Traverse City Record-Eagle

Sports

November 24, 2010

Snead headlines Div. 5-6 All-State team

Reyhl, Keilty earn spots

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Associated Press

EAST LANSING — Just call Muskegon Heights quarterback Willie Snead IV "The Playmaker."

Snead generated big plays with his dual-threat skills in the Tigers' spread offense.

"He's a tremendous high school football player," said veteran Muskegon Catholic Central coach Mike Holmes, who lost twice to Snead-led Heights teams. "Willie Snead makes plays. It was difficult to prepare for him because of his athleticism and ability to run and throw so well."

Snead is the Associated Press Division 5-6 Player of the Year for his standout senior season.

Heights (6-5) played one of the toughest independent schedules in the state.

Snead (6-foot, 185 pounds) completed 126-of-186 passes for 2,200 yards with 13 touchdowns and one interception. He also carried 172 times for 1,083 yards and nine TDs.

Snead knew the offense thoroughly since he worked under his father, second-year Heights coach Willie Snead III.

Defensively, Snead was a key player at linebacker and safety, recording 76 tackles and one interception.

A returning member of the AP All-State team, Snead set many Heights records and has verbally committed to Ball State.

"He's such a tremendous athlete with good vision of the field," said veteran Oakridge coach Jack Schugars, whose team went 1-3 against Heights the past two seasons. "You can't let him sit back there and look over the defense because he'd pick you apart. He's going to have a great college career, too."

Joining Snead on the All-State team is talented dual-threat quarterback Alex Niznak of Ithaca. Niznak, who committed to Central Michigan and guided the top-ranked Yellowjackets into the state championship game, completed 89-of-128 passes for 1,773 yards and 24 TDs and rushed for 731 yards and 11 scores.

First-team running backs are Jackson Lumen Christi's Michael Cremeans, Birch Run's James Hartley, Suttons Bay's Noah Reyhl and Hopkins' Ben Bregg.

Cremeans carried 230 times for 1,535 yards and 15 TDs. He ran for a school-record 290 yards in one game, and his season total ranks third all-time at Lumen Christi.

Reyhl, an All-Stater last season at defensive back, sparked the Suttons Bay offense with 1,312 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns. He generated nearly 4,000 career total yards in two varsity seasons.

Hartley was a workhorse back for Birch Run, carrying 238 times for 2,036 yards and 26 TDs.

Bregg, a two-year captain for Hopkins, carried 136 times for 1,364 yards and 24 TDs.

First-team receivers are Montague's Anthony Root, Grayling's Steve Enos and Leslie's Kyle Bryson.

Root, who played on Montague's two state title teams, led the Wildcats on both sides of the ball. In 10 games, he caught 41 passes for 574 yards and eight touchdowns and intercepted four passes as a defensive back.

Enos was the go-to receiver for Grayling with 51 catches for 744 yards and seven TDs.

Bryson recorded 60 catches for 1,051 yards and six TDs while scoring 108 points.

Leading the All-State linemen are unanimous choices Brenden Cook (5-8, 263) of Muskegon Oakridge and Tyler VanderSyde (6-3, 275) of Hopkins.

Other first-team linemen are Grand Rapids West Catholic's Patrick McCarthy, William Meadows of Ypsilanti Willow Run, Flint Beecher's Reggie Vanhook and Manchester's Dylan Neff.

Cook, a state powerlifting champion, opened many holes as a mobile pulling guard and doubled as a hard-hitting inside linebacker.

VanderSyde anchored the Hopkins line and was a three-year all-conference selection.

McCarthy (6-1, 220) started three seasons and was a key part of West Catholic's drive to the state championship game. He recorded 44 tackles and a fumble recovery.

Neff (6-1, 280) was the top player at Manchester, where he excelled at defensive tackle with 57 stops (48 solos) and 11.5 sacks. He's the school's career leader in sacks (26.5).

Meadows (6-0, 220) enjoyed a standout senior season with 91 tackles, eight sacks, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions.

Vanhook (6-3, 250), a junior and good college prospect, was a force up front in Beecher's ground attack.

Iron Mountain's Paul Kuoppala, the Upper Peninsula's Defensive Player of the Year, was the top vote-getter at linebacker. Other first-team linebackers are Byron's Zane Brugger, Morley-Stanwood's Tyler Havens and Suttons Bay's Aiden Keilty.

Kuoppala recorded 108 tackles, three interceptions and 12 tackles for loss.

Brugger had 137 tackles and also rushed for 1,590 yards and totaled 21 TDs.

Havens, a returning All-Stater, led Morley-Stanwood to a district title with 59 tackles and two sacks.

Keilty was the defensive ringleader at Suttons Bay, recording 128 tackles, nine sacks and 13 tackles for loss.

First-team defensive backs are Madison Heights Madison's Valdez Showers, Muskegon Oakridge's Jamie Potts and Mike Pannone of Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central.

Showers, who committed to Florida, recorded 30 tackles and three interceptions while rushing for 1,706 yards and 24 TDs.

Potts, who tied or broke 12 school records as a quarterback and kicker, was a steady defensive back with 45 tackles and two interceptions.

Pannone is the top player for the state finalist Falcons. He led the team in tackles with 77.

The all-purpose player is Glen Lake's Elliot Clark, who accounted for 1,181 yards and 17 TDs on offense, recorded four interceptions on defense, had a 38.5 punting average and kicked three field goals.

Grand Rapids West Catholic's Mitch Bredberg is the kicker after making 11-of-13 field goals and 38-of-39 PATs.

Ithaca's David Brown, who had a 44.2 average, is the punter.

Hopkins' Rex Weaver is the Coach of the Year. Weaver, the 30th year coach, led the Vikings to an 8-3 record and a spot in the district championship game.

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