Offense

• OL Cody Carone  6-4  295  Sr  Rockford  Ferris State
• OL Dan VanOpstall  6-6  240  Sr  Jenison
• OL Chuckie Anthony  6-1  295  Sr  Muskegon Mona Shores
• OL Max Godsil  6-6  260  Sr  Portage Central
• OL Swayer Perkette  5-10  220  Sr  Traverse City West
• TE Kyle Nyboer  6-1  225  Sr  Grandville
• QB Tristan Robbins  5-11  175  Sr  Muskegon Mona Shores
• RB Sincere Dent  5-11  210  Jr  Muskegon Mona Shores
• RB Seankeese Townsend  5-10  185  Sr  West Ottawa
• WR Tate Hallock  6-3  175  Jr  Forest Hills Central
• WR Keyshawn Summerville  6-0  165  Sr  Muskegon Mona Shores

Defense

• DL Seth Hoonhorst  6-3  275  Sr  Hudsonville
• DL Mazi Smith  6-3  305  Jr  East Kentwood
• DL Elijah Gurley  6-3  240  Sr  Forest Hills Central
• LB Jace Thornton  6-2  210  Sr  Forest HIlls Central
• LB DeAnthony Davis  5-10  175  Sr  Muskegon Mona Shores
• LB Khale Showers  5-11  175  Sr  Rockford
• LB Gino Romanelli  5-11  200  Sr  Muskegon Reeths-Puffer
• DB Marcus Remtema  6-0  175  Sr  Rockford  Grand Valley State
• DB Addison Buckius  6-3  200  Sr  Lowell
• DB Darius Pruitt  6-3  205  Sr  Kalamazoo Central
• DB Terry O’Connor  6-3  210  Sr  Traverse City Central

The leading tackler on the Lake Area’s top team, Muskegon junior Ali’vonta Wallace.

Defensive MVP
Ali’Vonta Wallace  6-1  230  Jr  Muskegon: The Lake Area’s No. 1 rated 2019 prospect, ahead of a handful of linemen with Power 5 offers, Wallace justifies his accolades with production on the field. He was the leading tackler for Muskegon, which goes into the Division 2 state final undefeated having shut out the majority of its opponents while allowing an average of just a touchdown per game.

• DL Eli Jackson  6-0  300  Sr  Muskegon
• DL Adam Berghorst  6-7  250  Jr  Zeeland East
• DL Max Lundeen  6-4  240  Sr  East Grand Rapids
• LB Liam Cavanagh  6-4  210  Sr  West Ottawa
• LB Nathaniel Mitchell  6-0  245  Sr  Grand Rapids West Catholic
• LB Joel Wilson  6-4  205  Sr  Petoskey
• LB Brett Taylor  5-11  225  Sr  Comstock Park
• DB Willie Shanks  6-2  185  Sr  Muskegon
• DB Bryce Clay  5-10  190  Sr  Forest Hills Central
• DB Connor Bolthouse  5-11  190  Sr  Grand Rapids West Catholic
• DB Matt Martin  5-7  155  Sr  Muskegon Mona Shores

Senior quarterback La’darius Jefferson led Muskegon undefeated into the Division 3 state final.

Offensive MVP
La’darius Jefferson  6-2  215  Sr  QB  Muskegon: His sophomore season was played in Mississippi, though any SEC quarterbacking roots that may have taken hold would link Jefferson more to Tebow or Prescott than Eli. A powerhouse dual threat behind the state’s top line, a combination that has resulted in the most prolific offense in the history of the state’s winningest program. In leading Muskegon to the D3 state final, Jefferson ran for 1,838 yards and 29 TDs and threw for 1,208 yards and 21 TDs with two interceptions. Those numbers are modest compared to what they could have been had Muskegon not blown out nearly its entire schedule. Jefferson originally committed to undefeated Central Florida but re-opened his recruitment after being offered by resurgent top 25 MSU — though as an “athlete” and not necessarily a QB.

