Lion’s share of hardware: 17 Marquette Redmen earn 20 Great Northern Conference football awards
From left, Marquette’s Austin Ridl hands the ball off to Desmond Mullen as Brady Wright trails the play during the first quarter of an MHSAA Division 1 playoff game played against Muskegon Reeths-Puffer at William R. Hart Stadium in Marquette on Oct. 31. All three players were named All-Great Northern Conference, including at two positions each for Mullen and Wright. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)
MARQUETTE — As befitting the only undefeated team in the conference, Marquette Senior High School had a whole host of honors when the Great Northern Conference recently handed out its football season awards.
Head coach Eric Mason’s Redmen, who were 3-0 in GNC games, 5-1 in the regular season and 7-2 overall, had 17 players earn a total of 20 awards when the league’s coaches got together.
The discrepancy in numbers? Three MSHS players were honored at two positions each as All-GNC.
Senior Brady Wright earned his honors as a back on offense and linebacker on defense, while junior Desmond Mullen won laurels as a back on defense and return specialist on special teams.
And the team’s kicking specialist, senior Connor Johnson, when not playing on the Redmen soccer team, won honors as both All-GNC kicker and punter on special teams.
Marquette's Ty Lotterman, center, lunges across the goal line for a touchdown while defended by Muskegon Reeths-Puffer's Caden Brainard after catching a pass from quarterback Austin Ridl in the second quarter of their MHSAA Division 3 high school playoff game on Oct. 31 at the William R. Hart Stadium in Marquette. Referee Buzz Tiseo, right, gets ready to call the play. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)
Eight more Marquette players also earned All-GNC honors.
On offense, there was junior quarterback Austin Ridl as a back, senior wide receiver Kam Karp and junior wide receiver Justin Jurmu as ends, and juniors Chris Ricker and Alex Schlemm as linemen.
Defensively, Marquette placed on the team senior Tye Parker and junior Wyatt Kuhlman as linemen, and senior safety Ty Lotterman as a back.
In all, the Redmen had six All-GNC performers on offense, five on defense and also earned three of the six spots on special teams.
Another half-dozen MSHS players earned honorable mention, all juniors — offensive linemen Gideon Bell and Jacob Schlemm, wide receivers David Eberhard and Owen Beauchamp, defensive back Ethan Richards, and linebacker Dustin Lohfink.
Here are the balance of honorees from Escanaba, Gladstone, Menominee and Kingsford, listed by school, with year and position where applicable:
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OFFENSE
Backs — Menominee: Aiden Bellisle, jr., QB.
Ends — Escanaba: Bryant Make, sr., WR; and Tyler Lawson, sr., WR. Gladstone: Cam Ballard, sr., WR. Kingsford: Zach Parson, jr., WR.
Linemen — Menominee: Carter Berger, sr.; and Cooper Conway, jr. Escanaba: Brett Schlenvogt, sr. Gladstone: Pat Noblet, sr. Kingsford: Elliot Johnson, sr.
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DEFENSE
Linemen — Menominee: Kade Lesperance, jr. DL; and Jon Spegal, jr., DE. Kingsford: Lucas Tappy, jr., DL. Gladstone: Hunter Potier, jr., DL. Escanaba: Kahler Geyer, sr., DL; and Riley Lamb, sr., DE
Backs — Escanaba: Collin Arnt, sr. Kingsford: Nolan LaVarnway, sr.; and Ben Rumpf, sr.
Linebackers — Kingsford: Carter Kreski, sr. Gladstone: Ryan Polley, sr.; and Blake Servant, sr. Escanaba: Ryan Randall, sr.
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SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker — Kingsford: Caleb Boone, sr.
Punter — Kingsford: Diego Przeslakowski, jr.
Return specialist — Menominee: Kaeden Calcari, soph.
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HONORABLE MENTION
Gladstone: Joe Borman, sr., LB; Brett Boudreau, jr., OL; Hunter Bilgreen, sr., TE; and Cam Kelly, jr., QB. Escanaba: Anthony Seymour, sr., WR; Tristen McGuire, jr., OL; and Carter Hudson, sr., DE. Kingsford: Brody Kopp, jr., DB. Menominee: Joe Haire, sr., QB; and Kohl Mead, sr., DL.
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- From left, Marquette’s Austin Ridl hands the ball off to Desmond Mullen as Brady Wright trails the play during the first quarter of an MHSAA Division 1 playoff game played against Muskegon Reeths-Puffer at William R. Hart Stadium in Marquette on Oct. 31. All three players were named All-Great Northern Conference, including at two positions each for Mullen and Wright. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)
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- Marquette’s Ty Lotterman, center, lunges across the goal line for a touchdown while defended by Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Caden Brainard after catching a pass from quarterback Austin Ridl in the second quarter of their MHSAA Division 3 high school playoff game on Oct. 31 at the William R. Hart Stadium in Marquette. Referee Buzz Tiseo, right, gets ready to call the play. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)
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