MARQUETTE — The Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters held their annual fall meeting earlier this week to vote for the 2024 All-UP 8-player football teams. Among the Dream Team selections were Ontonagon’s hybrid player Austin Gordon and wide receiver Caden Besonen (Ewen-Trout Creek – co-op with Ontonagon).

While Gordon earned the top spot as a hybrid player, he was the Gladiators’ quarterback for most of the season.

He is one of our senior captains a coach’s dream athlete and the definition of a leader at quarterback,” stated his coach Kadin Mustafa. “I would be surprised to see anyone put up the numbers he put up this year.”

With more than 2,000 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns, Mustafa said that Besonen was equally deserving of Dream Team honors for a strong 2024 season.

“When the ball is in Caden’s hands any play has the potential to go the distance,” stated his coach. “He is the definition of a leader. I will go so far as to say that not many athletes put in the off-season work that he did, and it paid off.”

Also of note were Lake Linden-Hubbell’s Nate St. Onge and Danny Mikus. They earned First Team accolades for their respective positions as running back and linebacker.

OTHER AWARDS

Mr. Football: Lane Gorzinski, North Central

Offensive Player of the Year: Tommy Storey, Pickford

Defensive Player of the Year: Matt Rahilly, Newberry

Division 1 Team of the Year: Pickford

Division 1 Coach of the Year: Josh Rader, Pickford

Division 2 Team of the Year: Crystal Falls Forest Park

Division 2 Coach of the Year Brian Fabbri, Forest Park

Mitchell Snyder Lineman of the Year: Kevin Giuliani, Forest Park

DREAM TEAM OFFENSE

Linemen: Kevin Giuliani, Forest Park, senior; Carlos Perez, Ishpeming, senior; Haydn Rader, Pickford, senior.

Quarterback: Tommy Storey, Pickford, senior.

Running backs: Gunner Bennin, Pickford, junior; Lane Gorzinski, North Central, senior.

Wide receivers: Owen Baij, Norway, Junior; Caden Besonen, Ontonagon, senior.

Hybrid: Austin Gordon, Ontonagon, senior; Dax Huuki, Forest Park, sophomore.

DEFENSE

Linemen: Seth Miller, Pickford, senior; Matthew Showers, Forest Park, senior.

Defensive end: Ian Browne, Pickford, senior; Spencer Willa, North Central, senior.

Linebacker: Carter Deatsman, Munising, senior; Eli MacDonald, Pickford, senior; Matthew Rahilly, Newberry, senior.

Defensive backs: Ethan Corp, Ishpeming, senior; Carson Kienitz, Munising, senior; Trey Lynn, Brimley, senior.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker: Dietrich Rasner, Forest Park, sophomore.

Punter: Wes Bennett, Cedarville-DeTour.

Return specialist Owen Baij, Norway, junior.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Linemen: Wes Bennett, Cedarville-DeTour; Maddex Burklund, Norway, junior; Ethan Pavey, Newberry, senior.

Quarterback: Cole Baij, Norway, senior.

Running back: Damon MacDowell, Rudyard, senior; Nate St. Onge, Lake Linden-Hubbell, senior.

Wide receiver: Jack Dusseault, Munising, senior; Gus Vonseggern, Brimley, junior.

Hybrid: Caden Luoma, Ishpeming, senior; Trent Kannich, Forest Park, junior.

DEFENSE

Linemen: Micah Morrison, Brimley; Myles Nehring, North Central, freshmen.

Defensive end: Evan Arnold, St. Ignace, junior; Cody McPhail, Cedarville-DeTour, senior; Christopher Steele, Ishpeming, senior

Linebacker: Caden Chromy, Pickford, sophomore; Spencer Kramer, North Dickinson, junior; Nik Stephens, Forest Park, senior.

Defensive back: Wyatt Aspinwall, Gogebic, senior; Vic Giuliani, Forest Park, sophomore; Danny Mikus, Lake Linden-Hubbell, senior.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker: Leland Hollenbeck, Gogebic, junior.

Punter: Matthew Rahilly, Newberry, senior.

Return specialist: Kaden Malone, North Central, sophomore.

SPECIAL MENTION

Offensive linemen: Copper Anderson, Gogebic, senior; Jack Cefilli, Rudyard, senior; Alex Drew, Lake Linden-Hubbell, senior; Hadden Hyry, Ishpeming, senior.

Running back: Jason Graham, North Dickinson, Sophomore; Kaden Malone, North Central, sophomore.

Hybrid: Bode Lynott, Gogebic, senior.

Linebacker: Jackson Barr, Cedarville-DeTour, senior.; Aidyn Burton, North Central, senior; Derek Carrick, Brimley,

Defensive back: Grady Gauthier, Ishpeming, junior.

HONORABLE MENTION

Brady Jungwirth, North Dickinson, junior; Drew Moser, Cedarville-DeTour, junior; Cody McPhail, Cedarville-DeTour, senior; Trey Micheau, Mid-Peninsula, senior; Grayson Sundell, Forest Park, senior; Evan Arnold, St. Ignace, junior; Hunter Cameron, Engadine, senior; Landon Amundson, Norway, senior; Josh Daavettila, Lake Linden-Hubbell, sophomore Evan Evitts, Brimley; Luke Laitinen, Ishpeming, senior; Trey Micheau, Mid-Peninsula, senior Drew Moser, Cedarville-DeTour, junior; Evan Oja, Ironwood, senior; Brody Starr, Forest Park, senior; Owen McConkey, Pickford, senior; Stephen Kirschner, Rudyard, junior.