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.
First-team offense
E: Mike Hill
Livonia Churchill, senior, 5-10, 170
Highlights: Hill earned 1,036 yards on 51 receptions and turned nine into touchdowns. He also went in on defense in passing situations to lock down receivers. Also returned kicks for the Chargers. Coach Bill DeFillippo: “Mike is one of the best route runners I have coached. He has great hands and really uses great technique for separation. We created as many ways possible to get him the ball.”
OL: Aidan Hutchinson
Dearborn Divine Child, junior, 6-6, 245
Highlights: First-year offensive lineman dominated with strength, power and technique, anchoring the left side. On defense had 68 tackles, 11 sacks and a fumble recovery for touchdown. Coach John Filiatraut: “Aidan is a very talented player with all the physical tools to be great; however, it is his passion and drive to be great that separate him. He plays with great intensity each and every play.”
OL: Bobby Madley
Livonia Franklin, senior, 6-3, 255
Highlights: a two-year starting guard on the offensive line. Also made 32 tackles (3 for loss) playing defense. Coach Chris Kelbert: “The only way we are good offensively is if we have good guards and Bobby is one of the best we have ever had. In the past two years we have run for more than 7,000 yards. Bobby Madley has been the lead blocker on most of those yards.”
OL: Joe Supernois
Plymouth, senior, 5-11, 265
Highlights: Three-year starter at center anchored the line for team’s 1,800-plus yards rushing and over 1,200 yards passing. Coach Mike Sawchuk: “Joe was a grinder who loved to play physical. He made all our run and pass pro calls, which is a huge responsibility in our offense. A great student athlete that totally bought in.”
OL: Julian Ezell
Wyandotte Roosevelt, senior, 6-2, 281
Highlights: Despite not playing a skill position, Ezell was team captain and voted his team’s top offensive player. Coach Ron Adams: “Offensively, we ran the ball behind Julian 90 percent of the time. His work ethic the past four years has been outstanding. Julian excels in the classroom with a 3.9 GPA. He is considering the University of Michigan for engineering.”
OL: Mustafa Khaleefah
Dearborn, senior, 6-6, 285 (captain)
Highlights: Khaleefah didn’t allow a QB sack all season; only allowed two in 3 years starting. Earned a 98 percent efficiency rating in O-line blocking. Coach John Powell: “Such a hard worker, was a soccer kid growing up, loves lifting weights and gained confidence that allowed his athletic talent to explode.” Committed to Michigan State.
E: A.J. Abbott
Northville, junior, 6-2, 180
Highlights: Led the KLAA Central division champs with 46 receptions for 906 yards and 6 touchdowns. Coach Matt Ladach: “AJ is a tremendous receiver. He can run by people, and he is also dangerous after the catch. He puts a great amount of stress on opposing defenses.”
QB: Jairus Grissom
River Rouge, senior, 6-3, 215
Highlights: Rushed for 1,390 yards and 18 TDs, and passed for over 2,000 yards and 24 TDs, with only two interceptions. Coach Cory Parker: “I was proud to watch him compete every down like it was his last. Made great plays with his arm and feet, but led the way by being an awesome teammate.” Committed to Eastern Michigan.
RB: Markus Sanders
Canton, senior, 5-7, 185
Highlights: set Canton school records for career 6,197 yards rushing and 70 touchdowns. Had 17 TD’s and 1,702 yards rushing in 2016 for 154.7 yards per game. Three-year starter. Coach Tim Baechler: “Markus was incredibly strong, had great vision and balance, and he was so difficult for one person to tackle. He has explosive quickness as well. The most impressive asset Markus had was his ability to gain yards after first contact. Great running back.”
RB: Andrew Davis
Salem, junior, 5-8, 165
Highlights: Rushed for 1,326 yards and 18 touchdowns on 165 carries. Caught 11 passes for 237 yards and 3 TDs, including 73-yard score. Coach Kurt Britnell: “Andrew is an excellent running back. He is a TD threat every time he touches the ball and can beat you inside or on the perimeter. Has the skills to be a receiving threat as well and is a physical cornerback on defense too.”
RB: Nyassinu Crowell
Livonia Franklin, senior, 5-10, 201
Highlights: Crowell averaged over 8 yards per carry on 133 runs for 1,153 yards and 17 touchdowns in 11 games. Coach Chris Kelbert: “Nuke is one of the most physical runners we have had at Franklin. What makes him a special is the combination of speed and power.”
K: Jake Moody
Northville, junior, 6-0, 171
Highlights: made 30 of 32 PAT kicks; the two misses were blocked. Made 14-of-17 field goal attempts, including 50 and 53 yards (three misses were 45 yards or more). Coach Matt Ladach: “Jake is one of our most valuable players. He can put the ball anywhere he wants on kickoffs, and he has a strong leg. Not many coaches can imagine having a kicker that they’d let (try) a 60-yard field goal. I’m blessed to say that I can.”