• OL Jalen Mayfield  6-5  245  Sr  Grand Rapids Catholic Central  Michigan
• OL Anthony Bradford  6-5  6-5  330  Jr  Muskegon
• OL Matt Stefanski  6-3  315  Sr  Frankfort
• OL Spencer Holstege  6-5  265  Jr  Grand Rapids South Christian
• OL Logan Brown  6-6  285  Jr  East Kentwood  Wisconsin
• TE Ryan Hayes  6-7  250  Sr  Traverse City West  Michigan
• QB Susu Davenport  6-1  175  Sr  Wyoming Godwin Heights
• RB Nolan Fugate  6-1  210  Sr  Grand Rapids Catholic Central
• RB Jo Jo Whitley  5-10  175  Sr  Comstock Park
• WR Xavier Wade  6-3  180  Sr  West Ottawa
• WR Bryant Kieft  6-3  205  Sr  Watervliet

Class of 2018

Christian Balanda  6-6  275  Sr  OL/DL  Forest Hills Central: Noteworthy basically for his size alone as a junior, he’s become a legitimate player as a senior, the starting right tackle for an undefeated Rangers team in the D2 state semifinals. Does a good job shooting his hands and keeping them inside. Balanda is a better run blocker than in pass protection where lack of flexibility and quickness show through and he can struggle holding the edge against athletic rushers. Shows decent instincts in stints at defensive tackle. Size and experience against high-end competition will give him a shot at the next level.

Seth Davis  5-9  175  Sr  ATH  Ithaca: Saw him live in the regional at Montague and loved the production and toughness. An edge guy for Ithaca and perfect at it for the high school level, as he’s able to pressure the quarterback or drop back and make plays in coverage. Made big third- and fourth-down stops, had a crucial interception and return, recovered a fumble and had a long reception of his own. Probably safety at the college level.

Cole Schut  6-4  270  Sr  OL  Holland: Like Balanda above, another lineman who made a big jump in improvement as a senior, but is more ready-made and less of a project. Schut is a return starter at left tackle who helped Holland make a playoff appearance. Committed to Grand Valley State over offers from Hillsdale, Drake, Bucknell, Morehead State and Concordia. Quick, aggressive first step as a run blocker. What he lacks in wingspan he makes up for in speed, technique, base/balance and high game IQ working angles and leverage.

Class of 2019 

Preston Johnson  6-3  170  Jr  WR  Reed City: Reed City is going to run it mostly and who can blame them the Coyotes are in the Division 5 semifinals. That makes Johnson often a blocker. But you have to like his physical profile and long, smooth stride. He had a 60-yard TD catch in the regular season against Tri-County.

Class of 2020

Josh Priebe  6-4  265  So  OL  Edwardsburg: Zeeland West is home, but Edwardsburg continues to represent Lake Area wing-T offenses in the playoffs, with a return appearance to the semifinals. Preibe is the right guard on a line that just man-handled Lansing Sexton in the regional, rolling up 353 rushing yards and 52 points. He moves really well for his size and age and is good at creating the horizontal lanes you want from the wing-T. If Priebe wasn’t out-quicking Sexton’s shorter, squatter D linemen to gain pad level advantage, he was pulling or getting into the second level and dwarfing the Big Reds’ linebackers. Plays with some attitude and swagger, which isn’t common among young big guys. One of the Lake Area’s top interior line prospects in the 2020 group.

Xavier Wade and West Ottawa play Clarkston Saturday.

Class of 2018

Xavier Wade  6-3  180  Jr  WR  West Ottawa: It was a perfect convergence for Wade, who in Ryan Oshnock’s two seasons as West Ottawa’s coach has thrived in the system. He’s had a career that rivals any receiver in O-K Red history. As a junior Wade put up big numbers and flashed talent. As a senior he’s a better football, quicker into top gear of that smooth, long stride, and doing it for the first district championship team in school history. He had 11 catches for 185 yards and a TD in the district final win over Rockford. Wade was also the starting point guard on the school’s first-ever district champion basketball team. One of myriad targets for QB Isaac VanDyk. Good size and ball skills who is just too big a target coming out of the slot against one-on-one coverage he can heat you up with underneath routes but also can break long and make catches on the move. Could be an All-MAC player in four years. He was the top available senior in the Lake Area before La’darius Jefferson decommitted from Central Florida.

