THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR AMAZING SPONSORS THIS PAST YEAR! SPONSORED BY SPONSORED BY
A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED FOR THE FOLLOWING TALENTED ATHLETES! WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS PROGRAM FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR.
Dayvion Neal-Berry
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
On Sept. 8, Dayvion Neal-Berry, a freshman at Manistee High School, helped lead the Manistee varsity football team to a 20-15 road win over Muskegon Oakridge. He completed three passes for 73 yards and a touchdown while carrying the ball seven times for 39 yards.
Alice Amstutz
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023
School: Brethren High School
On Sept. 7, Brethren’s Alice Amstutz helped the Bobcats defeated Manistee Catholic Central in a three-game sweep. She recorded five assists and seven aces.
Brenna Johnson
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023
School: Manistee Catholic Central
The Sabers may have lost to Big Rapids Crossroads Academy on Sept. 14, but Brenna Johnson stood out, recording 10 service points, three aces, 12 attacks, three kills, and 17 digs.
Annika Haag
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
The Manistee varsity golf team traveled to the Tullymore Invite hosted by Big Rapids on Sept. 18. Senior Annika Haag shot a 114 and finished 52nd out of 103 golfers from an individual standpoint.
2023-2024
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER
Tyler Hart
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023
School: Onekama Consolidated Schools
On Sept. 16, Tyler Hart helped the Portagers earn their first victory of the 2023 regular season by defeating Bear Lake. He carried the ball six times for 62 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, he added nine tackles and one pass deflection.
Jack Meszaros
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023
School: Brethren High School
Jack Meszaros helped the Brethren varsity football team defeat Bear Lake, 54-0, on Sept. 23. He carried the ball 16 times for 137 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, he led all tacklers with seven.
Carter Kerby
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
On Sept. 8, Frankfort football and Benzie Central, two in-county rivals, squared off for the first time since 2019. Kerby, the Panthers first-year starting quarterback, helped Frankfort defeat the Huskies, 27-20, on a last second touchdown pass. It’s the program’s first win over Benzie Central since 2015. Kerby completed 17 passes for 196 yards and four touchdowns.
2023-2024
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER
Lorin McNeil
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
On Sept. 13, the Benzie Central varsity boys’ soccer team traveled to Kingsley to face the Stags in a grueling match. The competition ended in a tie, but Lorin McNeil stood out to Huskies head coach Chris Batchelder, who said he played “outstanding,” while adding, “He’s definitely the heart and soul of that middle.”
Connor LeSarge
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Onekama Consolidated Schools
Onekama’s Connor LeSarge helped the Portagers defeat Bellaire on Sept. 29, rushing seven times for 55 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, he added 10 tackles.
Connor Wojciechowski
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Brethren High School
In a 63-34 Brethren victory over MCC on Oct. 7, starting quarterback Connor Wojciechowski completed 12-of-15 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns. He added 120 rushing yards and another three scores on seven carries.
Flora Zickert
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
On Sept. 7, the Benzie Central varsity team defeated Buckley in three straight sets. Flora Zickert five kills, six aces, and three digs.
Payton Miller
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
The Frankfort varsity volleyball team hosted Suttons Bay on Sept. 12 and defeated the Norsemen in three sets. Panthers senior Payton Miller had 15 kills, three aces, one block, 15 digs, and one assist.
Ceci Postma
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
On Sept. 26, Manistee senior Ceci Posta finished third overall in the Kelder Poured Walls Invitational with a time of 12:30.95.
Addy Zeller
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Onekama Consolidated Schools
The Bear Lake-Onekama cross country team features several talented runners. One of them is Addy Zeller, who earned first place with a time of 21:52.29 during a West Michigan D League jamboree on Oct. 4.
Caius Johns
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
In a heartbreaking road loss to Montague on Oct. 13, the Manistee defense continued to fight hard, including Caius Johns, who earned 11 tackles, one sack, and one tackle for a loss.
Georgia Haag
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
Manistee sophomore runner Georgia Haag competed in the 2023 Chris Grabowski Memorial Invitational on Oct. 12. She finished in second place with a time of 21:58.74 as the Mariners girls team won the event.
