In 2018, he finished with more than 3,000 scrimmage yards and 41 touchdowns.

The senior gridder, however, received his due here Thursday by being selected Offensive Player of the Year during the 70th annual Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association football meeting.

This year, the 6-foot-1, 170-pound senior quarterback finished the regular season with 1,793 yards and 33 TDs. As quarterback, he threw for 13 TDs and no interceptions. He ran for 456 yards and 11 TDs and had 475 yards receiving, including six scores.

“Noah has the best instincts of any player we’ve ever had,” said North Central’s Leo Gorzinski, who was named Coach of the Year after leading the Jets to a 9-0 season. “Every year he’s one of the top tacklers and has never given up a big play. I believe he has intercepted half of the passes thrown at him in man coverage. This season he has 38 tackles and eight interceptions with one pick-six. For his career, he has 163 tackles and 19 interceptions. Since he has been on our team, we’ve only lost two games and he had a bad ankle in one of those.”

Brett LaFord

Area offensive players joining Noah on the Dream Team are Carney-Nadeau senior running back and kick returner Brett LaFord and Rapid River senior wide receiver Tyler Sundling.

LaFord rushed for 1,200 yards and 15 TDs, had 614 receiving yards, six TDs and scored on two kickoff returns. He also had 90 tackles — nine of those for loss.

“He has been our four-year starter,” said C-N coach Jim Belec.

“He’s basically our MVP. We wouldn’t have come close to how we did this season without him.”

Sundling ran 58 times for 803 yards and eight TDs and completed 24-of-42 passes for 382 yards and eight scores. As a receiver, he caught 21 aerials for 402 yards and five TDs and finished the season with 1,587 yards and 23 TDs from scrimmage. One of his TDs came on a 65-yard interception return and another was for 48 yards on a fumble recovery.

Luke Gorzinksi

Two more North Central gridders were named to the Dream Team. They are senior linebacker Leo Gorzinski Jr. and freshman defensive end Luke Gorzinski.

“Stats don’t do justice for our players because they basically only play half-games,” said coach Gorzinski. “In only two complete games, Leo has 63 tackles, including 12 for losses and an interception. Luke tallied 55 tackles, 13 for losses and had six interceptions. Luke’s ability to jam at the line, stop the run and still be able to take on tight ends in coverage changed our entire scheme. He took on double-teams, pulling guards and rarely gave up the edge. He’s a relentless worker and student of the game. He’s only going to get better.”

North Central senior running back Cole Timblin and Superior Central senior wideout Zach Englund landed first team berths on offense.

“I know Cole’s stats aren’t overwhelming, but he’d be a 20-carry a game player on any other team,” said coach Gorzinski. “He rushed for 315 yards, with an 8.8 per carry average, and nine touchdowns. He also had 206 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Cole is the type of back that would prefer to run over you than go around. He was our weapon in short yardage and goal line situations.”

Englund caught 37 passes for 864 yards and 12 TDs, ran 37 times for 244 yards and three scores and hit 17-of-39 aerials for 341 yards, a TD and two interceptions. He finished with 2,178 all-purpose yards in approximately 5 1/2 games in his first year of organized football.

Leo Gorzinski Jr.

“Zach was forced to move to quarterback after we lost our two quarterbacks (Kyle Frusti and Michael Getzloff) 10 plays into our Week 5 game against Engadine,” said Cougars’ coach Sam Eggleston. “We were forced to change our offense and we lost our top receiver and most potent downfield threat with the move to quarterback. We couldn’t have asked for a better first-year player even if we designed him from scratch. Had Zach not had to move out of the receiver position and had our quarterbacks stayed healthy, I think he would have been looking at potential all-state honors.”

Rapid River junior defensive end Parker Dausey was the area’s lone first team pick on defense.

Tyler Sundling

Zach Englund

Cole Timblin

Parker Dausey