MARQUETTE — A year in which there was plenty of parity among the Upper Peninsula’s 11-player football teams made it challenging to select Team of the Year during the 72nd annual meeting of the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association here Wednesday.

Marquette received the large school honor in a close vote over Calumet. Westwood earned top honors among the smaller schools.

The Redmen finished 7-3 following a 36-6 loss at Mount Pleasant in a Division 3 district opener Oct. 29.

Calumet (9-2) and Westwood (10-1) are still alive in the playoffs, with the Copper Kings visiting Standish-Sterling (9-2) in today’s Division 6 regional final at 1 p.m.

Westwood, led by Coach of the Year Scott Syrjala, hung on to defeat Charlevoix 30-28 for the program’s first district title Nov. 6. The Patriots face Traverse City St. Francis (11-0) in a Division 7 match-up today at 1 at Traverse City’s Thirlby Field.

Menominee senior Aiden Bellisle running back was selected Offensive Player of the Year.

Also nominated were Westwood senior running back Zach Carlson, Calumet senior running back Dryden Nelson and Marquette senior QB Austin Ridl.

Carlson averaged 186 yards a game. Nelson, who many coaches believe was the fastest player in the U.P., scored 16 touchdowns and Ridl threw for 26 TDs.

Gladstone senior defensive end Hunter Potier, who opposing offenses consistently tried to avoid, is Defensive Player of the Year. He had 63 tackles, including 15 1/2 quarterback sacks and 15 for losses. He also forced two fumbles for the 4-6 Braves, who fell 42-28 in their D-6 district playoff opener at Negaunee Oct. 29.

Kingsford senior Diego Przeslowski was voted U.P. kicker after hitting 36-of-38 extra points and 3-of-5 field goals. His longest field goal was 44 yards, and his misses were from 47 and 50.

In a 44-7 rout at Escanaba Sept. 24, he booted a 42-yard field goal and his kickoffs were long and high enough to shake the tree branches at the athletic field.

Sault Ste. Marie senior Cole Hawker was also nominated for Dream Team and became a first-team selection. He was 23-for-24 on extra points and hit three field goals in a 15-14 triumph at Gladstone in a regular-season finale Oct. 22.

Menominee junior Kaeden Calcari got the nod over L’Anse senior Hunter Stanaway for Dream Team at punter.

Calcari was also the GNC punter and Stanaway averaged 36.4 yards and earned first-team honors.

Negaunee senior Phil Nelson became this year’s Dream Team return specialist. Kingsford junior, who returned three of his 10 TDs on punt returns, landed a first-team berth.