Lake Area Offensive Player of the Week

Jack Clark  5-11  175  Sr  QB  Forest Hills Eastern: Apparently Jake Martin isn’t the only talented senior QB in the Forest Hills district. Nor is his Northern squad the only undefeated team. Forest Hills Eastern is now 3-0 after beating Grand Rapids West Catholic 48-15. Clark was 14-of-24 passing for 177 yards and three TDS, while running for three TDs himself.

Lake Area Defensive Player of the Week

Devante Walker  5-6  160  Jr  DB  Traverse City Central: He didn’t shy from the spotlight of the biggest game of the year in Northern Michigan, when Traverse City Central and West play at Thirlby Field. In overtime, Walker, a cornerback, intercepted West in the end zone on a pass intended to a receiver a foot taller. That set up John Pupel’s game-winning TD run for Central. Walker also had a crucial 54-yard run during regulation, which set up another Pupel TD.

Lake Area Small School Player of the Week

Kade Witte  5-10  175  Jr  RB  Hesperia: He ran the ball 16 times for 302 yards and four TDs in Hesperia’s 38-13 defeat of Newaygo. He had 12 carries for 152 yards and two TDs the previous week against Ludington.

Lake Area Northern Michigan Player of the Week

Andre Jones  5-6  165  Sr  RB  Reed City: Combine Jones’ 4.5 speed with Reed City’s run-heavy offense, and big things ensue. In a 44-7 win over Newaygo, he had 11 carries for 130 yards and three TDs. On the season for 3-0 Reed City, Jones has rushed for 540 yards — 18.6 per carry — and nine TDS, and also returned an interception for a TD. H

Lake Area Coach of the Week

Shane Fairfield, Muskegon: The thing about standing on the shoulders of giants? You can fall off. Fewer than 10 high school programs in the country have 800 wins. Muskegon became the ninth, and the first in Michigan, to reach that mark with the Big Reds’ win over Grandville. Fairfield has been on the sidelines for 54 of them since taking over the program in the 2010 season.