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Reading's Zac Affholter, Jacob Hamilton named to AP 11-player all-state list

joseph flaherty, hillsdale daily news
·5 min read
Reading senior Zac Affholter
Reading senior Zac Affholter

HILLSDALE COUNTY — The Associated Press panel of voters for the Michigan High School Football All-State lists have begun releasing their selections for each division. The lists are released in order, starting with Divisions 7 and 8. This year, the selections have combined two divisions. In Hillsdale County, football divisions get as high as Division 6 and include 7, 8 and 8-player football programs. The county had Litchfield junior Miguel Pedroza earn an honorable mention all-state selection for the 8-player football list. Two more county athletes earned spots on the Division 7-8 AP All-State list.

Reading seniors Zac Affholter and Jacob Hamilton both earned first-team AP All-State honors for the Division 7-8 list. Affholter was listed as a lineman and Hamilton as a defensive back.

Affholter was an MHSFCA All-Region and a Big 8 All-Conference athlete as a junior, and a member of the dream team. This season, Affholter was an MHSFCA All-State, Big 8 all-conference and dream team member. Affholter helped clear the way for a Ranger offense that ran for more than 3,000 yards and passed for more than 1,500 yards, averaging over 430 yards a game. Following a family tradition of academic and athletic success at Reading, Affholter looks to compete in basketball, track and baseball this year before graduating in the spring.

Hamilton was an MHSFCA All-State, Big 8 All-Conference and dream team honoree his junior season. He was also an AP All-State first-team selection as a junior at defensive back. Hamilton was also a unanimous all-conference and a dream team honoree this season. Hamilton followed up a seven-interception junior campaign with eight interceptions his senior year. Opposing teams did not target his direction for most of the season, earning the title of one of the best shutdown defensive backs in the Big 8. Hamilton wrestles and will play spring sports for the Rangers this year before graduating.

(1) Shea Ruddy of Ottawa Lake Whiteford earned the honor of Division 7-8 player of the year and is committed to Hillsdale College.
(1) Shea Ruddy of Ottawa Lake Whiteford earned the honor of Division 7-8 player of the year and is committed to Hillsdale College.

You can find the full AP-All State list for Divisions 7-8 and Divisions 5-6 below. Neighboring county schools also had athletes recognized. Ottawa Lake Whiteford's Shea Ruddy, a Hillsdale College commit, won the Division 7-8 player of the year honor.

Division 7-8 AP All-State Team

Player of the Year

  • Shea Ruddy, Ottawa Lake-Whiteford, Sr.

Quarterbacks

  • Shea Ruddy, Ottawa Lake-Whiteford, Sr.

  • Wyatt Nausadis, Traverse City St. Francis, Sr.

Running Backs

  • Ethan Wissner, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, Sr.

  • Derrick Walker, Jackson Lumen Christi, Sr.

  • Bart Laretz, Napoleon, Sr.

  • Brenden Haisenleder, Marine City Cardinal Mooney, Sr.

Receivers

  • Ethan Hull, Ithaca, Sr.

  • Dakobe White, Evart, Jr.

  • Jaxon Childers, Benzonia Benzie Central, Jr.

Linemen

  • Tristan Duncan, Detroit Central, Sr.

  • Hunter Nysen, Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, Sr.

  • Jon Brzezinski, Clarkston Everest Collegiate, Sr.

  • Sam Gallo, North Muskegon, Sr.

  • Nolan Collins, Lawton, Jr.

  • Brayden Luse, Ottawa Lake-Whiteford, Sr.

  • Zac Affholter, Reading, Sr.

  • Michael Stevenson, Montrose, Sr.

  • Jaden Curry, New Lothrop, Sr.

  • Canden Peruski, Ubly, Jr.

  • Ben Straus, Beal City, Sr.

  • Parker Peruski, Ubly, Sr.

  • Mike Humphreys, Napoleon, Sr.

  • Mack Bontekoe, McBain, Sr.

Linebackers

  • Jake Iott, Ottawa Lake-Whiteford, Jr.

  • Mikel Good, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, Sr.

  • Joey Donahue, Traverse City St. Francis, Sr.

  • Easten Strodtman, Hudson, Sr.

  • Tagg Gott, Schoolcraft, Sr.

  • Defensive backs

  • Dontez Hicks, Detroit Central, Sr.

  • Luke Wolfe, Iron Mountain, Jr.

  • Jacob Hamilton, Reading, Sr.

Specialist

  • Hunter Hogan, Ravenna, Sr.

Kicker

  • Rease Teel, Perry, Sr.

Punter

  • Troy Wertman, Pewamo-Westphalia, Sr.

Coach of the Year

  • Herb Brogan, Jackson Lumen Christi

SECOND TEAM

Quarterbacks

  • Preston Wallace, Evart, Jr.

  • Jack Kulhanek, New Lothrop, Jr.

Running Backs

  • Cole Hopkins, Evart, Sr.

  • Kyler Maiorana, Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, Jr.

  • Hunter DeBarr, Ottawa Lake-Whiteford, Jr.

