Players key turnaround: Munising earns All-Upper Peninsula 8-player awards after season of renewed success
2020 All-U.P. football
8-Player teams
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Dream Team Offense
Position/Player/School Yr. Ht. Wt.
Line — Eric Huyck, Pickford Sr. 6-2 250
Fabian Charter, North Central Sr. 6-0 225
Quarterback — Luke Gorzinski, N. Central Soph. 5-8 170
Back — Micah Bailey, Pickford Sr. 6-2 215
Chad Trepczyk, Munising Sr. 5-11 205
Receiver/End — Ian Gorzinski, N. Central Sr. 5-10 165
Max Lenaker, Rapid River Sr. 6-1 185
Athlete — Bryce Lundquist, Rapid River Sr. 6-0 210
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Dream Team Defense
Line — Carter Eichmeier, North Central Sr. 6-0 200
Ivan Oswald, Newberry Sr. 5-10 185
End — Michael Fairchild, Cedarville Sr. 6-3 235
Tommy Showers, Forest Park Sr. 6-1 220
Linebacker — Grant Fountain, Cedarville Sr. 5-10 205
Isaac Codere, Lk. Linden-Hubbell Sr. 5-9 175
Back — Mason Harris, Brimley Sr. 5-11 185
Dominic Bonnee, Pickford Sr. 5-10 160
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Dream Team Special Teams
Kicker — Daniel Dani, North Central Sr. 5-6 160
Punter — Coleton Labadie, Newberry Jr. 5-8 160
Returner — Alex Naser, North Central Jr. 5-7 170
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First Team Offense
Line — Nick Nance, Engadine Sr. 6-5 325
Josh Newell, Cedarville Sr. 5-11 220
Quarterback — E.J. Suggitt, Rudyard Jr. 6-0 225
Back — Alex Naser, North Central Jr. 5-7 170
Caleb Klein, Lk. Linden-Hubbell Sr. 6-0 180
Receiver/End — Ethan Lakosky, Munising Sr. 6-2 222
Louie Mayer, Rudyard Sr. 5-8 180
Athlete — Kyle Frusti, Superior Ctl. Sr. 6-0 177
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First Team Defense
Line — Gabe Scarlassara, Forest Park Sr. 6-1 185
Wyatt Raab, North Central Jr. 5-8 180
End — William Lyons, Lk. Linden-Hubbell Sr. 6-1 190
Parker Dausey, Rapid River Sr. 6-4 260
Linebacker — Griffin Flath, Rapid River Sr. 6-1 190
Jacob Mattson, Munising Soph. 5-7 173
Back — Logan Depew, Newberry Sr. 6-1 145
Bailey Hilts, Cedarville Sr. 5-11 170
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First Team Special Teams
Kicker — Tommy Showers, Forest Park Sr. 6-1 220
Punter — Kyle Frusti, Superior Central Sr. 6-0 177
Returner — Louie Mayer, Rudyard
Source: Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association
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MARQUETTE — It was quite a turnaround for the Munising High School football team this fall.
The Mustangs went from winless in 2019 to finishing above. 500 in their inaugural season at the eight-player level.
One of the key players for making that reversal was running back Chad Trepczyk, who had a huge year, rushing for 1,117 yards on 127 carries and picking up six touchdowns in six games to earn a spot on the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association All-U.P. Dream Team.
“Absolutely well-deserving,” Mustangs head coach Matt Mattson said. “Chad was close to averaging 200 yards a game and he put the time in the weight room in the offseason.
“He’s a fantastic, hard-working kid and one of the leaders on our team, one of the emotional leaders and a team captain. He’s faster than what he looks and I would tease him that we were gonna put him at guard or tackle for us, put him on offensive line because he’s a big kid.
“But he’s got some shifty feet to him. He moves real well, finds the hole and then he’s got enough power to finish the runs.”
Newberry has two players on the Dream Team with Ivan Oswald on the defensive line and Coleton Labadie as a punter.
On the Eight-Player First Team, Mustangs’ tight end Ethan Lakosky and linebacker Jacob Mattson earned honors. Lakosky caught 24 passes for 332 yards and six TDs, while Mattson had 72 tackles — 18 solo, 54 assisted — along with three interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
“Ethan has fantastic hands,” Coach Mattson said. “If he was on a different team that threw the ball more, his numbers would’ve been outstanding receiving-wise. He did a great job blocking for us at the tight end position, but also (had) a touchdown a game.
“Just a weapon. If you were gonna play Munising, you knew you had to worry about where he was at, and where Trepczyk was at.
“Jacob’s a younger player, but he sticks out on film and sticks out when you come to one of our games. He’s a hard hitter and still has a lot to learn because he is younger, but he brings an attitude to the field and brings an ability to deliver large hits from his frame.
“He’s 5-foot-7 and 175 pounds or something, but when he hits you, you know it. Again, he’s one of our leaders just because of the style of play that he brings to us. And for our football team, we run I-formation on offense and he was our fullback there. He (also) played middle linebacker for us and had a ton of tackles and made plays there.
“So he’s got a couple years to grow and some things to learn, but he’s a pretty good football player.”
Other area athletes to make the First Team were Superior Central’s Kyle Frusti, who made it as both an athlete and punter, and Newberry defensive back Logan Depew.
At honorable mention were senior Parker Maki and junior James Maki of Superior Central and junior Eric Edwards of Newberry.
Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal. net.