- Michigan
Unveiling the 2020 Michigan High School Football Coaches Association West All-Star team defense
Although the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association had to make the tough decision to cancel its planned 38th annual East-West All-Star Game scheduled for June, it decided to still go ahead and pick the teams who would have played in the game at Saginaw Valley State University this summer. The MHSFCA announced the East All-Star squad on Monday’s STATE CHAMPS! LIVE show (OFFENSE / DEFENSE), and the West All-Star squad on Tuesday’s show.
Not only that, but the MHSFCA has paired up with STATE CHAMPS! to run a simulated game on May 30.
Below are the members of the West All-Star team’s defensive squad (listed in alphabetical order by position group).
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RELATED: Unveiling the 2020 Michigan High School Football Coaches Association West All-Star team offense
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DEFENSIVE LINE
BEN AFFHOLTER
School: Reading (D8)
Position: DT
Coach: Rick Bailey
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 294 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Hillsdale College
Accolades: Led the Rangers in tackles all four years, and the Big-8 conference three times, recording 108 in his senior season, on a squad that allowed just 7.3 points per game en route to a second straight D8 title. He was co-MVP of the Big-8 as a sophomore, and earned all-state honors three times.
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CARSON BERENYI
School: Saginaw Swan Valley (D5)
Position: DL
Coach: Kevin Gavenda
Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 265 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Saginaw Valley State University
Accolades: Berenyi is a two-time first-team all-conference defensive end in the Tri-Valley Conference’s Central Division, and earned first-team all-state honors from the MHSFCA.
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KEVIN BLAYLOCK
School: Berrien Springs (D5)
Position: DT
Coach: Bill Bergan
Height: 6-foot-2.5 | Weight: 294 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Ferris State
Accolades: All-conference two straight years in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference.
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TREVOR DeGROOTE
School: Schoolcraft (D7)
Position: DE
Coach: Nathan Ferency
Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 210 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Hillsdale
Accolades: Earned Division 7-8 all-state honors from the Associated Press, and first-team all-conference honors in the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Lakeshore Division.
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TAYVON HUGHES
School: Battle Creek Lakeview (D2)
Position: DE
Coach: Jerry Diorio
Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 225 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Ferris State
Accolades: First-team all Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference, Hughes led the Lakeview defense in sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles and batted passes, on a unit that allowed just nine points per game. He earned all-area honors from the Battle Creek Enquirer, and honorable mention all-state honors.
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BOBBY MARTIN
School: Bridgeport (D5)
Position: DL
Coach: Kevin Marshall Sr.
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 225 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Madonna
Accolades: All-conference OL/DL in the Tri-Valley Conference East Division, Martin earned team MVP and Associated Press honorable mention Division 5-6 all-state as a linebacker.
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EVAN MURPHY
School: Hastings (D4)
Position: DL
Coach: James Murphy
Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 230 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Undecided
Accolades: All-conference in the Interstate-8, and all-Barry County, Murphy earned honorable mention all-state honors.
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JOSH TRUAX
School: Flint Kearsley (D3)
Position: DT
Coach: Kaleb Forr
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 245 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Hocking College
Accolades: Earned honorable mention Division 3 all-state honors from the MHSFCA. Earned a spot on the MLive-Flint Dream Team, and was voted the Flint-area defensive player of the year by MLive readers, after racking up 48 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and four sacks, helping Kearsley reach the playoffs for the first time since 1998.
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LINEBACKERS
ERIK ANDERSON
School: Ishpeming Westwood (D6)
Coach: Scott Syrjala
Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 185 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Northern Michigan
Accolades: A unanimous first-team all-conference choice in both the Mid-Peninsula Conference and the West-Pac Conference, Anderson earned first-team All-UP as a junior, and was on the All-UP Dream Team as a senior.
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BRADY DEVEREAUX
School: Hemlock (D6)
Coach: Adam Clark
Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 210 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Saginaw Valley State
Accolades: Devereaux played quarterback, tailback, wideout, linebacker and punter for Hemlock, and earned first-team all-conference honors in the Tri-Valley Conference’s West Division, and honorable mention all-state honors. Devereaux also won the first-ever Hawkins Award as the top senior football player in Saginaw County. He had 72 tackles and nine tackles for loss as a linebacker, and added 974 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing, despite missing time with injuries as a senior. Deveraux qualified for the state track meet in four events as a junior.
