ITHACA (AP) — Injuries, physical and mental, are going to occur and what matters is how one reacts to overcome them.

Ithaca High School senior quarterback Brady Hessbrook has endured more than his share of injuries, yet they have never stopped him from continually striving to improve during his four-year run.

If anything, getting hurt forced Hessbrook to dig that much deeper and work that much harder. And, it has all paid off for him.

Hessbrook has been voted Division 7-8 Player of the Year as part of the 2020 Michigan Associated Press All-State team.

Ithaca (9-0) is ranked No. 1 in Division 7 heading into its regional home showdown versus Cass City (9-0) in the playoffs that were paused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A healthy Hessbrook, who has committed to play at Wayne State, played a pivotal role in the successful season that was stunted.

Hessbrook was 102 of 150 for 1,667 yards passing with 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also has run for 363 yards rushing and eight scores. The four-year starter has led the Jackets to four conference titles and an overall record of 36-5.

As a sophomore, he tore the ACL in his left knee in Week 5 of the regular season and as a result missed the final five weeks of the 2018 campaign after having season-ending surgery.

After a grueling six-month rehab, Hessbrook was ready for the 2019 season and led Ithaca to a 5-0 record. However, once again, the injury bug bit Hessbrook in Week 5 when he hurt his throwing shoulder while diving for an interception on defense. Despite the injury, Hessbrook played and helped Jackets finished the season 8-2.

The Division 7-8 All-State first team also includes Schoolcraft senior quarterback Alex Thole; running backs Johannesburg-Lewiston senior Sheldon Huff, Sand Creek senior Will Alexander, Madison Heights Bishop Foley sophomore Jackson Zeiter, Breckenridge senior Cam Valliere and Monroe St. Mary’s Catholic sophomore Cole Jondro; receivers Grass Lake senior Josh Sherwood, Homer senior Damaso Lebron, Madison Heights Bishop Foley sophomore Adam Kidder, Royal Oak Shrine senior Alex Armenio and Ithaca senior Zach Poff; linemen New Lothrop senior Cam Orr, Traverse City St. Francis senior Casey Donahue, Delton Kellogg senior Cole Pape, West Iron County senior Nathan Lundin, Ottawa-Lake Whiteford junior Noah Bauman, Johannesburg-Lewiston senior Tommy Runyan, Saginaw Nouvel senior Darron Chinery and Detroit Loyola senior Derrick Harmon; linebackers Charlevoix senior Luke Snyder, Breckenridge senior Garrett Fitzgerald, Petersburg-Summerfield senior Ethan Eyler and Addison junior Nicholas Trumble, defensive backs Hemlock senior Dylan LaGrow, Lawton senior Connor DeVries, Reading senior Dilon Denison and New Lothrop senior Will Muron; specialist Detroit Central senior Jus’tyz Tuggle; kicker Auburn Hills Oakland Christian senior kicker Connor Butcher; punter Dansville senior punter Carson Voss and Cass City coach Scott Cuthrell.

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AP All-State Division 7-8 team

By The Associated Press

The 2020 Michigan Associated Press Division All-State Division 7-8 football team, which is selected by a statewide panel of sports writers:

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Brady Hessbrook, Ithaca, Sr.

FIRST-TEAM ALL-STATE

QUARTERBACKS

Brady Hessbrook, Ithaca, Sr.

Alex Thole, Schoolcraft, Sr.

RUNNING BACKS

Sheldon Huff, Johannesburg-Lewiston, Sr.

Jackson Zeiter, Madison Heights Bishop Foley, So.

Cam Valliere, Breckenridge, Sr.

Cole Jondro, Monroe St. Mary’s Catholic, So.

Will Alexander, Sand Creek, Sr.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Josh Sherwood, Grass Lake, Sr.

Adam Kidder, Madison Heights Bishop Foley, So.

Alex Armenio, Royal Oak Shrine, Sr.

Zach Poff, Ithaca, Sr.

Damaso Lebron, Homer, Sr.

LINEMEN

Cam Orr, New Lothrop, Sr.

Casey Donahue, Traverse City St. Francis, Sr.

Cole Pape, Delton Kellogg, Sr.

Nathan Lundin, West Iron County, Sr.

Noah Bauman, Ottawa Lake-Whiteford, Jr.

Tommy Runyan, Johannesburg-Lewiston, Sr.

Darron Chinery, Saginaw Nouvel, Sr.

Derrick Harmon, Detroit Loyola, Sr.

LINEBACKERS

Luke Snyder, Charlevoix, Sr.

Ethan Eyler, Petersburg-Summerfield, Sr.

Nicholas Trumble, Addison, Jr.

Garrett Fitzgerald, Breckenridge, Sr.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Dylan LaGrow, Hemlock, Sr.

Connor DeVries, Lawton, Sr.

Dilon Denison, Reading, Sr.

Will Muron, New Lothrop, Sr.

SPECIALIST

Jus’tyz Tuggle, Detroit Central, Sr.

KICKER

Connor Butcher, Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, Sr.

PUNTER

Carson Voss, Dansville, Sr.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Scott Cuthrell, Cass City

SECOND-TEAM ALL-STATE (nominees receiving two or more votes from the voting panel)

QUARTERBACKS

Giovanni Mastromatteo, Clarkston Everest Collegiate, Sr.; Anthony Garrett, Detroit Loyola, Jr.