Maddy Biller
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Brethren High School
Brethren senior Maddy Biller helped the Bobcats defeat Walkerville on Oct. 19 to stay undefeated in the West Michigan D League. She recorded five kills, one assist, and seven digs.
Mylie Kelly
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
Benzie Central senior Mylie Kelly competed in the 2023 Shepherd BLUEJAY Invite on Sept. 30. She finished in eighth place overall with a time of 18:04.05.
2023-2024 MONTH OF OCTOBER
Mason Robinson
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
Manistee’s Mason Robinson helped the soccer program defeat Whitehall in the district semifinals (3-1), scoring two goals, and one assist.
Fletcher Anderson
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort senior Fletcher Anderson helped the Panthers defeat Tawas on Sept. 29, 49-7. He recorded 147 yards rushing and a touchdown and finished with nine tackles defensively.
Danny Wallington
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
The Benzie Central varsity football team defeated Oscoda, 46-14, on Oct. 6 to improve to 4-3 overall. Huskies starting quarterback Danny Wallington completed nine passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns.
2023-2024
MONTH OF OCTOBER & NOVEMBER
Tyrone Brouillet
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
In a two-score victory over Glen Lake on Oct. 13, Benzie Central senior Tyrone Brouillet ran three times for 16 yards, adding one tackle and two passes defended on defense.
Carroll Robotham
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort junior runner Carroll Robotham finished in 18th place at the Michigan Class D State Cross-Country Championship on Oct. 21. He earned a time of 17:36.90.
Nora Grossnickle
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
The Benzie Central cross country team competed in the 2023 Cecil R. Burch Pine River Invite on Oct. 7. The girls team earned second place overall, while Nora Grossnickle finished in second as an individual with a time of 21:25.48.
Ava Iverson
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
Benzie Central junior runner Ava Iverson competed in the final Northwest Conference race of the season on Oct. 10. She finished in fifth place with a time of 20:51.17 and earned first-team All-Conference honors.
Kaden Forward
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Bear Lake High School
Bear Lake senior Kaden Forward earned third place in the 2023 MHSAA Division 4 regional on Saturday morning. He recorded a time of15:52.40, officially punching his ticket to the state finals.
Addison Chownyk
MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort sophomore runner Addison Chownyk took 10th place at the Michigan Class D State Cross-Country Championship on Oct. 21. Sherecorded a time of 20:38.70.
Abby Kissling
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Brethren High School
Brethren senior Abby Kissling earned a trip to the state finals on Saturday morning after finishing 21st overall. It’s the third time qualifying for the state meet in her high school career. She recorded a time of 21:45.50.
Mason Sinke
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Onekama High School
Mason Sinke runs for the Bear Lake-Onekama cross country program, a co-op team in Manistee County. On Saturday morning, the junior runner earned 16th place at the 2023 MHSAA Division 4 state finals alongside AllState honors, recording a time of 16:37.7.
2023-2024
MONTH OF NOVEMBER
Ceci Postma
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
Students reason for being nomiated. He ran for a game-high 138 yards and two scores while throwing for 121 yards and three TDs in a 38-28 win at Ashland.
Libby McCarthy
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
Manistee senior Libby McCarthy earned All-West Michigan Conference first team honors as an outside hitter. She finished with nine aces,134 kills, 28 blocks, 15 digs, and two assists.
Maddie Gunia
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Manistee Catholic Central
MCC’s Maddie Gunia earned a spot on the West Michigan D League All-Conference first-team and recorded an impressive serving percentage of 91%. She had 28 aces in league play, alongside 7.4 kills and 5.6 digs per game.
Connor Wojciechowski
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Brethren High School
Senior leader Connor Wojciechowski received first-team offense and first-team defense recognition in the West Michigan D League for quarterback and defensive back. He completed 67 passes for 1,192 yards and 15 touchdowns, adding 699 rushing yards and eight scores. Defensively, he finished with 68 tackles, six interceptions, three returned for a TD and four sacks.
Nathan Oleniczak
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Manistee Catholic Central
MCC senior tailback Nathan Oleniczak earned a spot on the West Michigan D League All-Conference second-team offense as a running back. He carried the ball 134 times for 615 yards and five touchdowns. Additionally, he caught three passes for 51 yards and a TD. Defensively, he recorded 48 tackles, three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and one interception.
