Player of the Year – Fall Edition Polls

Welcome to this season’s Player of the Year poll voting! We’re thrilled to bring you one of our biggest events of the year, thanks to the support of our amazing fans, SportsNuts, and sponsors. We couldn’t do it without you!

The polls will be open starting tonight and finishing on the 4th of December (total 8 days of voting).

We also invite everyone reading this to join us at the event—check out the invitation flyer below for details.

A special thank-you to our incredible sponsors for making this event possible:
Gnarly Heifer, Shoreline Restoration and Construction, Montague Foods, The Playhouse at White Lake, iPrint Solutions, CatchMark Technologies, Artman Outdoor Rentals, and Infinity Staffing Professionals. Your support makes it all happen!

We also want to thank our SportsNuts that allowed us to provide coverage on every single one of these athletes this year. Thank you to: Shayla Hardy, Mia Milner, Lindsey Theile, Jeff (Jefe) and Tanya Burel, Brent and Kara Raeth, Owen Raeth, Noah Raeth, Melissa King, Sarah Evans, Myles Welch, and Jay Courtland!

The 2024 Player of the Year – Fall Edition poll will determine winners based on team success, statistics, leadership qualities, and overall success. Three finalists have been selected for each sport through a panel evaluation. Winners will be decided through:

1. Panel Voting and Ranking: Panel ranks the finalists (1st = 3 points, 2nd = 2 points, 3rd = 1 point).
2. Public Voting: For every 1,000 public votes, an athlete earns 1 point.

The total points from both methods will determine the winners. In the event of a tie, the panel will make the final decision.

In a more formulaic version, it goes as such: (Panel Rank) + (Popular Vote Total/1000) = Final Score

Now, with all of that out of the way, lets get into the meat and potatoes of this article! Check out the polls below!

Boys Soccer

Tekalegn Vlasma, WMC – In the 2024 season, Vlasma was one of the top-scoring powerhouses in the state, scoring 28 goals as a senior and playing a crucial role in Western Michigan Christian’s third consecutive Division 4 state championship. Vlasma’s impressive performance earned him first-team All-State honors, solidifying his reputation as one of Michigan’s top high school soccer players and a key figure in WMC’s sustained dominance in Division 4 soccer.

Trevor Trevino, Montague – The senior forward was a key player in the Wildcats’ historic 2024 season. Renowned for his goal-scoring ability, he earned the nickname “Mr. Goals” for his consistent offensive dominance. Trevino’s knack for scoring was critical in Montague’s first-ever district championship victory, where he scored the game-winning goal against Fremont to advance the team to regional play.

Jorge Burgos-Yack, Fruitport – A standout junior forward from Fruitport, Burgos-Yack played a pivotal role in the Trojans’ success this season. Known for his dynamic style, he helped lead the team to an undefeated regular season before their only loss in the Division 2 regionals. Not only did Fruitport spend much of the season ranked No. 1 in Division 2, but Burgos-Yack also earned first-team All-State honors and was a regional finalist. A key contributor and a true leader, he was instrumental in the team’s remarkable performance.

Girls XC

Valerie Beeck, Grand Haven – Beeck had an outstanding senior year. She claimed first place at the Division 1 regional championships in Allendale. Her performance allowed her team to qualify for the state finals meet. At the state meet, Beeck delivered another strong performance, finishing 14th with a time of 17:54 and earning All-State honors.

Grace VanderKooi, WMC – VanderKooi continued to shine this year. She won her second consecutive Greater Muskegon Athletic Association (GMAA) individual title and helped WMC secure back-to-back team championships. Grace also claimed victory at the Division 3 regional meet with a time of 18:08.23, propelling the Warriors to a regional title and a spot in the state finals meet. At Michigan International Speedway (home of the state finals meets), she finished fifth individually with a time of 17:58.6, earning impressive All-State honors in the process.

Annabelle Lowman, Ludington – The standout for Ludington, in just her sophomore year, won the WMC Mega Meet with a time of 20:21.27 and placed second at the regional meet, qualifying her for the finals meet at MIS (Michigan International Speedway). At the state finals, Lowman again finished as an All-State level runner, taking eighth with a time of 18:21.9.

Boys XC

Luka Hammond, Grand Haven – At the Division 1 state finals, he secured a fifth-place finish with a personal best time of 15:19.9, leading the Buccaneers to an eighth-place team finish while also earning All-State honors. Earlier in the season, Hammond won the Allendale Falcon Invite with a time of 15:43.14. He was easily one of the fastest runners in the state.

Vincent Pollack, Fruitport – Pollack achieved a personal best time of 15:24 at the O-K Silver Conference Championship, securing first place and the overall individual conference title. Pollack also won the GMAA Meet with a time of 16:29.45. At the Division 2 state finals, he finished 25th with a time of 15:44.9, earning All-State honors as well.

Matthias Morse, WMC – Morse secured first place at the Division 3 regional meet with a time of 16:02.79, leading the Warriors to a second-place team finish and a berth in the state finals. At the state finals, Morse delivered a strong performance, finishing 13th with a personal best time of 15:53.5, which also earned him All-State honors.

