(AP) — Hudson High School football coach Chris Luma’s first impression of running back Drew Milligan was one that the coach may never forget.
“His dad told me back when he was a freshman that Drew said he wants to be the best running back ever to come out of Hudson,” Luma said. “I didn’t think much of it at the time, but guess what?
“He’s going to be the best running back ever to come out of Hudson.”
Milligan added to an incredible senior season for the Tigers with 198 yards rushing in a 52-6 win over Warren Michigan Collegiate in the Division 7 semifinals to push his season rushing total over the 2,200-yard mark.
The 5-foot-6, 150-pound Milligan is the all-time single-season rushing leader at Hudson and this year’s Associated Press Division 7-8 Player of the Year.
He heads the Division 7-8 All-State team that also includes Luma as the Coach of the Year.
“A kid like that makes my job a lot easier,” Luma said. “He’s one of those quiet, even shy, kids. We put in the Wildcat formation this year because of what Drew can do, and one of the first things that happened was some of the players were complaining because they couldn’t hear him in the huddle.
“It was kind of funny, but that’s just how he is.”
Undefeated Hudson plays Ishpeming in the Division 7 final at Ford Field Saturday morning. It will be the first meeting of those schools since Ishpeming downed Hudson in the 1975 final. Luma was the quarterback for Hudson in 1975.
Other running backs named to the Division 7-8 All-State team are Ethan Colton of Saugatuck, Damon Armstrong of Muskegon Catholic Central, Cody Ross of Deckerville, Corban Olson of Lawton and Jared Barton of Fulton.
Colton rushed for more than 2,380 yards for Division 8 finalist Saugatuck, while Armstrong rushed for 1,082 yards for Muskegon Catholic Central, which plays one of the toughest schedules among small schools in the state. Ross rushed for more than 1,000 yards despite breaking his leg early in Week 9 and playing just one half of two other games.
Olson rushed for 1,520 yards and 20 touchdowns for Lawton, which went through the regular season unbeaten. Barton, an All-State punter last year, rushed for 1,588 yards this season and amassed more than 5,000 yards in a three-year varsity career.
The All-State quarterbacks are Brett Wesner of Bellevue and Nic Aday of Springport.
Wesner led Bellevue to the school’s first playoff appearance and into the Division 8 district final. He passed for more than 1,400 yards and rushed for more than 1,500 yards. Aday led Springport to the first 9-0 regular season in school history. He accounted for 2,470 yards in total offense this year after missing all of last season with a knee injury.
The All-State receivers in Division 7-8 are Kevin Rice of Kinde North Huron, Kyle Mayan of Merrill and Austin St. Louis of St. Ignace LaSalle.
Rice led all Division 7-8 receivers with 74 receptions and 1,000 yards in the regular season. Mayan had 47 catches for 931 yards and seven touchdowns. St. Louis caught 25 passes for 351 yards and rushed for 717 yards and was named offensive and defensive player of the year in the Straits Area Conference.
Six linemen were named All-State, including Nick Pasch of Beal City, Stanley Matuszak of Whittemore-Prescott, Shaquille Sibley of New Lothrop, returning All-Stater Mitch Thompson of Lake City, John Schrauben of Fowler and Shafer Johnson of Southfield Christian. Johnson has committed to Indiana.
Eric Booms of Ubly is another repeat selection, and he is joined at linebacker by Jordan Hahka of Lake Linden-Hubbell, Tanez Hervey of Detroit Loyola, Jake Gilstorff of Petersburg-Summerfield and Cody Bingaman of Mendon.
The defensive backs are Branch Kampe of Royal Oak Shrine, Taylor Borst of Mancelona and John Zakrzewski of Traverse City St. Francis.
Chase Blake of Petersburg-Summerfield is the All-State pick in the all-purpose category.
He rushed for more than 1,500 yards, ran a kickoff back for a touchdown, kicked a playoff-game-winning field goal and was one of Petersburg-Summerfield’s leading tacklers as a defensive back.
The kicker is Josh Bachleda of Bridgman, who was good on all 45 of his extra-point attempts and had a pair of field goals.
The All-State punter is Gray Vreeland of Gobles, who averaged 43.5 yards per kick with a long of 70 yards.
AP Division 7-8 All-State prep football list
The 2010 Associated Press Division 7-8 All-State football team, which is selected by Michigan sports writers and broadcasters:
PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Drew Milligan, Hudson, 5-6, 150, Sr.
QUARTERBACKS:
Nic Aday, Springport, 5-10, 185, Sr.
Brett Wesner, Bellevue, 5-11, 175, Sr.
RUNNING BACKS:
Jared Barton, Fulton, 5-11, 205, Sr.
Damon Armstrong, Muskegon Catholic Central, 5-8, 170, Sr.
Drew Milligan, Hudson, 5-6, 150, Sr.
Ethan Colton, Saugatuck, 5-11, 170, Sr.
Corban Olson, Lawton, 5-10, 170, Sr.
