Detroit News All-State Dream Team

ENDS

Donovan Peoples-Jones, 6-2, 195, Sr., Detroit Cass Tech: Peoples-Jones entered the season as a five-star player and the nation’s top receiver. He lived up to the hype by leading Cass Tech to the Division 1 state championship with a 14-0 record to earn a spot for the second straight year on the Dream Team. He had 60 receptions for 1,064 yards and 17 TDs while also being a factor on defense, grabbing four interceptions and returning one for a TD.

“He was a great team player, showed up every day and worked hard, just wanted to compete and be the best,” coach Thomas Wilcher said.

Peoples-Jones has narrowed his college choices to Michigan, Ohio State, Florida, Florida State and Michigan State. He plans to enroll early.

Cody White, 6-3, 195, Sr., Walled Lake Western: White was a big-play threat at receiver and played quarterback and defensive back to help Western reach the Division 2 state title game. He had 43 receptions for 705 yards and nine TDs, rushed for 561 yards (10 yards per carry) and threw for 492 yards and nine TDs.

“Cody throws the ball well, understands defenses so we knew he would do well at quarterback,” coach Mike Zdebski said. “He’s such a great athlete and he can run and when he gets in space he does a lot of good things for us.”

White will play next year at Michigan State.

Bryce Wolma, 6-4, 230, Sr., Saline: Wolma had 48 receptions for 694 yards and six TDs, averaging 14.5 yards per reception to help Saline win the SEC championship and advance to the Division 1 regional final.

“Bryce is the most complete tight end we have ever had,” coach Joe Palka said. “He is a great blocker and has the ability to split out as a receiver as well. He has great hands and speed. We would run behind him but yet go to him when we needed a play vs. man coverage. He drew every team’s best DB all year and still made plays.”

Wolma will play at Arizona.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Rob Hudson, 6-8, 310, Sr., T, Walled Lake Western: Hudson developed into one of the premier tackles in the state, getting down from 450 pounds his sophomore year to a solid player as a junior, then taking the next step this season to help Western reach the Division 2 state championship game.

“He developed a love for the game and his want to be successful and his want to be different and change his life,” Zdebski said. “He went through a lot with his family when he was younger and didn’t have a lot of positive things in his life and he wanted to make something of it and that was a personal choice that he made.”

Hudson is a Purdue commit.

Mustafa Khaleefah, 6-6, 280, Sr., Dearborn: Khaleefah was an intimidating presence on both sides of the ball, blocking for quarterback Mikey Phillips and opening holes from his tackle position on offense while hauling down ball carriers and pressuring quarterbacks on defense.

“Mustafa’s story is an incredible one, from immigrating from Iraq as a boy to not beginning his football career until he was 15 to earning a scholarship to play at Michigan State next fall,” coach John Powell said. “Mustafa is the quintessential example that through hard work, persistence and dedication that the American dream is still alive and can be accomplished if you have the heart and belief to see it through.”

Khaleefah will play next year at Michigan State.

Phil Paea, 6-4, 290, Sr., Berrien Springs: Paea is a two-time Dream Team selection, helping to open holes for his teammates to rush for 3,242 yards and 48 TDs this season. He also made 53 tackles, including several for loss yardage while recovering two fumbles.

“We moved Phil inside to tackle on defense this year and he clogged up the middle, helping us limit our opponents to just 51.3 yards rushing a game,” coach Tony Scaccia said. “He dominated the line of scrimmage on offense and we rushed for more than 3,200 yards and 48 TDs and most of them were right behind ol’ No. 58 (Paea).”

Paea will play next year at Michigan.

Jordan Reid, 6-4, 285, Sr., Detroit Cass Tech: Reid was a dominant two-way player for Cass Tech, didn’t allow a sack all season while helping open holes for Donovan Johnson to run through while protecting quarterback Rodney Hall. He also had 52 tackles and 10 sacks.

“Jordan’s strong, lean, fast and aggressive, just a hard worker, a blue collar-type kid, always on the go,” coach Thomas Wilcher said. “He didn’t give up a sack all year.”

Reid will play next year at Michigan State.

Reid Thompson, 6-0, 285, Sr., Fenton: Thompson, a three-year starter, had an amazing 94 pancake blocks this season, dominating his opponents while not getting a penalty called on him all season. He was the anchor on a line that piled up 5,400 total yards, 3,100 on the ground while scoring 500 points in 12 games to earn Fenton a spot in the Division 2 regional final.

“Reid had a truly remarkable year for an offensive lineman,” coach Jeff Setzke said. “He was the catalyst up front that led our team to several offensive records on the year. He is a true leader. He made others around him better.”

QUARTERBACK

Rodney Hall, 6-2, 200, Sr., Detroit Cass Tech: Hall was an outstanding dual-threat quarterback, throwing for 2,636 yards and 28 TDs while rushing for 1,042 yards and 15 TDs to lead Cass Tech to its first Division 1 state championship since consecutive titles in 2011-’12.