► All-West: From soccer to All-West captain for Dearborn’s Mustafa Khaleefah
First-team defense
DL: Ali Fayad
Dearborn, senior, 6-2, 225
Highlights: The 2-year starter recorded 60 tackles, 17 sacks (school record), 22 tackles for loss. He added 2 TDs playing tight end. Coach John Powell: “Ali’s a dominant player. So physical, so athletic. Very coachable, he was like a sponge in wanting to learn. He reads the block, sheds the block and still makes the play. Ali is humble and wants to do whatever he can to help the team.” Committed to Eastern Michigan.
DL: Liam Soraghan
Dearborn Divine Child, senior, 6-7, 240
Highlights: made 46 tackles, 6 were sacks, 7 pass deflections and 3 fumble recoveries (one for TD). Played TE on offense and caught 32 passes for 348 yards and 13 touchdowns. Coach John Filiatraut: “Liam is a great player on both sides of the ball. He has tremendous length and athletic ability, and always seemed to come up with big plays when we needed them – a big tackle, catch or block. Liam is a clutch player and a great leader.” Committed to Northern Illinois.
DL: Darrell Latham
River Rouge, senior, 6-0, 250 (captain)
Highlights: Latham recorded 82 tackles, 26 for loss, and made 15 sacks. Coach Cory Parker: “He is strong, agile and can run – definitely a hybrid player. I love his attitude and work ethic. He was our leader in the trenches.”
DL: Alex Hinojosa
Allen Park, senior, 6-2, 215
Highlights: Made 49 tackles, 8 sacks, 7 hurries, 3 fumble recoveries and a TD. Caught 4 touchdown passes on offense. Coach Tom Danosky: “Alex is tough football player and a leader. On defense, he was relentless causing havoc for opposing teams especially in the pass game. He never came off the field and never quit. He is going to be very difficult to replace.”
LB: Lou Baechler
Canton, junior, 5-10, 205
Highlights: 2-year starter with one season to go. Only third time ever teammates voted a junior the captain. Team’s leading tackler for the second season, with 83 and 5 sacks. Played TE as a blocker but caught 5 passes. Coach Tim Baechler: “Lou is very strong, but his intelligence and discipline were uncommonly good. He made all of our checks and calls defensively, could anticipate plays by understanding formations and was spot on with his reads. Perhaps his best asset is his physicality and ability to attack and get rid of blockers.”
LB: George Douglas
Belleville, senior, 6-1, 210
Highlights: Led his team in tackles for loss (7). Made 80 total (38 solo, 42 assist), 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles. Coach Jermain Crowell: “An awesome utility back and an aggressive tackler. Is a unique player because of his ability to both play in the box as well as play in space. His best football is ahead of him.” Scored five touchdowns on offense as well. Committed to Central Michigan.
LB: Jacob Simons
Carlson, junior, 5-11, 190
Highlights: made 91 tackles (24 solo, 67 assists, 10 for loss), plus one QB sack, 2 interceptions, and 3 fumble recoveries. Team captain who rarely left the field. Interim coach Ryan Buttson: “Jake was one of the top defensive players in the Downriver League. Other teams had to account for him in their offensive game plan. Jake has and extremely high football IQ and innate ability to adapt to other teams plan of attack during the game.”
DB: Reggie Pearson
River Rouge, junior, 5-10, 185
Highlights: Already committed to Wisconsin, Pearson made 120 tackles in 13 games, plus 6 pass deflections and 7 INTs. Coach Corey Parker: “Reggie’s a smart and physical player that loves the game. He does a great job being a traffic control guy and getting everyone where they need to be. He’s a coach on the field.”
DB: Jack Burke
Northville, senior, 6-1, 193
Highlights: Made 57 tackles, 7 pass break-ups, 3 interceptions (one returned for a TD). Accounted for 22 additional touchdowns on offense as quarterback; was 114-of-188 passing for 1,653 passing yards (11 TDs). Rushed 104 times for 484 yards (11 TD’s). Coach Matt Ladach: “A tremendous young man, a selfless teammate, and an awesome football player. He is among the toughest and best athletes that I have had the privilege of coaching.”
DB: Jordan Ulmer
Belleville, senior, 6-2, 190
Highlights: In just 8 games, made 83 Tackles (52 solo, 31 assist, 4 for loss). Snatched 4 interceptions, forced 4 fumbles, made 2 sacks and a punt block. Coach Jermain Crowell: “Hard hitting, vertical playing free safety. He’s a throwback player, loves to hit people. Great combination of ball skills, coverage and anticipation.” Committed to Iowa State.
DB: Jamal Allen
Livonia Churchill, senior, 6-0, 195
Highlights: The University of Toledo commit snagged two interceptions on defense, and on offense was able to grab four touchdown passes and ran for a fifth. He also retuned kicks for the Chargers. Bill DeFillippo: “Jamal is the fastest player I have coached. He is a 3-year starter and a dynamic athlete.”
Coach: Corey Parker
River Rouge, eighth year
The Panthers have qualified for the post-season playoffs every year since 2010, the year after Parker took over the head coaching job. Last year the team was state runner up to Grand Rapids West Catholic in Division 5. The school enrollment has grown and this season the Panthers made it to the semifinals before bowing out to Detroit Country Day in Div. 4.
