All-Thumb team is loaded with talent

This week's All-Thumb-centric Huron County Press sports front.

All-Thumb Player of the Year: A.J. Burton, Brown City

All-Thumb Team of the Year: North Huron

All-Thumb Coach of the Year: Mark Gainforth

BY CHRIS OGRYSKI
EDITOR

THE THUMB - What is the difference between the top two players in the area this season? One third place vote.
Brown City senior A.J. Burton edged out USA senior Brandon Bitzer 19-18 to win this year’s Thumb Sportswriters Association Player of the Year honors. Burton garnered two first place votes (five points each) and three second place votes (three points each) for a total of 19 points, while Bitzer had three first place votes and one second place vote for a total of 18.
The other major awards were more cut and dry, as a perfect 20-0 regular season led to North Huron being unanimously named this year’s Team of the Year. The Patriot’s Mark Gainforth, who led a team of unknowns to USA’s first Greater Thumb West title since 2005-2006, won Coach of the Year honors, earning four first place and one second place vote.
The Thumb Sportswriters Association is a cumulative association of Thumb-area sports editors and sports writers from nine Thumb-area newspapers, those of which include: the Huron County Press, Newsweekly and Harbor Beach Times, as well as the County Press (Lapeer), Brown City Banner, Tuscola County Advertiser, Sanilac County News, Sandusky Tribune and Huron Daily Tribune.
Each year the TSA selects a Player of the Year, Team of the Year, Coach of the Year and an All-Thumb team in four sports: football, volleyball, boys basketball and girls basketball.
In order to be considered for nomination to an All-Thumb team, students must attend one of the following schools: Akron-Fairgrove, Bad Axe, Brown City, Caro, Carsonville Port-Sanilac, Caseville, Cass City, Croswell-Lexington, Deckerville, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port, Harbor Beach, Kingston, Marlette, Mayville, Millington, North Branch, North Huron, Owen-Gage, Peck, Port Hope, Reese, Sandusky, Ubly, Unionville-Sebewaing Area and Vassar.
This year’s team is lead by Burton, who proved to be one of the most well-rounded players in the Thumb this season, averaging 14.2 points per game, as well 4.7 rebounds per game, 4.3 assists and 1.7 blocks to help lead the Green Devils to a Greater Thumb East championship.
What put Burton, who scored a season high 28 against Imlay City, over the top in the Player of the Year vote this year was his leadership and defense. “A.J. was our floor general,” Brown City coach Tony Burton said of his son, who was earned honorable mention all-state honors in Class C. “He was our top defender.”
Coach Burton added, “He lives and dies basketball. It just means so much to him. He works so hard at the game.”
“I’m more proud of him as a person than a player.”
Of being named POY, A.J. said, “I feel very honored winning this award with the likes of Jordan Bitzer (2005-2006 winner) and Kevin Ginther (2006-2007 winner).”
“(But) I would rather have (won) Team of the Year,” he added.
Brandon Bitzer, the runner-up for POY, missed the first six games of the season while he recovered from shoulder surgery, but once he returned, his presence was immediately felt. When he returned his team was 4-2 overall, but were a team with many question marks. After he returned, the team went 13-1 the rest of the way with their lone loss coming in a non-conference game.
Offensively, Bitzer averaged 16.1 ppg, while adding seven rebounds, three assists and two steals per game. He shot 77 percent from the free throw line for the season.
“Brandon is a three year starter who showed he can play against any level (competition). It doesn’t matter who is guarding him, he has a unique ability to get into the lane and make people better,” Gainforth said. “What he has brought to our team to elevate us, is something I just can’t describe it and everyone else on the team rose to that (level).”
Perhaps the most fitting tribute to Bitzer’s effort throughout the season was his performance in the districts, where he reinjured his surgically repaired shoulder in the semis against Ubly.
Bitzer left with 1:36 to go in the third and after receiving treatment from trainer Eli Kabban, he returned early in the fourth with his team behind 30-25.
He went on to score 10 in the fourth quarter before leaving the game with 30 seconds left after reinjuring his shoulder for a second time.
His presence on the court made all the difference as the Patriots went on to win the game 41-37.
After two days of rehabbing the shoulder, Bitzer played in the district finals against Cass City, scoring 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to put the Red Hawks away. “Bitzer kind of took over (in the fourth),” Cass City coach Aaron Fernald said after the game.
He added, “Brandon has probably been the best player in the league (the GTW) the last month and he proved that again in the fourth quarter tonight. He is the best player in the league; he has the ability to take it over and he did.”
