By Chad Wingert
(Contact / Staff Bio)
Originally published April 7, 2009, 05:47 p.m. EST. Updated April 7, 2009, 05:47 p.m. EST
The 2009 All-Thumb Boys and Girls Basketball teams, as voted on by The County Press, The Brown City Banner, The Tuscola County Advertiser, The Sanilac County News, The Sandusky Tribune, The Huron Daily Tribune, The Huron County Press, Newsweekly and The Harbor Beach Times.
GIRLS
Player of the Year: Alicia Leipprandt - Ubly
Coach of the Year: Cindy Burton - Brown City
Team of the Year: Brown City Greene Devils (GTE Champs)
FIRST TEAM
Marissa DeMott - Sandusky
Kristen Greene - Brown City
Kayla Doshier - Millington
Alicia Leipprandt - Ubly
Amber Gotham - Reese
Jillian Williamson - USA
SECOND TEAM
Kayla Verbeek - Vassar
Dani Gremel - USA
Jade Ackerman - Reese
Stephanie Maxwell - EPBP
Amara Wilson - Marlette
Meaghan Fortsch - Caseville
Honorable Mention
Whitney Fox - Kingston, Sarah Clancy - North Huron, Allyson Coglin - Port Hope, Michelle Burgess - Brown City, Madie Hale - Sandusky, Ashley Hatfield - EPBP, Jackie VanderGraff - Cros-Lex, Amanda Ellis - Caro, Lyndsay White - Ubly, Dawn Albrecht - CPS, Jamie Frahm - Millington, Kaylee Lochrie - Harbor Beach, Jennica Richards - Cass City, Bethany Grates - Caseville, Sam Breault - Bad Axe
BOYS
Player of the Year - AJ Burton - Brown City
Coach of the Year - Mark Gainforth - USA
Team of the Year - North Huron (20-0 NCTL)
FIRST TEAM
Brandon Bitzer - USA
AJ Burton - Brown City
Jack McPhail - Brown City
Jordan Kaufman - Ubly
Tyler Reinert - Millington
Sean Clancy - North Huron
SECOND TEAM
Jordan Pennington - Kingston
Zac Overstreet - Peck
RJ Fritz - Caro
John Iseler - North Huron
Josh Pickell - Reese
Chris Summersett - Cass City
Honorable Mention
Ryan Zimmer - USA, Jacob Murawske - Harbor Beach, Jake Holland - USA, Ty Loding - Sandusky, Chris Rowe - EPBP, Justin Braun - Harbor Beach, Billy Burns - Peck, Tyler Kubacki - Ubly, Anthony Irvine - North Huron, Troy Hecht -Vassar, Brent Reil - Owen-Gage, Josh Moffit - Brown City, Andrew LaPointe - Caro, Deane Baker - North Branch, Josh Repkie - Akron-Fairgrove.
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April 8, 2009
10:30 a.m.Report inappropriate content
I think it is very easy to figure out where the majority of the votes come from in the "All-Thumb" voting. If anyone watched a majority of these athletes in action this year I think they would agree that Brandon Bitzer was by far the best player in the area, and the fact that USA pounded Brown City in the a Regional semi-final game should be proof alone. Sure Burton and McPhail were pure shooters, but could not get themselves open for a good look in a majority of that game against USA. Also I think R.J. fritz of Caro or Jordan Pennington of Kingston could easily replace one or two of the first team players. Evidently not enough voters with non-bias opinions or "sports writers" with a total lack of knowledge, or playing experience at some point in life to understand what a good ball player looks and plays like were asked to vote on this subject. All of the First team athletes were good ball players, but if this is the best five the Thumb has to offer it is no wonder a 20-0 regular season team was beat in a District final and a team with two first team selections and player of the year were drilled in a Regional game by a team with one first team selection (maybe because Bitzer alone was better than Brown City). Even the player of the year wuld agree with this according to his own quote!
April 8, 2009
10:40 p.m.Report inappropriate content
- bigshot - It should be noted that the Thumb Sportswriters Association bases their votes on the regular season only. So the fact that USA beat Brown City in the regional finals is somewhat irrelevant.
You could look at it this way too, USA split the GTW title with Bay City All Saints whereas Brown City won the East outright.
I did not post the voting results for the boys, but the fact is AJ Burton had 19 points, and Bitzer finished with 18 points. (Based on a voting process - 3 points for first place vote, 2 points for second...etc.)
Also, every sports writer entitled to their own vote, has their own process behind a vote. Some people felt because Bitzer missed the first 9 games of the season, he didn't deserve the award over someone who played the entire season.
Again, as I said in my story, the guys team was a ton harder to pick than the girls team. To some people we may not have gotten the first team right, but in my opinion, you really can't go wrong.
April 9, 2009
12:30 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Actually Chad, USA won the GTW title outright...Just thought I'd inform you of that :P All Saints finished a game behind of USA