Boys Tennis

Malcolm Johnson, Grand Haven – Competing at No. 1 Singles, Johnson performed well at the Division 1 regional tournament, advancing to the semifinals in the No. 1 singles flight. He was instrumental in Grand Haven’s 4th-place finish at that event.

Oliver Kolb, Ludington – In the 2023 season, Ludington High School’s freshman, Oliver Kolb, excelled at No. 2 doubles alongside partner Ryan Higley, achieving a 32-1 record and advancing to the state semifinals. Transitioning to No. 1 singles in 2024, Kolb continued to impress, in the Coastal Conference tournament, he defeated North Muskegon’s Luke Hall 2-0, 2-0. Wrapping it all up, at the MHSAA Division 3 Regional tournament, Kolb reached the semifinals, contributing to Ludington’s fifth-place team finish.

Luke Hall, North Muskegon – Hall held a 20-5 record this season as No. 1 Singles. Hall, qualified for the state finals a season ago. This year, Hall finished 3^rd at regionals which helped North Muskegon big up a fourth-place finish as a team.

Girls Golf

Mayson Southland, Mona Shores – At the 2024 MHSAA Division 2 State Finals, Southland secured seventh place with rounds of 80 and 82, totaling 162. Earlier in the season, Southland led her team to victory in an OK-Green Jamboree at Lincoln Golf Club, shooting a 1-under-par 35. Her scores earned her a spot on the 2024 Division II All-State Team.

Rowan Bluhm, Reeths-Puffer – Bluhm, a senior for Reeths-Puffer, was phenomenal all season long. She carded a career-best 78 at the O-K Green Midseason Tournament, securing second place individually. Bluhm also shot a 76 at the O-K Green Championship Tournament, finishing second and earning All-Conference honors. Rowan shot an 84 in one of the most crucial moments of the entire season. The low score helped lead her team to a GMAA finals tournament win.

Sophia McCollum, Reeths-Puffer – Sophomore Sophia McCollum has been a standout for Reeths-Puffer. She clinched her first individual title at the GMAA Tournament with a score of 83, leading the Rockets to their second consecutive team championship. At the Division 2 state finals, McCollum tied for 17th out of 108 golfers, shooting a two-day total of 168. That performance earned her an Honorable Mention on the Division II All-State Team.

Volleyball

Navea Gauthier, Shelby – In her senior year, Navea Gauthier, led the Tigers to their fourth consecutive district championship, culminating in a 3-0 sweep over rival Hart. Earlier in the season, Gauthier became only the fourth athlete in Michigan high school volleyball history to surpass 3,000 career kills. She then, later in the season broke the state record for career kills and has solidified her position as one of the top volleyball recruits in the nation. She will be taking her talents to Ohio State University.

Sadie Haase, Fruitport – The senior middle hitter, Sadie Haase, was instrumental in Fruitport achieving a 36-12 record, securing the O-K Silver Conference championship, and clinching both district and regional titles. In 2024, she surpassed 1,000 career kills, becoming a two-time All-Conference player. All while leading the team to the Division 2 state quarterfinals—their deepest run since 2017—before concluding her high school career with a 13-kill effort in the final match.

Grace Allen, Mona Shores – Allen led the Sailors with 14 kills in the district final against Coopersville, helping Mona Shores secure its first district title in 23 years. The Sailors achieved an impressive 32-9 record. Throughout the season, Allen consistently delivered standout performances, recording some of the area’s highest kill totals, including remarkable efforts of 24, 17, and 14 kills in key matches.

Football

Camden Thompson, Whitehall – The 6’5″, 195-pound senior transitioned from wide receiver to quarterback for Whitehall High School’s 2024 football season. In a playoff game against Forest Hills Eastern, he rushed for 114 yards and scored a 29-yard touchdown, aiding in a 28-21 comeback win. Thompson’s dual-threat capability was evident throughout the season, including a 13-for-20 passing performance for 147 yards in a regular-season game against Portland.

Tomarion Steward, Mona Shores – Steward was a key contributor to the Sailors’ offense during the 2024 season. In the season opener against Grand Blanc, Steward rushed for 112 yards on 19 carries, complementing quarterback Jonathan Pittman’s 192 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a 28-26 victory. In a 48-0 win over Grand Rapids Union, he opened the scoring with a 28-yard touchdown run and added another rushing touchdown later in the game.

Bryce Colbert, North Muskegon – In a game against Ravenna, Colbert threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns, leading to a 40-0 victory and securing the West Michigan Conference Rivers Division Championship. In the Division 7 regional final against Menominee, Colbert passed for 126 yards on 12-of-18 completions, contributing to a 23-0 victory and advancing the team to the state semifinals. His consistent performance earned him first-team All-Conference honors in the WMC Rivers Division.

Thank you for taking the time to read and vote for all our nominees! We appreciate all the viewership and commitment our fans have provided throughout this fall season. We hope to see you just after Thanksgiving at the banquet!

If you are interested in more of our content, head to our website at catchmarksports.com, our YouTube, or our Facebook page!

*If you are a nominee, and have not, please reach out to Conner Raeth at 810-620-1073 so that we can provide you with more information regarding seating and other items at our banquet!*