Cody Ross, Deckerville, 5-11, 180, Sr.
RECEIVERS:
Kevin Rice, Kinde North Huron, 6-1, 185, Sr.
Kyle Mayan, Merrill, 6-3, 185, Sr.
Austin St. Louis, St. Ignace LaSalle, 6-3, 190, Sr.
LINEMEN:
Shaquille Sibley, New Lothrop, 6-0, 290, Sr.
Nick Pasch, Beal City, 5-10, 190, Sr.
Stanley Matuszak, Whittemore-Prescott, 6-1, 215, Sr.
Mitch Thompson, Lake City, 5-11, 240, Sr.
John Schrauben, Fowler, 6-2, 240, Sr.
Shafer Johnson, Southfield Christian, 6-0, 292, Sr.
LINEBACKERS:
Jordan Hahka, Lake Linden-Hubbell, 5-8, 165, Sr.
Tanez Hervey, Detroit Loyola, 5-9, 205, Sr.
Jake Gilstorff, Petersburg-Summerfield, 6-0, 200, Sr.
Cody Bingaman, Mendon, 5-11, 215, Jr.
Eric Booms, Ubly, 6-1, 195, Sr.
DEFENSIVE BACKS:
Branch Kampe, Royal Oak Shrine, 6-1, 205, Sr.
Taylor Borst, Mancelona, 6-1, 185, Sr.
John Zakrzewski, Traverse City St. Francis, 6-1, 200, Sr.
ALL-PURPOSE:
Chase Blake, Petersburg-Summerfield, 5-9, 175, Sr.
KICKER:
Josh Bachleda, Bridgman, 6-2, 175, Sr.
PUNTER:
Gray Vreeland, Gobles, 6-2, 240, Sr.
COACH OF THE YEAR:
Chris Luma, Hudson
———
SPECIAL MENTION (nominees receiving two or more votes from the 11-member panel):
QUARTERBACKS:
Drew Janer, Bay City All Saints, 6-2, 170, Sr.
Vinny Delicata, Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 5-10, 165, Sr.
RUNNING BACK:
Marcus Ruff, Cassopolis, 6-0, 205, Sr.
RECEIVER:
Jeremy Emmendorfer, New Lothrop, 6-3, 190, Sr.
LINEMEN:
Josh Hier, Ashley, 6-1, 260, Sr.
Kyle Rassmussen, Saugatuck, 6-2, 215, Jr.
Tanner Jacques, Stephenson, 5-10, 215, Sr.
Nick Taylor, Deckerville, 6-1, 210, Sr.
Josh White, Ubly, 6-4, 250, Jr.
LINEBACKER:
Caleb Quintanilla, Genesee, 6-0, 205, Sr.
DEFENSIVE BACKS:
Brett Gervais, Lake Linden-Hubbell, 5-10, 160, Sr.
Carl Youry, Genesee, 5-10, 165, Sr.
ALL-PURPOSE:
Tyler Mercier, Powers North Central, 6-0, 170, Sr.
Trevor Haas, Climax-Scotts, 5-10, 150 Sr.
COACHES:
Erik Johnson, Petersburg-Summerfield
Bill Dunn, Saugatuck
———
HONORABLE MENTION (nominees receiving one or no votes from the 11-member panel):
QUARTERBACKS:
Isaiah Simmons, Big Rapids Crossroads Charter Academy
Dan Olson, Ishpeming
RUNNING BACKS:
Abe Van Sicce, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary
Logan Nemeth, McBain
Nick Kolanowski, Manistee Catholic
Joey Frazee, St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic
RECEIVERS:
Austin Karbowski, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes
Sam Davis, Potterville
LINEMEN:
Dakota Price, Fulton
Chris Chermside-Scabbo, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart Academy
Keegan DeZeeuw, McBain
Adam Williams, Lake City
Tim Schulze, Hillman
Jon Robinson, Hillman
Kyle Lints, Traverse City St. Francis
Tylor Demeuse, Powers North Central
LINEBACKERS:
Thomas Fabus, Ashley
Dakota Mettert, Coleman
Nick Doyle, Manistee Catholic
Gavin Smith, Pewamo-Westphalia
Luke Copeland, Morrice
Andrew Estrada, Deckerville
Tommy Bush, Warren Michigan Collegiate
DEFENSIVE BACK:
Mike King, Central Lake
ALL-PURPOSE:
Tyrone Jarrett, Detroit Loyola
Anthony Caizzo, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes
KICKERS:
Aaron Mick, Sterling Heights Parkway Christian
Logan Ahrens, Mendon
PUNTERS:
Aaron Mick, Sterling Heights Parkway Christian
Devon Feldpausch, Fowler
TommeLee Miracle, Whittemore-Prescott
Alan Boitnott, Decatur
COACHES:
Clint Galvas, New Lothrop
Craig Koenigsknecht, Fowler
Jeff Brooks, Saranac
Doug Blattner, Bellevue
Joe Holloway, Ashley
Kevin Frederick, Whittemore-Prescott
