- Michigan
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019: Saginaw Valley League
SAGINAW VALLEY LEAGUE
Returning all-state players:
Logan Pasco (2020), OLB, Davison — MHSFCA Dream Team, AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
Tyler Huenneman (2020), DE, Mt. Pleasant — MHSFCA all-state (D3), AP D3-4 all-state (1st team)
Phoenix Dixon (2020), OLB, Lapeer — AP D1-2 all-state (2nd team)
Dustin Fletcher (2020), QB, Flint Carman-Ainsworth — AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
Jo Ostrowsky (2020), DB, Mt. Pleasant — AP D3-4 all-state (HM)
[To see the top 50 players in Michigan for 2019, CLICK HERE]
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SAGINAW VALLEY LEAGUE BLUE (SOUTH)
Defending champion: Lapeer (11-1, 6-0 SVL Blue)
Returning all-state players:
Logan Pasco (2020), OLB, Davison — MHSFCA Dream Team, AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
Phoenix Dixon (2020), OLB, Lapeer — AP D1-2 all-state (2nd team)
Dustin Fletcher (2020), QB, Flint Carman-Ainsworth — AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
[To see the top 50 players in Michigan for 2019, CLICK HERE]
Returning all-SVL players:
Fletcher (2020), QB, Flint Carman-Ainsworth (1st team)
Pasco (2020), OLB, Davison (1st team)
Dixon (2020), OLB, Lapeer (1st team)
Kyle Sahr (2020), RB, Lapeer (1st team)
Luke Philpotts (2020), WR, Flint Powers Catholic (1st team)
Lucas Edgar (2021), OL, Davison (1st team)
Zameer Wallace (2020), ATH, Flint (1st team)
Javian Jackson (2020), DL, Saginaw Arthur Hill (1st team)
Caleb Smith (2020), S, Davison (1st team)
Ameir Pickett (2021), DB, Saginaw Arthur Hill (1st team)
Keisean Brown (2020), OL, Flint Carman-Ainsworth (2nd team)
Wendell Brandon (2020), OL, Flint (2nd team)
Teshan Compaore (2020), DL, Flint Carman-Ainsworth (2nd team)
DeShawn Green-Martin (2020), DL, Flint (2nd team)
Ben Weishuhn (2020), LB, Flint Powers Catholic (2nd team)
Cal Stefanko (2020), LB, Davison (2nd team)
Neimiah Jones (2020), LB, Saginaw Arthur Hill (2nd team)
Myles McNeal (2020), DB, Grand Blanc (2nd team)
TraVontae Winters (2021), DB, Saginaw Arthur Hill (2nd team)
Defending the title: Lapeer (11-1, 6-0 SVL Blue) — The Lightning are one of those teams that’s still trying to get over that hump. In their five playoff trips since the East-West merger, the Lightning have lost to Clarkston three times and Romeo once, two of those teams going on to win the D1 state title, and another finishing as runner-up. Lapeer has to replace its entire offensive line, as well as quarterback Brady Apple (Lawrence Tech) and running back Jalen Kirkland, along with all-staters Will Sollie and Carson Currie, but the cupboard is hardly bare. They do still have do-everything linebacker Phoenix Dixon (Holy Cross), who ran the offense out of the Wildcat last year, fullback Kyle Sahr, wideouts Bobby Opalewski and and Brian Brown, and two capable quarterbacks. Six starters return on a defense that allowed just 115 points in the regular season, and 23 in three postseason games.
The challenger: Davison (7-3, 5-1 SVL Blue) — Brendan Sullivan slides over from wideout to take over under center for the graduated Cannon Hall (Northwood), and has a prime target in wideout/DB Latrell Fordham (Ball State), a transfer from Grand Blanc. Fordham will team up on defense with defensive back Caleb Smith (South Dakota) and linebacker Logan Pasco, but the Cards have to rebuild the offensive line around junior Lucas Edgar, the lone returning starter.
Dark horse: Grand Blanc (5-5, 3-3 SVL Blue) — In an attempt to get more physical, the Bobcats will rotate four players — Anthony Pittman, Ishon Jackson, Dennis Underwood and Te’Avion Warren — running the ball. They’ll also rotate three quarterbacks — Ty Brotebeck, Eason Edwards and Tylor Leedom — until one separates from the pack, and they’ll have senior Mark Miller to throw to. Grand Blanc installed a new 3-3 stack defense in the offseason, and have linebacker Garrett Shumaker and defensive back Myles McNeal (Eastern Michigan) in place to help run it.