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SAM EDWARDS
School: Lansing Catholic (D5)
Coach: Jim Ahern
Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 200 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Michigan State (PWO)
Accolades: Edwards earned Division 5 first-team all-state honors from the MHSFCA, Division 5-6 first-team all-state honors from the Associated Press, a spot on the Lansing State Journal’s Dream Team, and is a finalist for the LSJ Defensive Player of the Year.
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BENJAMIN MARION
School: Lake City (D6)
Coach: Kyle Smith
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 215 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Michigan Tech
Accolades: A four-year starter at linebacker — helping lead the Trojans twice to the D7 semifinals in his career — Marion was the team MVP this past season, and an honorable-mention all-state selection. He earned a spot on the Cadillac News’ All-Area team, and was all-conference in the Highland Conference three times.
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CARTER THELEN
School: Pewamo-Westphalia (D7)
Coach: Jeremy Miller
Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 220 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Siena Heights
Accolades: All-conference in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference, and all-area from the Lansing State Journal, Thelen was a three-year starter who helped lead a Pirates to two state titles, and a 38-2 record over that span. As a senior, he was the leader of a defense that allowed just 4.5 points per game to a Division 7 state title.
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RILEY TOLSMA
School: Hamilton (D4)
Coach: Phil Koops
Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 220 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Hillsdale
Accolades: A first-team D4 all-state selection by the MHSFCA, and second-team D3-4 all-state by the Associated Press, Tolsma racked up 99 tackles in nine games as a senior.
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DEFENSIVE SECONDARY
COLBY BROWN
School: Comstock Park (D5)
Position: S
Coach: Tim Johnson
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 190 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Ferris State
Accolades: A team captain and MVP, Brown earned all-conference honors in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue Division, and was an honorable mention as a wide receiver on the MLive Grand Rapids Dream Team. He earned first-team D5 all-state honors from the MHSFCA.
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TRAVIS HILL
School: Onsted (D6)
Position: S
Coach: Dan Terryberry
Height: 5-foot-9 | Weight: 155 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: U.S. Marines
Accolades: Earned first-team D6 all-state honors from the MHSFCA, and all-conference honors in the Lenawee County Athletic Association, as well as all-county honors from the Adrian Telegram.
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HARRISON MAYNARD
School: Lawton (D7)
Position: SS/OLB
Coach: Wade Waldrup
Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 195 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Trine University
Accolades: A first-team honoree in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Maynard earned first-team all-state honors from the Detroit Free Press, and honorable mention all-state from the Associated Press and the Detroit News. He was a member of the Kalamazoo Gazette’s all-area second team.
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JOSEPH OSTROWSKY
School: Mt. Pleasant (D3)
Position: CB
Coach: Jason McIntyre
Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 170 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Undecided
Accolades: The school-record holder for interceptions at Mt. Pleasant, Ostrowsky was a three-year starter and a two-time first-team all-Saginaw Valley League honoree. A talented basketball player, Ostrowsky also earned first-team honors on MLive Saginaw’s basketball Dream Team.
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GAVIN SIELAND
School: McBain (D7)
Position: CB
Coach: Pat Maloney
Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 185 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Undecided
Accolades: Earned first-team MHSFCA D7 all-state honors on both offense and defense, and was an honorable mention all-state selection by the Associated Press. A two-time team captain and team MVP, Sieland was the Highland Conference player of the year as a senior, and twice earned a spot on the Cadillac News’ Dream Team.
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BRAYDEN VREDEVELD
School: Hudsonville (D1)
Position: S
Coach: Brent Sandee
Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 185 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Wayne State
Accolades: A team captain as a senior, Vredeveld earned all-conference honors in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red Division, honorable mention D1-2 all-state honors from the Associated Press, after recording 103 tackles, one interception in 2019.
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ROY WHIMPER JR.
School: Kalamazoo Central (D1)
Position: CB
Coach: Carlton Brewster
Height: 5-foot-9 | Weight: 170 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Northwood
Accolades: After playing just three games as a junior, Whimper was the offensive MVP for Kalamazoo Central as an all-purpose back.
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SPECIALIST
NICK KONTES
School: Bay City All Saints (8-man)
Position: P
Coach: Eric Gust
Height: 5-foot-9 | Weight: 155 pounds [HUDL]
Commitment: Undecided
Accolades: Kontes was first-team all-conference in the North-Central Thumb League Stripes Division, and averaged 36.7 yards per punt on 15 kicks.
