From left, Negaunee’s Jason Waterman and Drew DuShane make their way downfield with Ishpeming’s Hunter Smith trying to catch Waterman during their Sept. 29 game in Ishpeming. The trio earned Mid-Peninsula Conference honors, with DuShane being named as the Special Teams Player of the Year. (Journal photo by Corey Kelly)

MARQUETTE — Westwood junior lineman Sam Gilles, Negaunee sophomore Drew DuShane and Gwinn junior Logan Kruhlik were named First Team players of the year when Mid-Peninsula Conference football honors were announced on Monday.

Gilles, 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, was a unanimous choice as First Team Lineman of the Year, while Kruhlik, 6-3, 230, also received the First Team honor among linemen.

DuShane, 5-9, 160, was the unanimous pick as Special Teams Player of the Year.

Two more members of the league runner-up Patriots were also named honorable mention players of the year.

Westwood junior Nathan Beckman, 6-foot, 175, was honorable mention as Back of the Year with league champion Gladstone’s Darin Johnson (5-10, 180) getting the unanimous choice at First Team.

And Pats’ senior Ethan Homola (5-11, 160) was honorable mention as Defensive Player of the Year with Gladstone’s Alex Chouinard (5-8, 145) earning First Team honors.

Twenty-three area players on offense and 15 on defense from area teams — Westwood, Negaunee, Gwinn, Ishpeming and Manistique — earned various all-conference honors.

Unanimous First Team honors went to Gilles at offensive guard and defensive end, Kruhlik at offensive guard, DuShane at wide receiver, Beckman at running back and Homola at inside linebacker.

Other area players were also unanimous First Team picks.

On offense, they include these linemen — Gwinn junior Eddie Chapman at center and Westwood junior Blake Hewitt and Ishpeming senior Eric Heidelberger at offensive tackle.

Unanimous First Team picks in the backfield are Westwood junior Ashton Bergman at fullback and Negaunee senior Robbie Williams and Ishpeming junior Hunter Smith at running back.

On defense, the unanimous First Teamers are Westwood’s Hewitt and Manistique senior Kyle Seeley at lineman and Westwood senior Ethan Burke at defensive back.

Other First Team honorees from the area are Gwinn junior Tucker Taylor at both tight end and outside linebacker, Ishpeming senior Donald Denofre at outside linebacker, Negaunee’s DuShane at defensive back and Westwood junior Jake Adriano at punter.

The balance of First Team selections came from Gladstone and Iron Mountain.

Gladstone had senior Spencer Husbye at wide receiver (unanimous), senior Owen Harrison at fullback, Darin Johnson at quarterback, junior Doby Gillis at defensive lineman, junior Christian Creten at defensive end, senior Jeff Stenson at outside linebacker, Chouinard and senior Jared Demeuse at inside linebacker (both unanimous) and Johnson at defensive back.

IM’s First Team picks were junior Charlie Gerhard at tight end (unanimous), senior Jacob Tucker at defensive back (unanimous) and senior C.J. Dantes at kicker.

Here are the honorable mention picks at all positions:

———

OFFENSE

Center — Joe Boburka, sr., Westwood; Trent Marenger, sr., Gladstone

Guard — Collin Remilong, jr., Negaunee

Tackle — Joe Barr, sr., Manistique; Tabin Filizetti, sr., Westwood

Tight end — David Delayre, sr., Westwood; Luke Mattson, sr., Negaunee; Aaron Corkin, sr., Ishpeming

Fullback — Drake Sundberg, jr., Ishpeming; Jake Hill, sr., Negaunee

Running back — Marlin Moton, sr., Gwinn; Logan Savage, jr., Manistique

Quarterback — Jason Waterman, soph., Negaunee

———

DEFENSE

Lineman — Travis Elledge, jr., Negaunee

End — Tom LaFave, jr., Ishpeming; Daniel Johnson, sr., Gwinn

Outside linebacker — Jake Hill, sr., Negaunee; Zach Herrick, soph., Iron Mountain

Defensive back — Aaron Corkin, sr., Ishpeming; D.J. Bowers, sr., Manistique

Kicker — C.J. Charlebois, jr., Gladstone

Punter — Doby Gillis, jr., Gladstone

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.