The Patriots not only won championships in the West PAC — Western Peninsula Athletic Conference — and Mid-Peninsula Conference for both varsity and JV teams, but Westwood swept the top three awards in both leagues, too.

Pats senior guard Ethan Marta was chosen as Player of the Year in each of those leagues, while Westwood coach Luke Gray was elected Coach of the Year in both loops.

In an interesting twist, two different senior guards won the conferences’ Defensive Player of the Year honor, but both were Patriots players — Jacob Ridl in the West PAC and AJ Pizziola in the M-PC.

No wonder Westwood was able to put together a defense this season that allowed right around 40 points per game in the regular season while compiling a 23-2 overall record and reaching the MHSAA Division 3 regional before bowing out to Menominee.

From left, Westwood's Ethan Marta plans his shot while defended by Negaunee’s Easton Guenette and Cole Prusi during their high school game played at the Miners’ gym in Negaunee on Dec. 19. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

The Patriots’ honors didn’t stop there, with senior forward Caden Balzarini making the top honor squad in each league, the Dream Team in the West PAC and First Team in the M-PC.

Another WHS senior forward, Louis Salmi, was joined on the each league’s All-Defensive Team by the teammate who WASN’T his league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

That because these special award winners weren’t also placed on the five-player honor squads. So it was Salmi and Pizziola defensively in the West PAC and Salmi and Ridl on defense in the M-PC.

Also for the Pats, Ridl and Pizziola made the West PAC First Team in the Iron Division, while Ridl earned a spot on the M-PC Second Team.

And finally, Salmi was West PAC Iron Division honorable mention, the same honorable mention for Pizziola in the M-PC.

Westwood coach Luke Gray watches the Patriots' opponent, Ishpeming, warm up before their high school game played at the Hematites gym in Ishpeming on Dec. 5. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

There were plenty more honors handed out in each league for other area teams, namely Negaunee, Ishpeming, Gwinn and Manistique.

For the Miners, senior forward Tristan Slater made the West PAC Dream Team and M-PC First Team.

NHS senior guard Easton Guenette and senior center teammate Ethan Gauthier joined forces on the West PAC Iron Division First Team, while Guenette represented the Miners on the M-PC Second Team.

Guenette also earned a spot on the West PAC Defensive unit, while junior Brayden Gleason made West PAC honorable mention and Gauthier jumped into M-PC honorable mention.

Ishpeming had honors nearly the same as Negaunee.

Hematites senior center John Wheeler made the West PAC Dream Team and M-PC Second Team, then also was named to each league’s All-Defensive Team.

Teammate Grady Gauthier, a senior guard, earned a position on the West PAC Iron Division First Team and M-PC Second Team.

And Ishpeming senior Kenny Ambuehl won out on West PAC Iron Division honorable mention.

From Gwinn, senior forward Nate Carter earned a spot on honorable mention lists for the West PAC Iron Division and the M-PC.

For Manistique, junior center Connor Tennyson garnered an M-PC honorable mention.

Here are the other honorees in each league, listed with year, school, and where available, position:

West PAC

Dream Team — Terrance Nolan, soph., Houghton; Landon Larson, sr., Jeffers

Copper Division First Team — Alex Hebert, jr., Houghton; Peter Torola, sr., Calumet; Levi Kinnunen, jr., Jeffers; Gage Chynoweth, soph., Hancock; Seth Oberlin, soph., West Iron County

Copper Division honorable mention — Jack Cooke, sr., Houghton; John Golus, sr., Calumet; Braxton Kinnunen, jr., Jeffers; Jessiah Smith, jr., WIC; Isaac Wanhala, soph., Hancock

All-Defensive — Landon Larson, sr., Jeffers

M-PC

First Team — Lonnie Davey, jr. guard, Gladstone; Alex Prins, soph. guard, Gladstone; Brayden Kassin, jr. guard, Iron Mountain

Second Team — Will Inghram, soph. forward, Gladstone

Honorable mention — Charles Baldridge, jr. center, IM

All-Defensive — Alex Prins, soph. guard, Gladstone; Brayden Kassin, jr. guard, IM

Story contents based on email received from Westwood High School athletic director Bobby Zhulkie and Negaunee High School athletic director Jake Skewis. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.