► All-Detroit: Cass Tech’s Hall, People-Jones click on, off the field
► All-Detroit football first team offense, defense
Second team
Offense
E: Darryis King, Thurston
OL: Alex Howie, Salem
OL: Dave Gunnis, Canton
OL: Charlie Chevillet, Riverview
OL: Zac Darwiche, Fordson
OL: Devonay Dobbi, Belleville
E: Alexander Stevens, Romulus
QB: Hamze Eleayat, Fordson
RB: DaRaun McKinney, Melvindale
RB: Nyassuno Browell, Livonia Franklin
RB: Andrew Vollmerhausen, Grosse Ile
K: Trevor Goodman, Trenton
Defense
DL: Jordan Jones, Divine Child
DL: Evan Vegeman, Riverview
DL: Austin Scheffer, Plymouth
DL: Stefan Bates, Wyandotte
LB: Jalen Wellons, Woodhaven
LB: Baron Sholar, River Rouge
LB: Trenton Guthrie, Northville
DB: Elijah Cross, Lincoln Park
DB: Devonni Reed, Belleville
DB: Chris Hehasil, Livonia Franklin
DB: Jamal Allen, Churchill
► All-East: Eisenhower’s Max Wittwer helps the Eagles soar
► Detroit Free Press All-East football team
Honorable mention
Receivers: Ian Knoph, Stevenson; Austin Boike, Riverview; Andrew Miller, New Boston Huron; Hassen Beydoun, Dearborn; Adam Elder, Dearborn; Elantre Alston, Robichaud; Isaac Emminger, Plymouth; Kendrick Stanley, Wyandotte; Tyler Beachnau, Allen Park; Elantre Alston, Robichaud; Erik Gibson, Thurston; Nathan Hayes, Thurston; Lee Payton, River Rouge.
Linemen: Brandon Taylor, River Rouge; Vince Vanderroest, Salem; Brent Kosikowski, New Boston Huron; Jacob Agemy, Dearborn; Stefan Bates, Wyandotte; Jax Gasaway, Franklin; Jacob Warner, Canton; Dominic Trombley, Grosse Ile; Evan Vegeman, Riverview; Amir Siddiq, Fordson; Mason Hamilton, Flat Rock; Cam Goode, Canton; Jax Gassaway, Franklin; Joe Barney, Carlson; Josh BarneyCQ, Carlson; Stefan Bates, Carlson; De’Von Mines, Romulus; Carlos Agens, Allen Park; Christian Short, Trenton; Blake Hartsfield, Redford Union; Brandon Askins, Robichaud; Darrell Williams, Robichaud; Ali Saad, Fordson; Owen Wiewiura, Grosse Ile.
Quarterbacks: Antonio Mangiapane, Allen Park; Theo Day, Divine Child; Connor Charping, Trenton; Alex Theissen, Woodhaven; Evan Cummins, Churchill; Jacob Clark, Franklin; Chris Tanderys, Stevenson; Justin Moores, Grosse Ile; Jahz Watts, Belleville; Mikey Phillips, Dearborn; Jaylin Tatum, Romulus; Jacob Dotson, Flat Rock; Jaylin Franklin, Carlson; Jahz Watts, Belleville.
Running back: Jalen Wellons, Woodhaven; Raekwon Castelow, Woodhaven; Reid Paffhausen, Allen Park; Mike Foor, Airport; Demetrius Dowd, Thurston; Hussien Hannawi, Dearborn; Reid McDonnell, Canton; Sameer Tayeb, Flat Rock; Nick Becker, New Boston Huron; Isaac Grant, Redford Union; Julian Thornton, Canton; Darius Timmons, Plymouth; Allen Woodard, Wyandotte; Kabian Graham, Southgate; Marquise Hathaway, Redford Union; Thorton Caine, Redford Union; Demetrius Dowd, Thurston; Alex Carter, River Rouge.
Linebackers: Trevo Nowaske, Salem; Lyth Shalout, Dearborn; Issa Khali, Dearborn; Sameer Tayeb, Flat Rock; Noah Brown, Canton; Jacob Maas, Franklin; Javante Van Buren, Churchill; Logan Freier, Churchill; Zavion McCrary, Carnson; Tyler Marsee, Allen Park; Jacob Simons, Carlson; Mohamed Amen, Fordson; Eric Gillis, Divine Child; Brendan Speer, Melvindale; Stephen McGill, River Rouge.
Defensive backs: Chris Hehasil, Franklin; Josh Moskall, Grosse Ile; Cameron Stitt, Flat Rock; Kejuan Wilkins, Dearborn; Devon Carson, Lincoln Park; Colin Troup, Canton; Jacob Donnelly, Canton; Chase Timko, Plymouth; Chris Hehasil, Franklin; Jake Olsen, Churchill; Ryan Fish, Allen Park; Dontel Hampton, Trenton; Devin Dunn, Stevenson; Keion Harris, Thurston.
Kickers/punters: Hunter Morse, New Boston Huron; Ben Tubaro, Canton.
► All-North: Cody White did it all for Walled Lake Western