Lake Area Top 25 Seniors

1. Jalen Mayfield  6-5  250  OL/DL  Grand Rapids Catholic Central  Michigan
2. La’darius Jefferson  6-2  210  ATH  Muskegon  Michigan State
3. Ryan Hayes  6-7  260  ATH  Traverse City West  Michigan
4. Xavier Wade  6-3  180  WR  West Ottawa
5. Nolan Fugate  6-1  190  RB  Grand Rapids Catholic Central
6. Cade Peterson  6-5  190  QB  Maple City Glen Lake  Grand Valley State
7. Jason Whittaker  6-5  200  QB  Rockford  Northwestern
8. Braeden Childress  6-4  215  TE  Big Rapids
9. Joel Wilson  6-4  205  Edge  Petoskey
10. Antwan Reed  6-7  315  OL  Muskegon
11. Susu Davenport  6-1  175  ATH  Wyoming Godwin Heights
12. Caleb Murphy  6-4  210  Edge  Dowagiac  Grand Valley State
13. Eli Jackson  6-1  275  DL  Muskegon
14. Cody Carone  6-3  295  OL  Rockford  Ferris State
15. Keontae Watson  6-5  260  OL  Muskegon Mona Shores
16. Christian Brooks  6-2  220  LB  North Muskegon
17. Jacob Wohlgemuth  6-5  300  DL  Wyoming Kelloggsville
18. Dan VanOpstall  6-6  230  DL/OL  Jenison
19. Brett Taylor  5-10  220  LB  Comstock Park
20. CJ Jefferson  6-0  175  ATH  Muskegon
21. Willie Shanks  6-2  185  DB  Muskegon
22. Marcus Remtema  6-0  185  DB  Rockford  Grand Valley State
23. Brandon Anderson  5-10  155  WR/RB  Cassopolis
24. Keyshaun Summerville  6-0  165  WR/DB  Muskegon Mona Shores
25. Darius Pruitt  6-3  185  DB  Kalamazoo Central

Class of 2019

Boone Bonnema  6-3  215  Jr  LB/TE  Zeeland East: One of two FBS prospects on defense (Chix junior D-end Adam Berghorst was recently offered by WMU) who’ll be returning in 2018 for what should be another very good Zeeland East team. Bonnema is already a three-year starter. In any high school games he’s one of the biggest, most athletic kids on the field, and he plays up to that profile. He’s best when going full throttle, blitzing and making life hard on QBs or taking on blockers. He embraces the physical confrontation not much subtlety to it whether from his middle linebacker spot or coming out from his H-back spot to hit his corresponding defenders .Best college fit may be as ted linebacker in traditional 3-4. His main value on offense is as a blocker, he runs kind of looping routes but is athletic to make plays after the catch.

Enrique Gonzalez  6-4  185  Jr  ATH  Jenison: Received his varsity baptism against an at times brutal 2017 schedule — Forest Hills Central, Mona Shores, Muskegon, West Ottawa. In this case ‘athlete’ means ‘tweener.’ He’s a safety and receiver for the Wildcats. With frame and versatility could end up a linebacker or tight end.Tends to play too upright, so he’ll face the tough task of putting on strength while increasing flexibility to get the college coaches noticing.

Bryce Stark  5-11  175  Jr  RB  Montague:  Fittingly given the surname Stark, he’s played his best with winter coming. He ran for 254 yards and four TDs in a 47-0 opening round win over Lakeview then 227 yards and two touchdowns in the 37-13 district final against Kent City. For the year Stark has 161 rushing attempts for 1,501 yards and 28 touchdowns. He’ll see his toughest defense yet in the regional with Ithaca, which is strong on all three levels. Montague spreads it out but uses a power running game with Stark the only back. He’s a quick cut-back runner with good power for his size and the speed to finish, especially at the small-school level. Will have to show coaches he can catch the ball, though to his credit Stark’s only reception this year went for a TD.