Caius Johns
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
Senior defensive lineman Caius Johns broke several school records, besting the singleseason sack record at Manistee High with 11. He also earned his place on the first-team All-Region squad.
2023-2024
MONTH OF NOVEMBER
Keith
Crompton
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort sophomore Keith Crompton earned 16th place (17:36.30) in the 2023 MHSAA Division 4 regional on Saturday morning. The youthful runner was one spot away from earning a trip to the state finals, but head coach Dal Townsend is excited about his return next fall.
Carroll
Robotham
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort junior runner
Carroll Robotham competed at the 2023 MHSAA Division 4 Cross country state finals on Saturday afternoon. He finished in 66th place and recorded a time of 17:38.0.
Ava Mauntler
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Onekama Consolidated Schools
Onekama’s Ava Mauntler earned second-team All-Conference honors and first-team All-Region recognition following the 2023 season.
Sofia Alaimo
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort sophomore Sofia Alaimo was the first individual to not make the state meet at the 2023 MHSAA Division 4 regional on Saturday. She finished in 23rd place, recording a time of 22:01.00. However, head coach Dal Townsend remains confident in the girls team and is excited to see the majority of his roster back next fall, including Alaimo.
Connor Wenkel
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
Benzie Central’s Connor Wenkel earned All-Conference honors within the Northwest Conference.
Mylie Kelly
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
On Saturday morning, Benzie Central senior runner Mylie Kelly competed in the 2023 MHSAA Division 3 cross country state finals. She earned All-State honors for the fourth consecutive year alongside her fourth top-8 finish. She placed seventh overall and recorded a time of 18:26.1.
Paige Willman
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
In the district title game on Nov. 2, Frankfort’s Paige Willman recorded 28 digs and five kills.
Jaxon Childers
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
Benzie Central’s Jaxon Childers earned AllConference first-team honors within the Northern Michigan Football League-Leaders Division and All-Region recognition following his senior season.
Eliza Frary
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort senior Eliza Frary earned Northwest All-Conference honorable mention recognition following the season.
Ava Bechler
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
Benzie Central senior Ava Bechler earned first-team All-Northwest Conference honors following the 2023 season.
Stella Estes
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Brethren High School
Brethren’s Stella Estes earned first-team All-Conference recognition within the West Michigan D League. During the 2023 campaign, Estes recorded 70 kills, 38 digs, four assists, 33 blocks and 11 aces.
2023-2024
MONTH OF NOVEMBER & DECEMBER
Fletcher Anderson
MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Following the 2023 season, Frankfort senior Fletcher Anderson earned first-team All-Conference honors within the Northern Michigan Football League-Legacy division and was named the league MVP of the Northern Michigan Football League.
Landin Sowa
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
In a win over Onekama, Manistee forward Landin Sowa scored 18 points alongside six rebounds and four steals. The Mariners defeated the Portagers, 56-24. In the third game of the week, Sowa led all scorers with 19 points and seven rebounds in a victory over Fremont.
Connor Wojciechowski
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Brethren High School
Brethren point guard Connor Wojciechowski helped the Bobcats defeat Mason County Eastern on Dec. 8. Wojciechowski recorded a career-high 33 points in the victory.
2023-2024
MONTH OF DECEMBER
Tyler Hallead
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Manistee Catholic Central
On Dec. 15, the Manistee Catholic Central varsity boys basketball team defeated Bear Lake, 39-34. MCC’s Tyler Hallead scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds.
Mason Gunnett
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
Manistee’s Mason Gunnett recorded nine points, five rebounds, one steal, and one block in a 50-46 win over Shelby on Dec. 21.
Owen Mills
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort’s Owen Mills earned first-team All-Conference honors within the Northern Michigan Football League. During the 2023 campaign, Mills 117 tackles as a linebacker and finished second on the team in tackles, trailing just senior Fletcher Anderson.
Jayna Edmondson
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Manistee High School
Manistee’s Jayna Edmondson helped the Mariners earn a 50-33 victory over Muskegon Orchard View on Dec. 7. Edmondson recorded 16 points, two assists, two rebounds, and six steals.
Stella Estes
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Brethren High School
Brethren’s Stella Estes helped the Bobcats defeat Mason County Eastern, 57-8, to begin the season 3-0. She recorded 16 points, five assists, 10 rebounds, nine steals and six blocks.
