A historic year for Mayville football was capped with a bunch of awards from the Thumb Sportswriters Association.
The Wildcats, who finished the COVID-shortened regular season undefeated, won a share of the North Central Thumb League Stars championship, sharing with Morrice, and also scored the program’s first playoff victory.
The Wildcats, who landed eight players the all-Thumb 8-player team, were led by defending TSA Player of the Year Austin Middleton, who became the third player to win the award in consecutive years (Carsonville-Port Sanilac’s Hayden Adams in 2010-11 and Kingston’s Hunter James in 2016-17 were the others).
The 6-foot-2 senior quarterback finished the regular season and first two playoff games with 1,109 yards rushing on 126 attempts with 20 touchdowns while throwing for 954 yards and 17 touchdowns, leading the Wildcats to a 6-0 regular-season record.
On defense, Middleton made the move from defensive back to defensive end. He recorded 30 tackles, one sack and an interception.
The Thumb Sportswriters Association includes The Advertiser, Classic Rock I92 Let’s Talk Sports, Huron County View, Sanilac County News, WLEW Sports Network, Thumb Tailgater Sports and Varsity Monthly. All schools in Huron, Sanilac and Tuscola counties are included in the TSA voting.
Middleton had his best performance in his team’s biggest game, against league rival Deckerville – a team Mayville had not beat since 1980. The senior recorded 29 carries for 276 yards and five touchdowns while also passing for 115 yards and a touchdown in a 58-54 win.
Middleton is the unanimous Player of the Year.
The Team of the Year award, which was also a unanimous decision, was the first for Mayville, which beat out North Huron and Deckerville. Wildcats coach Mike Campbell won his second TSA Coach of the Year (his first was in 2018).
In addition, Mayville’s Lucas Rutter was named the TSA Offensive Lineman of the Year.
The only award Mayville did not collect was Defensive Player of the Year, which was won by North Huron’s Joe Weiss, who finished the season with 94 total tackles and two sacks.
Scott Bolsby is a sportswriter for The Advertiser. He can be reached at [email protected]
All-TSA 8-player football team
Offense
Quarterback
Austin Middleton, Mayville
Will Case, Kinde-North Huron
Running back
Ethan Bowerman, Deckerville
Ashgin Mrock, Mayville
Christian Brown, Kinde-North Huron
Offensive line
Noah Koth, Kinde-North Huron
Danny Sharrard, Peck
Lucas Rutter, Mayville
Jacan Ciscke, Deckerville
TE/WR
Traiten Colesa, Deckerville
At large
Tyler Moore, Kinde-North Huron
Brandon Winiarski, Peck
Jacob Rayl, Kingston
Willy Brown, Deckerville
Steven Gilbert, Mayville
All-TSA eight-player football team
Defense
Defensive line
Brandon Winiarski, Peck
Noah Koth, Kinde-North Huron
Austin Middleton, Mayville
Linebacker
Will Case, Kinde-North Huron
Jacob Rayl, Kingston
Christian Brown, Kinde-North Huron
Hunter LaBean, Mayville
Defensive back
Tyler Moore, Kinde-North Huron
Traiten Colesa, Deckerville
Kyle Vincent, Peck
Steven Gilbert, Mayville
At large
Lucas Rutter, Mayville
Joe Weiss, Kinde-North Huron
Danny Sharrard, Peck
Ryan Shornack, Kinde-North Huron
