Frankfort junior Griffin Kelly is the most talented running back in Northern Michigan regardless of school size.

Lake Area Offensive Player of the Week

Nate Stephens  Sr  RB  Lowell: The future Harvard baseball player carried the ball 20 times for 145 yards and three TDs. Lowell beat Traverse City Central for a D2 district crown.

Lake Area Defensive Player of the Week

Connor Fischer  Sr  LB  Grandville: OK, technically it was a special teams play that earned the nod for Fischer. The Bulldogs trailed until the second half when he blocked a Rockford punt recovered by teammate Isaak Opatik for their first score. Grandville won the D1 district final 20-9.

Lake Area Small School Player of the Week

Cameron Martinez  Fr  QB  Muskegon Catholic Central: The freshman played with the efficiency of an upperclassman in MCC’s shutout win over Beal City in a D8 district final. Martinez was 6-of-7 passing for 130 yards and two TDs while running nine times for 63 yards and three TDs.

Lake Area Northern Michigan Player of the Week

Griffin Kelly  Jr  RB  Frankfort: He had the game-winning score, a 38-yard TD reception, with 13 seconds left to give the Panthers a 38-24 defeat of Lincoln Alcona in a D8 district final. Kelly also ran for 121 yards and a pair of TDs.

Lake Area Coach of the Year

Joseph Hyland, Grand Rapids West Catholic: He stepped into both a dream position, but one with great expectations replacing one of the Lake Area’s very best, Dan Rohn, under whom anything less than a state title was a disappointment. So far so good for Hyland, after West Catholic got its second playoff road win, 10-7 at Portland, in defense of their D5 state crown.