“He can run the ball, throw the ball, controlled the offense,” Wilcher said. “He lost one game his first year, two games his second year and zero games his third year, enough said.”

Hall ran for a 3-yard TD, then found Donovan Peoples-Jones for the winning two-point conversion in a 43-42 regional final win at Saline, then found Peoples-Jones for a 20-yard TD pass with 25 seconds left for a 32-28 semifinal win over Utica Eisenhower before throwing for 5 TDs in the title game win. He will play next year at Northern Illinois.

RUNNING BACKS

RaShawn Allen, 5-9, 210, Jr., Orchard Lake St. Mary’s: Allen packed on 15 pounds of muscle during the offseason to help him rush for a single-season school-record 2,131 yards and 22 TDs, including a 136-yard performance in a 29-28 comeback victory over Muskegon in the Division 3 state championship game.

“He’s so low to the ground and has great change of direction, great vision and for his size, a very strong kid,” coach George Porritt said of Allen, who has a 4.1 GPA. “He’s powerful and he just doesn’t go down with the first hit.”

Allen already has offers from Temple and multiple Ivy League schools and is getting attention from Big Ten and MAC schools.

Bo Bell, 5-9, 175, Sr., Jackson Lumen Christi: Bell had a record-breaking year, rushing for 2,650 yards and 34 TDs, breaking the old Lumen Christi TD rushing record held by Khari Willis (31) two years ago. Bell was the workhorse all year, rushing for 238 yards on 40 carries and a TD in the 26-14 Division 6 state title game win over Maple City Glen Lake.

“He’s durable, carried the ball 340 times for 2,650 yards and just one fumble all year,” coach Herb Brogan said.

ATHLETE

Kalil Pimpleton, 5-7, 160, Sr., Muskegon: Pimpleton did it all to help Muskegon to the Division 3 title game. He played quarterback, receiver and returned punts. He accounted for 2,855 all-purpose yards and 43 TDs, including 1,520 yards rushing (130 carries) and 24 TDs. He completed 41-of-75 for 770 yards and 14 TDs (two interceptions).

Pimpleton, who will play next year at Virginia Tech, showed he would be an impact player in the season-opening 51-14 rout of Ann Arbor Pioneer when he scored five TDs: two passing, two rushing and one receiving.

KICKER

Jake Moody, 6-0, 170, Jr., Northville: Moody is one of the premier kickers in the country. He made 14-of-17 field goals, including a 50 and 52-yarder. His lone misses were from 45 and 50-plus yards. He also converted 30-of-32 PATs with the misses both blocked.

“Jake is a phenomenal kicker,” coach Matt Ladach said. “He can put the ball in the end zone anytime he wants. He’s also great at onside kicks and pooch kicks. His range on field goals is unbelievable. He can make it from 60-plus yards.”

DEFENSIVE LINE

Johnathan Berghorst, 6-3, 280, Sr., Zeeland East: Berghorst was a dominant two-way player his entire four-year career, helping his team earn a state playoff appearance the last two years.

“He’s been a four-year starter for us at tackle and defensive tackle and is hard to move on the defensive line,” coach Derek Pennington said. “He’s been a great player and also a great student with a 3.5 grade-point-average.”

Berghorst will play next year at Central Michigan.

Deron Irving-Bey, 6-5, 270, Sr., Flint Southwestern: Irving-Bey closed out his career in style, getting in on 77 tackles, including 19 for loss, 15 of them sacks. He also forced four fumbles and recovered two fumbles.

“He’s a very coachable kid who gets off the ball well and plays well on either side of the ball, either as an offensive tackle or as a defensive end,” coach Chane Clingman said. “He has several Division 1 schools, including Maryland and Central Michigan who want him as an offensive tackle.”

Michigan, Michigan State, Tennessee and Iowa have offered Irving-Bey as a defensive end. He will make up his mind, announcing his decision at the U.S. Army All-American Game Jan. 7.

Corey Malone-Hatcher, 6-3, 245, Sr., St. Joseph: Malone-Hatcher took advantage of being healthy after missing the majority of his junior year with an injury. He got in on 90 tackles and fought his way into the backfield to make 28 tackles for loss, getting to the quarterback a half dozen times for sacks.

Malone-Hatcher will play next year at Michigan.

Ian Hall, 6-1, 230, Sr., Grandville: Hall used his strength and skill to get to the quarterback, getting in on 16 sacks to help the Bulldogs earn a share of the OK Red Conference championship and advance to the Division 1 regional championship game, where they lost to Detroit Catholic Central, 28-14. He had 50 tackles for the season, including 19 for loss.

LINEBACKERS

Lorenzo McCaskill, 6-2, 210, Sr., Southfield A&T: McCaskill was in on 141 tackles to help Southfield A&T reach the Division 2 regional finals. He had 17 tackles for loss, nine sacks. He also forced four fumbles and blocked four passes. Forced into duty at running back, McCaskill rushed for 133 yards and three TDs in the opening half of a 41-6 district win over West Bloomfield.