Picks: 1 Lapeer (11-1, 6-0 SVL Blue), 2 Davison (7-3, 5-1 SVL Blue), 3 Grand Blanc (5-5, 3-3 SVL Blue), 4 Flint Powers (7-4, 4-2 SVL Blue), 5 Flint Carman-Ainsworth (4-5, 2-4 SVL Blue), 6 Saginaw Arthur Hill (0-9, 0-6 SVL Blue)
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SAGINAW VALLEY LEAGUE RED (NORTH)
Defending champion: Mt. Pleasant (10-1, 7-0 SVL Red)
Returning all-state players:
Tyler Huenneman (2020), DE, Mt. Pleasant — MHSFCA all-state (D3), AP D3-4 all-state (1st team)
Jo Ostrowsky (2020), DB, Mt. Pleasant — AP D3-4 all-state (HM)
[To see the top 50 players in Michigan for 2019, CLICK HERE]
Returning all-SVL players:
Unique Houston (2020), RB/CB, Bay City Central (1st team)
Brady Dinninger (2020), WR/DB, Saginaw Heritage (1st team)
Evan Metiva (2020), DE/TE, Midland Dow (1st team)
Kaleb Studebaker (2020), LB, Midland Dow (1st team)
Jo Ostrowsky (2020), DB, Mt. Pleasant (1st team)
Chaun Tolbert (2020), DB/WR, Saginaw (1st team)
Keegan Robertson (2020), QB, Saginaw Heritage (2nd team)
Taylor Popp (2020), RB/FS, Bay City Western (2nd team)
Zach Mogg (2020), RB, Mt. Pleasant (2nd team)
Blake Mitrzyk (2020), WR/OLB, Bay City Western (2nd team)
Solomon Thomas (2020), OT, Midland (2nd team)
Marek Belgiorno (2020), OL, Midland Dow (2nd team)
Maxx Fisher (2020), WR/PK, Midland (2nd team)
Josh Schell (2021), DL, Mt. Pleasant (2nd team)
Will Ozdych (2020), DB/PK, Bay City John Glenn (2nd team)
Keason Woods (2020), DB/WR, Saginaw Heritage (2nd team)
Defending the title: Mt Pleasant (10-1, 7-0 SVL Red) — Sophomore Ryan McIntyre and senior Cooper Phillips will battle it out at quarterback to try to replace the graduated MVP of the Saginaw Valley League, Jackson Ostrowsky, but the Oilers — who return six starters on each side of the ball — still have running back Zach Mogg (1,419 yards, 17 touchdowns) and wideout Jo Ostrowsky to rely upon on defense, and Harvard-bound Tyler Heunemann on both lines, along with Josh Schell to build around on both lines.
The challenger: Midland (9-4, 6-1 SVL Red) — Both Midland squads went into the final week of the regular season feeling like they probably needed to win to get into the playoffs, but the Chemics took advantage of the win over Midland Dow to boost themselves on a run to their first semifinal appearance since 2007. The Saginaw Valley League’s Red Division should be a dogfight at the top, with Dow, Midland and Mt. Pleasant, but the Chemics have a solid group of seniors, three juniors who all started as sophomores, and a handful of juniors up from an undefeated JV team. Quarterback Al Money has weapons back in running backs Drew Johnson and Tommy Johnstone, as well as wideouts Bryce Albrecht, Maxx Fisher and Eli Gordon. The lines will have to be refurbished, but that starts with two-way stud Solomon Thomas and Paul Volesky on the defensive line.
Dark horse: Midland Dow (6-5, 5-2 SVL Red) — The Chargers replace the departed Shane Astrike (Michigan Tech) with Shane Juday at quarterback, and still have big tight end Evan Metiva over the middle, and Avain Rivera running the ball. The issue for Dow is depth and overall numbers, with nine players going both ways.
Picks: 1 Mt. Pleasant (10-1, 7-0 SVL Red), 2 Midland (9-4, 6-1 SVL Red), 3 Midland Dow (6-5, 5-2 SVL Red), 4 Saginaw Heritage (5-4, 4-3 SVL Red), 5 Bay City Central (2-7, 2-5 SVL Red), 6 Saginaw (4-5, 3-4 SVL Red), 7 Bay City John Glenn (1-8, 0-7 SVL Red), 8 Bay City Western (1-8, 1-6 SVL Red).
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Graduated all-state players:
Will Sollie, OG, Lapeer — MHSFCA all-state (D1), AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
Jackson Ostrowsky, QB/DB, Mt. Pleasant — MHSFCA all-state (D3), AP D3-4 all-state (HM)
Christian Gordon, DB/RB, Midland — AP D1-2 all-state (1st team)
Carson Currie, DL, Lapeer — AP D1-2 all-state (2nd team)
Cannon Hall, QB/S, Davison — AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
Shane Astrike, QB, Midland Dow — AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
Sam Hine, OL, Midland — AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
Cam White, OL/DL, Midland — AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
Leonard Henry, LB, Grand Blanc — AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
Michael Fletcher, LB/DE, Flint Carman-Ainsworth — AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
Nick Sierocki, RB, Midland Dow — AP D1-2 all-state (HM)
