Area athletes honored by Great Lakes 8 West

By JASON JUNO

[email protected]

Three players from Gogebic, two from Ontonagon and one from Ironwood were named to the Great Lakes Eight West all-conference First Team in voting by coaches after the regular season.

Gogebic’s Bode Lynott earned the offensive hybrid spot with Wyatt Aspinwall at linebacker and Jayden Verrett in the defensive hybrid slot. Ontonagon’s Austin Gordon was selected at quarterback with teammate Caden Besonen chosen at wide receiver and defensive back (he was also a Second Team running back). Ironwood’s Evan Oja was picked as a First Team linebacker.

The Miners’ Leland Hollenbeck and Forest Park’s Dietrich Rasner are the conference’s top kickers and Gogebic’s Patrick Perron the punter. Hollenbeck is also a Second Team linebacker.

Ironwood’s Brendan McCullough (QB), Eli Ruotsala (hybrid) and Madden Sommer (DL), Ontonagon’s Brody Bobula (WR, DB) and Rex Strong (DL), Gogebic’s Ben Kaurala (WR), Eli Hewitt (OL), Cooper Anderson (OL), Matt Switzer (DL) and Aiden Partanen (DB) were honored on the Second Team.

North Central’s Lane Gorzinski was named Offensive Player of the Year with Leo Gorzinski Coach of the Year after they led the Jets to the league title. Forest Park’s Nikolas Stephens is Defensive Player of the Year.

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All-Conference Awards

Offensive Player of the Year: Lane Gorzinski, Senior, North Central

Defensive Player of the Year: Nikolas Stephens, Senior, Forest Park

Coach of the Year: Leo Gorzinski, North Central

Offense First Team

Quarterback: Austin Gordon, Ontonagon, Senior

Running backs: Grayson Sundell, Senior, Forest Park and Nate St. Onge, Senior, Lake Linden-Hubbell

Wide receivers: Caden Besonen, Ontonagon, Senior and Kaden Malone, Sophomore, North Central

Hybrid: Bode Lynott, Senior, Gogebic

Linemen: Matthew Showers, Senior, Forest Park; Kevin Giuliani, Senior, Forest Park; Spencer Willa, Senior, North Central

Offense Second Team

Quarterback: Brendan McCullough, Junior, Ironwood

Running backs: Dax Huuki, Sophomore, Forest Park and Caden Besonen, Ontonagon, Senior.

Wide receivers: Tyler Axford, Sophomore, Lake Linden-Hubbell; Brody Bobula, Ontonagon, Freshman; Ben Kaurala, Senior, Gogebic

Hybrid: Trent Kannich, Junior, Forest Park

Linemen: Eli Hewitt, Junior, Gogebic; Copper Anderson, Senior, Gogebic; Alex Drew, Senior, Lake Linden-Hubbell

Defense First Team

Linebackers: Wyatt Aspinwall, Senior, Gogebic; Evan Oja, Senior, Ironwood; Lane Gorzinski, Senior, North Central

Linemen: Spence Willa, Senior, North Central; Kevin Giuliani, Senior, Forest Park; Matthew Showers, Senior, Forest Park

Defensive backs: Aidyn Burton, Senior, North Central; Vic Giuliani, Sophomore, Forest Park; Caden Besonen, Ontonagon, senior.

Hybrid: Jayden Verrett, Sophomore, Gogebic

Defense Second Team

Linebackers: Brody Starr, Senior, Forest Park and Leland Hollenbeck, Junior, Gogebic

Linemen: Madden Sommer, Junior, Ironwood; Matt Switzer, Junior, Gogebic; and Rex Strong, Ontonagon, Senior.

Defensive backs: Josh Daaverrila, Sophomore, Lake Linden-Hubbell; Aiden Partanen, Junior, Gogebic; Brody Bobula, Ontonagon, Freshman.

Hybrid: Danny Mikus, Senior, Lake Linden-Hubbell and Eli Ruotsala, Junior, Ironwood

Specialists

Kicker: Dietrich Rasner, Sophomore, Forest Park and Leland Hollenbeck, Junior, Gogebic

Punter: Patrick Perron, Senior, Gogebic

Return specialist: Kaden Malone, Sohpomore, North Central