“He’s a real physical football player who played real well on both sides of the ball, always stepped up when we needed someone to make something happen,” coach Tim Conley said.

McCaskill will play next year at Cincinnati.

Josh Ross, 6-2, 225, Sr., Orchard Lake St. Mary’s: Ross was a one-man wrecking crew at times, a four-year starter who led St. Mary’s to a school-record third consecutive Division 3 state championship. He made 140 tackles, including 20 for lost yardage to earn a spot on the Dream Team for a second straight year.

“He’s a very humble young man, a four-year starter who became one of the best who ever played here,” Porritt said. “He wasn’t even close to 90 percent when he played in the state title game, his knee was bothering him and he had a little bit of a hamstring injury and just played his guts out for us.”

Ross will play at Michigan.

Antjuan Simmons, 6-1, 215, Sr., Ann Arbor Pioneer: Simmons had a strong season despite playing through injuries, getting in on 73 tackles while intercepting two passes and blocking two field goals. He also rushed for 433 yards on 73 carries and had 10 receptions for 155 yards and a TD.

“Antjuan’s a student of the game, he watches film like he is a coach,” coach Jari Brown said. “When game day comes things come easy to him because he did his homework. He was able and willing to play any position on the field.”

Simmons recently de-committed from Ohio State and is considering Michigan and Michigan State.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Reggie Pearson, 5-10, 180, Jr., River Rouge: Pearson was the leader of the secondary, a hard hitter who helped River Rouge advance to the Division 4 state semifinals. He was in on 120 tackles, had six pass break-ups and seven interceptions.

“He’s a smart and physical player that plays hard and loves the game,” coach Corey Parker said. “He does a great job of being a traffic control guy and getting everyone where they need to be, definitely a coach on the field.”

Pearson is committed to Wisconsin.

Jaylen Kelly-Powell, 6-0, 195, Sr., Detroit Cass Tech: Kelly-Powell has developed into one of the premier players in the state, a shut-down defender capable of making big plays offensively as well. He was in on 52 tackles, broke up 22 passes and had three interceptions while rushing for 587 yards and eight TDs, averaging 11 yards per carry.

“He’s very coachable, smart, tough and strong, just a complete player,” coach Thomas Wilcher said. “He’s played cornerback for us, safety, nickelback and also slot on offense.”

Kelly-Powell will play next year at Michigan.

Donovan Johnson, 5-9, 180, Sr., Detroit Cass Tech: Johnson showed why he is considered the fastest player in the country, rushing for 1,100 yards (74 carries) and 16 TDs, averaging 15 yards a carry to lead Cass Tech to the Division 1 state championship with an unbeaten record. He ran for 292 yards and four TDs in a 43-42 regional final win over No. 5 Saline and scored on a 60-yard run in the title game victory over No. 3 Detroit Catholic Central. He also had a dozen pass break-ups, three interceptions and scored on three kickoff returns.

“He’s explosive, elusive and very athletic,” Wilcher said of Johnson, who has 4.35 speed in the 40. “He just knows how to make big plays.”

Johnson has narrowed his choice between Penn State and Virginia Tech.

Ambry Thomas, 5-11, 175, Sr., Detroit King: Thomas was a two-way standout, leading King to its second straight Division 2 state championship. He had 37 receptions for 902 yards and 14 TDs while intercepting two passes and scoring once on a kickoff return and once on a punt return.

“Ambry’s a great athlete with tremendous skills, but his will to be good, trying to be the best really helped him out and helped our team to be the best so he became a great leader for us this season,” coach Tyrone Spencer said.

Thomas has numerous Division 1 offers, including Michigan, Michigan State and Louisville.

PUNTER

Taylor McCarty, 6-4, 205, Sr., Lake Orion: McCarty, a 3.9 grade-point student, spent countless hours working on his game to become one of the top punters in the nation. He averaged 44 yards a punt.

“He has Division 1 ability,” coach Chris Bell said. “He works so hard, very, very hard on his craft, goes through film study, constantly working on technique. He started as our JV punter, had never punted before, but a combination of dedication and flexibility has got him to where he’s at now. I mean, during a two-hour practice he’s working the entire time on different things. He’s the most dedicated and conscientious punter we’ve ever had.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

Tyrone Spencer, Detroit King: Spencer and the King coaching staff showed they learned their lessons well from Dale Harvel who guided King to a Division 2 state championship last year before dying this summer while watching a 7-on-7 competition at the school.

Spencer and his staff, including offensive coordinator Terel Patrick, made sure they would make Harvel proud, working hard every day to make sure King’s players improved to get back to Ford Field and repeat as state champions.

“I was looking forward to working with the players because we knew we had a talented group, but they were young and inexperienced and you just don’t know how it’s going to go,” said Spencer, who has also been King’s defensive coordinator the last seven years. “I just felt like us as a staff did a great job of getting them to believe that if they just worked hard every day they could accomplish a lot of things, but we never told them just how good they were getting, just kept after them to improve.”