BRANCH COUNTY, MI (WTVB) – The Big 8 Conference recently announced its 2023 All-Conference Teams for football, volleyball, and cross country.

FOOTBALL

League champion Union City placed eleven on the All-Conference first team, including league Most Valuable Player Owen Jackson, and twelve total. Ten Quincy players made All-Conference, including two on the first team, along with eight Bronson players, one on the first team.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

• QB – Elijah Payne, Union City
• RB – Tayshawn Bester, Reading
• RB – Dylan MacDonald, Union City
• RB – Lukas Strine, Reading
• WR – Rick Austin, Union City
• WR – Ryan Kempter, Quincy
• OL – Max Barve, Quincy
• OL – Brayden Faley, Reading
• OL – Gavin Kelley, Union City
• OL – Austin Neely, Reading
• OL – Caleb Wendt, Springport
• K – Jason Shoop, Union City

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

• DL – Caden Hughes, Union City
• DL – Hunter Gillies, Union City
• DL – Myles Losinski, Bronson
• LB – Rylinn Hale, Springport
• LB – Owen Jackson, Union City (MVP)
• LB – Lukas Strine, Reading
• LB – Ryan Zweng, Union City
• DB – Landyn Crance, Union City
• DB – Brady Kling, Reading
• DB – Riley Laird, Union City
• DB – Gabe Rainey, Springport
• P – Cormack Price, Reading

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

• QB – Brennen Allman, Quincy
• RB – Noah Pearson, Quincy
• RB – Seth Withington, Bronson
• WR – Gabe Rainey, Springport
• WR – Joey Smith, Quincy
• WR – Dawson Soergel, Bronson
• OL – Jace Hoard, Bronson
• OL – Myles Losinski, Bronson
• OL – Lincoln Sims, Quincy
• K – Eli Dyer, Springport

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

• DL – Ethan Copas, Quincy
• DL – Dylan Ully, Bronson
• DL – Nick Nowery, Springport
• DL – Caleb Wendt, Springport
• LB – Tayshawn Bester, Reading
• LB – Aiden Decker, Union City
• LB – Nash Fitton, Quincy
• LB – Grant Holroyd, Quincy
• LB – Carson Norton – Bronson
• LB – Colin York, Bronson
• DB – Skyler Charters, Reading
• DB – Ryan Kempter, Quincy

HONORABLE MENTION

• Spencer Losinski, Bronson
• Patrick Culbreth, Springport
• Gavin Lightner, Springport

VOLLEYBALL

Five Bronson players were named All-Conference, led by co-MVPs Aubree Calloway and Payton Springstead. Quincy and Union City each had four.

ALL-CONFERENCE

• Bronson: Aleah Brackett, Aubree Calloway (Co-MVP), Brealyn Lasky, Payton Springstead (Co-MVP)
• Concord: Bradie Lehman, Iyla Weeks
• Quincy: Olivia Davenport, Danika Skirka
• Reading: Abby Affholter, Aubree Ervans
• Springport: Maddux Locke
• Union City: Jordan Chard

HONORABLE MENTION

• Bronson: Ciara Blankenship
• Concord: Emma Burbo
• Maple Valley: Madison Koons
• Quincy: Alyssa McCavit, Anna Richer
• Reading: Ariana McDowell, Zoe McKibbin, Maggie Santure
• Springport: Macie Merrill, Rylee Seifert
• Union City: Hailey Day, Layne Elkins, Addy Rumsey

CROSS COUNTRY

Five Bronson and four Union City boys were named All-Conference, including league MVP Ben Gautsche. On the girls side, Bronson had two runners, including MVP Ashlynn Harris, while Quincy had three, and Union City one.

BOYS ALL-CONFERENCE

• Bronson: Kamron Brackett, Jack Ganton, Domenic Kiomento, Drew Norton, Tyler Wilber
• Reading: Kutter VanAken
• Union City: Cohen Burdick, Cullen Decker, Ben Gautsche (MVP), Noah June

GIRLS ALL-CONFERENCE

• Bronson: Ashlynn Harris (MVP), Ava Hathaway
• Concord: Riley Adams, Cieara Barrett, Gwen Bulko, Haley Stimer
• Quincy: Sadie Miller, Kendyl Musielewiez, Brookelyn Parker
• Union City: Allie Gautsche