call it. We know what we’re going to run.”

Shillito, 58, has had an amazing coaching career, beginning as an assistant coach in 1979 at Remus-Chippewa Hills.

His first head coaching job came at Comstock Park in 1982, but he had known long before that he was going to teach and coach — as far back as the eighth grade at Royal Oak’s Mary Lyon Junior High.

“I had a teacher and a coach named Dave Dursum and he taught history,” Shillito recalled. “It might have been perfect timing. He was just a really, really good hands-on kind of history teacher and he coached football. I came from an athletic family, my dad played minor league baseball, and so it was part of who I was.

“I wanted to teach history and coach football.”

A history major with an education emphasis at Central Michigan, where he also played football, Shillito taught U.S. history for over 20 years before moving into the physical education department.

“I still like it,” he said. “I’m still kind of a history buff.”

Not only has Shillito taught history, he has made history with his version of the wing-T. He has become the state’s foremost authority on the offense and now he teaches others.

“We share with people that run it,” Shillito said. “I think that’s one of the great things about high school coaching. There’s a lot of brotherhood in our fraternity.”

Over the years, Shillito has had unparalleled success with the offense. After 14 seasons at Orchard View he moved to East Kentwood, which he had in the state finals three years later. Following the 2003 season he moved to Zeeland, which was preparing to open a second high school, so Shillito had a year to prepare for its first season in 2005.

A year later, West won the first of its four state championships.

In his 32 seasons as a head coach, Shillito has a 266-83 record. His 11 West teams have a remarkable 111-22 record with an amazing 29-5 mark in the state playoffs.

It is difficult to compare teams, but the players on the current West team have had a lengthy history with Shillito and his coaches.

“We really felt like our group of seniors were a special group as how they’ve gone about their time,”he said. “This group goes back to third-graders and they’ve been around our program a lot. They’re good kids and they’ve really been a pleasure to work with.”

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.