Bitzer explained that this season was the culmination of four years of hard work. “Coach Gainforth told me my freshman year, ‘Either you’re going to be known as Jordan’s brother or you can make your own legacy.’”
“I believe I made my own legacy.”
Green Devils senior Jack McPhail, earned first team all-state honors this season, averaging 18.9 ppg, as well as 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.1 steals. McPhail proved to be the perfect complement to Burton, with his scoring prowess and versatility on offense. “Jack improved his jump shot over the summer, and we were able to bring him off screens for his jump shot,” coach Burton explained. “At 6’4” we also would put Jack in the low block.”
When it comes to diversity, Ubly senior Jordan Kaufman also fits that bill as this year’s Player of the Year in football proved he is just talented on the basketball court. Despite missing four games to an ankle sprain, Kaufman averaged 16.1 ppg, while grabbing 8.4 boards. He also added 2.8 steals, 1.6 assists and 1.1 blocks per game.
Kaufman’s signature game of the season came against Harbor Beach as he scored 41 points, including a 14-of-15 effort from the line, and grabbed nine rebounds. His effort tied Terry Camp for second place on the school’s all-time list for most points in a game.
Bearcat’s coach Joel Leipprandt summed it up best when he said, “Kaufman is a great person to coach!”
Millington senior Tyler Reinert only played two years on the varsity, but made the most of them. This past season he averaged 16.2 ppg, while pulling down 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. Reinert improved his scoring tremendously compared to last season, when he averaged around seven points per game.
Rounding out the squad is the only underclassmen to make the first team, North Huron junior Sean Clancy, who earned honorable mention all-state honors in Class D this year.
Clancy, who scored a season high 33 points against Dryden, averaged 19.0 ppg, while grabbing 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals to help lead his team to a perfect 20-0 regular season and Team of the Year honors. He shot 77 percent from the line and 65 percent from the field.
“Sean worked on his game all summer long, playing in the driveway,” Warriors coach Paul Empkie, who finished as the runner-up in the COY voting, said.
“He is all business when it comes to improving,” Empkie added, noting that Clancy is just as capable of playing guard as he is forward.
Clancy’s teammate, senior John Iseler, earned second team honors by averaging 14.5 ppg and 1-0 rebounds. Iseler proved to be a force on defense, as he averaged 1.7 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.
“He’s a workhorse who can run the floor, rebound and is tough around the basket,” Empkie said. “He defends really well.”
Empkie added, “He never quits or jogs. He has a great work ethic and is a great leader.”
Kingston senior Jordan Pennington nearly played his way onto the first team, as averaged 19.2 ppg and grabbed 10.4 rebounds for the Cardinals. Coach Mike Rea noted that Pennington has made big strides on both sides of the ball this season.
In a sign of just how tough it was to make the first team, Peck senior Zac Overstreet averaged 16.9 ppg, 8.3 rebounds, 3.4 blocks and was a first teamer last year, but still just a second team selection this season. “He is 6’4” and our best rebounder and very good around the basket, but is also our best perimeter shooter,” Pirates coach Garnett Kohler explained.
He added, “We went into the season knowing that Zac had to score for us and he responded by putting up impressive numbers.”
Caro senior R.J. Fritz, averaged 12.3 ppg and 11.6 rebounds per game for the Tigers this season. “R.J. worked hard on his shot this summer and hit the boards with a vengeance,” Caro coach Ty Stevenson said. “He was our most consistent player all season.”
Stevenson added, “We’re going to miss his toughness inside.”
Rounding out the second team are 1st team All-GTW selections Reese junior Josh Pickell and Cass City senior Chris Summersett.
This year’s honorable mentions, include several members of league championship teams including sophomore Jake Holland (2nd team All-GTW, only underclassmen on the team) and senior Ryan Zimmer (honorable mention All-GTW) from USA, as well as North Huron senior Anthony Irvine (1st team NCTL North, 10.4 ppg, five assists per game), Brown City junior Josh Moffit (2nd team All-GTE) and Peck senior Bill Burns (1st team All-NCTL South, 15 ppg, 7.2 rebounds).
Rounding out the honorable mentions are Harbor Beach junior Jacob Murawske (1st team All-GTE, 16.1 ppg, made 52 three-pointers) and junior Justin Braun (1st team All-GTE), Sandusky senior Tyler Loding (1st team All-GTE, 9.9 ppg, season high 26 points vs. Harbor Beach), Elkton-Pigeon Bay Port junior Chris Rowe (2nd team All-GTW), Ubly junior Tyler Kubacki (2nd team All-GTE, 11.2 ppg, 6.1 rebounds per game), Owen-Gage senior Brent Reil (1st team All-NCTL North, 16 ppg, two triple doubles this season), Vassar junior Troy Hecht (2nd team All-GTW), Caro senior Andrew LaPointe (9.3 ppg, 5.2 rebounds per game), North Branch senior Deane Baker (11.5 ppg, made 42 threes) and Akron-Fairgrove junior Josh Repkie (12.5 ppg,9.8 rebounds per game).