Maddy Biller
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Brethren High School
Brethren’s Maddy Biller recorded six points, two assists, and four rebounds in a 56-35 loss to Glen Lake on Dec. 19.
Payton Miller
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort senior Payton Miller earned first-team All-Northwest Conference recognition following the 2023 campaign. She recorded 336 kills, 55 aces, and 287 digs, setting a school record for most career kills at 821. More over, she earned firstteam All-Region honors and an All-State honorable mention within Division 4.
Emmerson Farmer
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort senior Emmerson Farmer helped the Panthers defeat Lake City, 69-36 on Dec. 5. He finished the game with 23 points.
Kara Johnson
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
The Benzie Central varsity girls basketball team may have come up short in its season opener against Traverse City West on Dec. 5, but Kara Johnson had six points and eight steals.
2023-2024 MONTH OF DECEMBER
Jaxon Childers
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
Benzie Central senior Jaxon Childers scored 12 points in a victory over Kingsley on Friday night.
Kylee Harris
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort’s Kylee Harris scored 10 points in a close loss to Glen Lake last week.
Rowan Zickert
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Benzie Central High School
Benzie Central’s Rowan Zickert scored five points in a 50-42 victory over Buckley before the winter break occurred.
2023-2024
MONTH OF DECEMBER - JANUARY
Caden Bradford
MONTH OF JANUARY 2024
School: Onekama Consolidated Schools
Onekama point guard Caden Bradford recorded 23 points, two assists, and five rebounds in a 63-18 victory over Manistee Catholic Central on Dec. 18.
Tramel Caviness
MONTH OF JANUARY 2024
School: Manistee High School
Tramel Caviness logged 10 points, nine rebounds, three assists and had three blocks during a Jan. 5 game against Traverse City Christian.
Caden Bradford
Evelyn VanTol
MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023
School: Frankfort-Elberta Area HS
Frankfort’s Evelyn VanTol recorded 26 points and eight rebounds in a 60-40 win over Manistee before the holiday break.
Alayna Edmondson
MONTH OF JANUARY 2024
School: Manistee High School
Manistee’s Alayna Edmondson recorded five points, eight assists, nine rebounds, and two steals in a 54-47 win against Shelby on Dec. 22.
Callie Sinke
MONTH OF JANUARY 2024
School: Onekama Consolidated Schools
Callie Sinke scored 23 points in the Portagers home game against Suttons Bay on Jan. 4.
MONTH OF JANUARY 2024
School: Onekama Consolidated Schools
Caden led Onekama against Suttons Bay on Jan. 10 with 20 points, four assists, and three rebounds.
Elizabeth Logan
MONTH OF JANUARY 2024
School: Manistee Catholic Central
During a game on Jan. 9 against Fruitport Calvary Christian, Elizabeth scored 2 points, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal. On Jan. 11 against Pentwater, she logged 11 points, 2 assists, 6 rebounds and 1 steal.
Myles Harless
MONTH OF JANUARY 2024
School: Bear Lake High School
Myles Harless led the Lakers against Mason County Eastern on Jan. 19 with 19 points, 20 rebounds, three assists, and two steals. On Jan. 20 against Onekama, Myles scored 17 points, and had five rebounds, one assist and one steal.
Aleah Blackmore
MONTH OF JANUARY 2024
School: Onekama Consolidated Schools
Aleah Blackmore swept both ski events on Jan. 17, winning the giant slalom with a time of 43.59 seconds and the slalom with a time of 1:00.39.
Jayna Edmondson
MONTH OF JANUARY 2024
School: Manistee High School
On Jan. 25 Jayna scored 23 points in a contest against Freemont. On Jan. 27 she scored 16 points in a win over Orchard View.
Miles Pritchett
MONTH OF JANUARY 2024
School: Benzie Central High School
Benzie Central’s Miles Pritchett scored eight points in a 50-42 victory over Buckley on Dec. 19.
2023-2024
MONTH OF JANUARY
Braydon Sorenson
MONTH OF JANUARY 2024
School: Onekama Consolidated Schools
Braydon took first place in the giant slalom helping his team take first place as well. Braydon also finished in first place in the slalom. He helped his team take second place in the event.
