Calumet’s Chet Hyrkas (77) pursues a a fumble against Gwinn on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, in Calumet, Mich. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — On Wednesday, the WestPAC Conference released its 2020 all-conference football- team awards. The list includes a number of area players.

Among them is Calumet senior Chet Hyrkas who was named as the conference’s co-defensive player of the year. He shared the award with Westwood’s Garrett Mann.

“Chet has been a great ball player for us on both sides of the ball for the last two years,” said Calumet head coach John Croze. “As a linebacker, he is our defensive leader. He plays sideline to sideline and also has had a big impact on the passing game. A lot of what we do around the defense revolves around him.”

Also on the defensive team was Calumet’s Lenny Bjorn, the defensive lineman was a force to reckon with according to Croze.

“Lenny is a great two way player for us,” he said. “He plays with a high level of intensity and never quits. He never wants to come off the field.”

Xander Zapolnik, of Houghton, was part of the all-conference defensive end team and rightfully so according to his coach Micah Stipech.

“Xander has the body of a Division I college athlete,” he said. “On a couple of our games, opponents changed their play calling because of him.”

Stipech added that Zapolnik might have a chance to play in Division II as he has been contacted by a number of schools this season.

While he only received an honorable mention for his role as as inside linebacker, Stipech said his team couldn’t have done so well this year without Ted Halonen. Halonen was the Gremlins’ quarterback last year.

“I watched film over the summer, and Ted played only one game on defense,” Stipech said. “But in that game, he was the best tackler on the team.”

Stipech added that Halonen had 56 tackles in their three-game season. That was more than half of the Gremlins tackles.

“Even more impressively, he was not angry or a jerk about the change in his position,” said Stipech. “He would even tell the new QB that he believed in him and was very encouraging. In essence, he became the quarter back on the defense.”

Nathan Erva was another Houghton selection as a defensive back. Erva has played all four years on the Gremlins football squad. While he’s just 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds, Stipech said he is nothing to mess around with.

“He hits hard and is aggressive with the tackle,” Stipech said. “Over the summer, he was a kid who worked all day at Walmart and then would come and spend hours in the weight room. He was all over the field for us as a defensive back.”

Also named to the all-conference defensive team were L’Anse’s defensive end Flash Gagnon and outside linebacker Malecki Goyen. Houghton’s Zane Beyer received an honorable mention as a defensive lineman. Calumet’s Isaac Peterson was also honorably mentioned as a defensive end, and L’Anse’s Dysean Allen received an honorable mention as an inside linebacker.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Hancock Bulldogs corned the market in the kicking department.

“Special teams is something we work very hard on. We spend two long periods each week dedicated to this,” said Hancock’s head coach Ramon Segue. “We feel it is one third of the game and these guys work on it before practice every day. Both LeClaire and Salani showed great senior leadership that has kept our team together in this strange season with all its ups and downs.”

In Hancock’s three games, LeClaire was 2 for 2 from field goal range and 8 for 10 on point-after attempts and was the starting quarterback.

Segue said that Salani’s hang time as a punter is tremendous.

He said, “He can easily put it up in the air for four or five seconds which allows our kick-coverage team get down the field. He can also throw the ball and run with it.”

For Houghton’s Jack Borree, a steady workout regime in the off season proved to pay off in the regular season. He was honored as an offensive lineman.

“Jack got stronger and faster this past summer,” Stipech said. “In our game against Negaunee he matched up with lineman of the year (Preston Toutant) and did a great job. He can play with anybody.”

Dryden Nelson, of Calumet, received honors as a running back.

“Dryden is a fabulous athlete,” Croze said. “He is one of the best in the U.P. and is just a threat every time he touches the ball.”

L’Anse’s Alex Kissel was honored as an all-conference quarterback.

Also of note on the all-conference offensive team were L’Anse’s Eli Ostermeyer as a lineman. Lukas Pfau, of Calumet, received an honorable mention in that position as well. L’Anse’s Steele Jondreau was named to the wide receivers first team.