Receivers

  • Grayson Ackels, Carson City-Crystal, Jr.

  • Jaxon McGuigan, Manchester, Sr.

Linemen

  • Luke Braun, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, Sr.

  • Brandon Pass, Ithaca, Jr.

  • Evan Curtiss, Fowler, Jr.

  • Ethan Morgan, Traverse City St. Francis, Sr.

  • Grayson Orr, New Lothrop, Sr.

Linebackers

  • Garrett Hathaway, Traverse City St. Francis, Sr.

  • Seth Miller, White Pigeon, Sr.

  • Kaleb Peska, Ithaca, Sr.

Defensive Backs

  • Charlie Martyn, Ithaca, Sr.

  • Patrick Sterrett, Charlevoix, Sr.

  • Connor Boyer, East Jordan, Sr.

Specialist

  • Joe Lathers, Jackson Lumen Christi, Sr.

Coach

  • Todd Thieken, Ottawa Lake-Whiteford

Division 5-6 AP All-State Team

Player of the Year

  • Tim Kloska, Grand Rapids West Catholic, Sr.

Quarterbacks

  • Nick Wheeler, Gladwin, Sr.

  • Graham Junge, Flat Rock, So.

Running Backs

  • Tim Kloska, Grand Rapids West Catholic, Sr.

  • Kahleel Brown, Birch Run, Sr.

  • Isaiah Clemens, Detroit Southeastern, Sr.

  • Brayden Clark, Constantine, Jr.

Receivers

  • Stuart Gould Tri County, Sr.

  • Nic Nora, Kingsford, Sr.

  • Nate VanTimmeren, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Sr.

  • Adam Kidder, Madison Heights Bishop Foley, Sr.

Linemen

  • Luke Krzewski, Grand Rapid West Catholic, Sr.

  • Carter Wiess, Frankenmuth, Sr.

  • Nathan Rivard, Midland Bullock Creek, Sr.

  • Lincoln McKinnon, Gladwin, Sr.

  • Domanic Novelli, Millington, Sr.

  • Drew Priddy, Olivet, Sr.

  • Caden VanSickle, Manistee, Sr.

  • Collin Buchanan, Royal Oak Shrine, Sr.

  • Jack Hopkins, Madison Heights Bishop Foley, Sr.

  • Brandon Felts, Clinton, Sr.

  • Dawson Zuiderveen, Kalamazoo United, Sr.

  • Delano Townsend, Hamady, Sr.

Linebackers

  • Maddox Woods, Shepherd, Sr.

  • Logan Kokotovich, Gladwin, Sr.

  • Braydn Lehman, Clinton

  • Eli Van Buren, Negaunee, Sr.

Defensive Backs

  • Joe Debski, Grand Rapids West Catholic, Sr.

  • Phil Nelson, Negaunee, Sr.

  • Seth Jackson, Reed City, Sr.

  • Alfonso Gray III, Warren Michigan Collegiate, Sr.

Specialist

  • Brayden Sullivan, Standish-Sterling, Sr.

Kicker

  • Will Soulliere, Frankenmuth, Jr.

Punter

  • Noah Dunckel, Williamston, Jr.

Coach of the Year

  • Marc Jarstfer, Gladwin

SECOND TEAM

Quarterbacks

  • Jacob Tuttle, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Jr.

  • Angelo Costanza, Madison Heights Bishop Foley, Sr.

Running Backs

  • Cole Potier, Gladstone, Sr.

  • Drew Miller, Portland, Sr.

  • Ramsey Bousseau, Olivet, Sr.

  • Trever Jones, Oakridge, Jr.

  • Nico Lukkarinen, Negaunee, Sr.

Receivers

  • Jamison Williams, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, So.

  • Brandon Lewis, Lansing Catholic, Sr.

  • Alex Calcaterra, Boyne City, Sr.

  • Aaron Salazar, Flat Rock. Sr.

Linemen

  • Zach Fernelius, Ogemaw Heights, Sr.

  • Drake Spickerman, Negaunee, Sr.

  • Drew Willmore, Belding, Sr.

  • Aidan Konwinski, Whitmore Lake, Sr.

  • Eric Grenadier, Detroit Country Day, Sr.

  • Rodney Brassfield, Montague, Sr.

  • Branson Goodman, Portland, Sr.

  • Evan Samson, Durand, Sr.

Linebackers

  • Ryan Eastland, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Sr.

  • Charlie DeBruyn, Grand Rapids West Catholic, Jr.

  • Ty Farmer, Brooklyn Columbia Central, Sr.

  • Bo Schwartz, Midland Bullock Creek, Jr.

  • Braylon Davenport, Clawson, Sr.

  • Sam Kartes, Muskegon Catholic, Sr.

  • Cooper Buhl, Dundee, Sr.

Defensive Back

  • Ethan Burrows, Essexville Garber, Sr.

Specialist

  • Earl Esiline, Gladwin, Sr.

This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Reading seniors earn spots on the AP Division 7-8 All-State teams