Newberry senior Garrett Lewicki has been selected as the Upper Peninsula’s Defensive Player of the Year in this year’s All-U.P. football picks. Lewicki and Ishpeming standout Grady Gauthier were both selected to the elite All-U.P. Dream Team, while several other area athletes received postseason recognition.
Lewicki, listed as a hybrid defensive back and linebacker, tied for the most votes among defensive linemen when the Dream Team ballots were tallied. The 6-foot, 180-pound senior anchored Newberry’s defense with 100 total tackles, including 55 solo stops, six tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, and a quarterback sack. His performance helped lead the Indians to a 6-3 overall record and a 3-3 finish in the Great Lakes Eight East.
In the voting for U.P. Defensive Player of the Year, Lewicki received seven votes, while North Dickinson’s Jason Graham and Bessemer-Gogebic’s Matthew Switzer, who had five each. Both Graham and Switzer also made the Dream Team, with Graham getting top votes at linebacker and Switzer equaling Lewicki’s total on the defensive line.
Newberry also placed two others on the All-U.P. list. Kadin Kellogg was a First Team selection, with Logan Lusk receiving Honorable Mention status. Munising’s Avery Murk and Brody Johns joined Kellogg on the First Team, and Ishpeming’s Josh Wojie received Honorable Mention along with Lusk.
Head coach Zach Clickner barely missed out on bringing home more hardware, losing by just one vote for U.P. Coach of the Year in Division 1. Clickner had eight votes to nine for Norway head coach Andy Mendina. Mendina guided the Knights to the state semifinals before bowing out in a tight 32-28 loss to Blanchard Montabella. Clickner, in his second season, was lauded for leading the Indians to a dramatic turnaround following a 2-7 campaign last fall.