RUNNING BACKS

DeSean Matthews, Detroit Southeastern, Jr.; Kyler Stone, Carson City-Crystal, Sr.; Alex Perry, Cass City, Sr.; Brian Morgan, Houghton Lake, Jr.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Shenard Foster, Detroit Loyola, Jr.; Lowyind Pullen, Homer, Sr.

LINEMEN

Evan Stephayn, Lawton, Jr.; John Suran, Clarkston Everest Collegiate, Sr.; Jackson Marsh, Sand Creek, Sr.; Blake Smithers, Laker, Sr.; Corey Schafer, Pewamo-Westphalia, Jr.; Connor Webb, Schoolcraft, Sr.; Gavin Lueck, Oscoda, Sr.; Will Taylor, New Lothrop, Sr.; Dominic Harris, Detroit Southeastern, Jr.

LINEBACKERS

Micah Brown, Flint Beecher, Sr.; Jeremy Velasquez, Cass City, Sr.; Brayden Green, Hemlock, Sr.; Dom Cross, Clarkston Everest Collegiate, Sr.; Logan Wertman, Pewamo-Westphalia, Sr.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Jonathan Holloway, Lawton, Sr.; Jared Bristle, Dansville, Jr.; Joel Emery, Ravenna, Sr.

SPECIALIST

Trent Reed, Beaverton, Sr.

COACHES

Mark Whitley, Oscoda; Michael Pruchnicki, Clarkston Everest Collegiate.

HONORABLE MENTION

QUARTERBACKS

Caleb Stuck, Charlevoix; Owen Franklin, Oscoda; Grant Richardson, Harbor Springs; Conor Benson, Royal Oak Shrine; Dylan Gough, Madison Heights Bishop Foley; Carson Farley, Grass Lake; Jake Thelen, Pewamo-Westphalia; Danny Witbeck, Evart; Porter Mauk, Reading; Jack Kujawa, Saginaw Nouvel; Sam Todd, Centreville; Luke Saunders, Breckenridge; Zane Forist, Carson City-Crystal; Elijah Grainger, Detroit Central; LeRon Roseboro, Detroit Southeastern.

RUNNING BACKS

Dave Whitehead, Leslie; Bryant Calderon, Evart; Caleb Evosevich-Hynes, Iron Mountain; Jackson Crotser, Mendon; Jake Rueff, Lawton; Robert Knapik, Hemlock; Ben Matthews, Beal City; Tanner Wirth, Pewamo-Westphalia; Carson Heleski, Ubly; Dan Rodenbaugh, McBain; Derek Draher, Ithaca; Trae Garcia, St. Louis; Nathan Rodlund, Addison; Dylan Malinowski, Addison; Trenton Holden, Grass Lake; Devon Shaw, Ottawa Lake-Whiteford.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Zach Hawes, Laingsburg; Drew Hess, Oscoda; Kenyatta McKeever, Detroit Central; Harmon DeVries, Schoolcraft; Charles Niehaus, Royal Oak Shrine; Carter McAlvey, Carson City-Crystal.

LINEMAN

Xemines Willis, Jackson Lumen Christi; Nic Carey, Leslie; Jack Burmis, Hanover-Horton; Matt Oswald, Beal City; Kyler Economou, Quincy; Ugo Ike, Royal Oak Shrine; Mack Bontekoe, McBain; Kamrin Grein, Evart; Aidan Schmuckal, Traverse City St. Francis; Zach Nickel, Charlevoix; Kaden Schirmer, Oscoda; Caden Blashill, Sandusky; Cameron May, Detroit Southeastern; Jamonn Avery, Detroit Community; Kyler King, Detroit Community; Hunter Hahn, Hemlock; Luke Maxwell, St. Louis; Ethan Locke, Beal City; Mitch Hall, Beaverton; Bryce Middleton, Coleman; Tommy Beckman, Saugatuck; Steven Cook, Ravenna; Caleb Burklund, Iron Mountain; Isaiah Simon, Grass Lake; Kaleb Thompson, Fowler; Nick Noel, Pewamo-Westphalia; Kobe Farrow, Addison.

LINEBACKERS

Myles McFarland, Detroit Loyola; Brody Dalton, Jackson Lumen Christi; Bryce Pietrantonio, Iron Mountain; Dominic Horak, Fowler; Brennan Pannucci, North Muskegon; Aidan Mindel, Beal City; Craig Tappenden, Bronson; Zach Franzel, Sandusky; Caleb Nagel, Oscoda; Colton Oyervidez, Laker; Jake Hamp, Houghton Lake.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Brock Thelen, Pewamo-Westphalia; Connor Schrank, Coleman; Deonte Redwine, Flint Beecher; Bryce Fernald, Cass City.

SPECIALIST

Riley Hawkins, Dansville; Jimmy Downs, Schoolcraft; Trent Hocter, Hanover-Horton; Austin Hawkins, Holton; Julius Garza, New Lothrop; Devin Albain, Petersburg-Summerfield; Dariontae Brown, Detroit Community.

KICKER

Gabe Rahrig, North Muskegon; Bryce Kempf, Traverse City St. Francis.

PUNTER

Chase Mitchell, Lawton

COACH

Don Jess, Charlevoix

Tim Swore, Carson City-Crystal

Terry Hessbrook, Ithaca