TRAVERSE CITY -- Max Bullough is a young man with a plan.
While taking care of the present -- Bullough has led Traverse City St. Francis to 25 consecutive wins and a third straight appearance in the Division 7 state finals-- he also is addressing the future.
The 17-year-old linebacker committed to Michigan State as a junior, intends to graduate from high school in January so he can enroll in college early and will pursue a degree in finance.
"I set my goals early, and I set them high, so I knew what I was reaching for," Bullough said.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound senior, who spearheads a Gladiators defense that surrenders just 34 rushing yards and 5.7 points a game, is the Associated Press Division 7-8 Player of the Year, as voted on by a panel of sports writers from around the state.
"Max Bullough is one of those once-in-a-lifetime kids that you get in high school," St. Francis coach Greg Vaughan said. "He definitely has talent, but it's everything else he does that makes him that much better.
"He's academic All-State. He works hard. He's in the weight room first. He's out to practice first. Everything he does, and it doesn't matter what we're doing, he's going as hard as he possibly can. Of all the talented kids I've been around, he's by far the hungriest, most driven and hardest working."
It's that focus, that desire that makes his parents proud. His father, Shane, is a former middle linebacker at Michigan State.
"With some of the accolades that he has received, and with the early commitment to Michigan State, it would be very easy for a young man to cash it in from an effort standpoint," his father said. "But Max is always trying to get better and make everyone around him better."
Bullough, a two-time AP All-State pick, has a team-high 126 tackles heading into the finals against Hudson. A fullback and tight end on offense, Bullough has rushed for 464 yards on 40 carries and caught 13 passes, six for touchdowns.
A 3.9 student, Bullough comes from a football family. His grandfathers played at Notre Dame and Michigan State. Two uncles also played for the Spartans.
Bullough said he's just following a work ethic set by family members.
"I'm not the most athletic person in the world," he said. "I can't control that. But I can control how hard I work.
"I've always been taught, more so by example, that if you're going to do something, go all the way, never quit."
Bullough is one of two St. Francis players on the All-State team. Senior Matt Zakrzewski is one of three defensive backs selected. The 6-3, 225-pound safety, who has committed to Indiana, has four interceptions and 55 tackles. He returned a pick 102 yards for a touchdown in Saturday's semifinal win over Ravenna.
"This senior class is an interesting class because they're so competitive with each other," Vaughan said. "If one kid's working hard, the next kid's saying, 'I've got to work that hard, too.' It's no surprise why our kids are doing as well as they are. They put the time in, and they force each other to be better than they thought they possibly could be."
Like St. Francis, Ravenna, Mendon, Ubly and Saugatuck all have two players on the team.
Jamohn Martin, a unanimous pick, used his speed, quickness and balance to rush for more than 2,300 yards and 36 touchdowns for Ravenna. Paving the way up front was his cousin, Isiah Dunning, a transfer from Forest Hills Northern.
Mendon's C.J. Nightingale is a repeat first-team pick at defensive back. Nightingale, a four-year starter, intercepted eight passes this season, bringing his career total to a school record 25. Linebacker Aaron Saunders had more than 100 tackles for a Mendon defense that only allowed 21 points in the first 10 games.
Ubly's two representatives are junior linebacker Eric Booms and lineman Steven Weber. Brooms averaged nine tackles a game.
Saugatuck running back Tim Klaus and 6-7, 280-pound tackle Tyler Brunsting are on the first team. Klaus averaged just less than 12 yards a carry. Brunsting was pivotal in an offense that averaged better than 50 points a game.
Rudyard's Davin Salo and Merrill's Nate Tack are the All-State quarterbacks. Salo tossed 33 touchdowns passes for the Bulldogs. Tack was equally impressive. He passed for 513 yards and five touchdowns in a regional loss to Ravenna.
Adrian Madison's Zach Brewer, Petersburg Summerfield's Eric Cogan and Frankfort's Andrew Newbold are the All-State receivers. Brewer and Cogan each had 50 receptions through the first 10 games. Cogan also had eight interceptions. Newbold hauled in 13 touchdown passes for the Panthers.
Joining Weber, Dunning and Brunsting on the line are Shafer Johnson, who had 64 tackles and eight sacks for Southfield Christian; Keith Koronka, who dominated the middle in Johannesburg-Lewiston's defense; Hudson's Chris Aguirre, a small but disruptive force on defense; and Potterville's Mitch Bolley, a four-year starter.
Decatur's A.J. Jackson joins Martin as a unanimous pick at running back. In 10 games, Jackson rushed for 2,538 yards and 25 touchdowns. He finished with more than 5,000 career yards. White Pigeon's Alex Krajniak and Whittemore-Prescott's Chris Downes round out the backfield. Krajniak rushed for more than 2,000 yards and Downes more than 1,500.
Linebacker Connell Johnson, who had 177 tackles for Memphis, and Major Metcalf, Muskegon Catholic's top cover back, are on the defensive team.
Beau Langs of Climax-Scotts is the specialist. A quarterback, running back, safety and kick returner, he scored five different ways this season.
Marlette's Brent Speer, who was 6 of 8 on field goals, is the placekicker, and Fulton-Middleton's Jared Barton the punter.
Potterville's Mike Selzer is the Coach of the Year.
Adele's revealing "60 Minutes" interview
Raw Video: Greek Rioting Ahead of Austerity Vote
Bobby Brown on Houston's Death
Exclusive Video: Bobbi Kristina Leaving Hospital
Raw Video: Obama Budget Goes to Capitol Hill
Lusetich: AT&T Recap
Grammys 2012: Highlights
Raw Video: Aurora Borealis As Seen From Space
2.12: Pebble Beach Pro-Am -- Phil Mickelson
2012 Grammys: Rihanna
2012 Grammys: Taylor Swift
Raw Video: Child Rescued After Kosovo Avalanche
Exclusive Video - Whitney's Bodybag
FUEL TV: Punk Payback Gym tips
Whitney's Final Days - EXCLUSIVE
Romney Tops Santorum in CPAC Straw Poll
First glimpse of Blue Ivy Carter
Angry Dad Shoots Teens Laptop
Peek inside Barbie's closet
Absolute Lin-sanity
