The Oxford Wildcats placed seven players on either the first or second All-Metro League football team.
Seniors Kyle Rowley, Jerry Wichman and Eddie Summers were joined on the first team by junior Pat Streit. Second-team honors went to seniors Blaine DeGracia and David Reile and junior Jake Krause. Rowley also made the second team offense.
The Wildcats finished fourth in the Flint Metro League at 5-4.
Coach Bud Rowley said he was proud of the group and said he expects several of them will go on to play college football.
Offensive lineman Wichman, at six-foot-four and 275 pounds, was a leader on the offensive line. The three-year starter and captain graded at better than 90 percent run blocking and 95 percent pass blocking.
His teammates voted him one of the outstanding offensive players on the squad.
Coach Rowley said Wichman wants to go to Saginaw Valley State University and play football.
“He has been a great leader, both on and off the field,” Rowley said. “He can play at the next level.”
Oxford’s other selection to the first team offense is kicker Eddie Summers.
“The sky is the limit for him,” Coach Rowley said. “He’s a big-time kicker and can play college ball.
Summers set a school record this season with a 50-yard field goal and had another one of 42 yards. He kicked 23 of 26 conversions and more than 90 percent of his kickoffs sailed into the end zone.
Coach Rowley said he believes that Summers could follow in the footsteps of Dave Rayner, who is at Michigan State University and is the third-ranked kicker in the nation in Division I.
“Rayner set the standard for kickers here and Eddie has followed. He is as good at this stage as Rayner was for us,” Rowley said.
Several colleges have expressed an interest in Summers but he has not settled yet on a school.
Kyle Rowley and Streit were selected to the defensive first team.
Rowley, son of Coach Rowley, was a three year starter at quarterback, where he was named to the second team All-Metro offense, but was honored on the first team as a defensive back. He also was selected to the All-Metro League North squad, made up of players in Oakland County.
As one of the team’s captains, Kyle was a leader on the team. He plans to attend either Western Michigan University or Michigan State University where he wants to try out for the football team as a walk-on.
Having grown up around football, Kyle’s knowledge of the game was without equal against opponents. “On offense he made plays and he did a great job on defense,” Coach Rowley said. “He knows what to do on a football field. He’s a player.”
Kyle had 54 tackles, including 23 solos, 14 pass breakups and one interception.
Streit was the only Oxford junior to make the first team All-Metro squad. He was selected as a defensive lineman.
His teammates voted Streit and Krause as the outstanding defensive players.
“He is a very intelligent player who could play all eleven positions,” Coach Rowley said.
Next year Streit is expected to play outside linebacker and tight end.
“He’ll go both ways next year. He could play all positions, he is so versatile and has good speed.”
DeGracia was selected as a defensive end to the second-team.
“He’s a great kid and student who was an over-achiever on the football field,” Rowley said. “You could not ask for anymore from him and he was a great example for everyone.”
Reile was selected as a second-team wide receiver. Last season he was a back-up quarterback. Reile caught 29 passes for three touchdowns and nearly 400 yards in his first season as a receiver.
“He’s a great kid who did whatever we needed done. He is a great example to the other kids in school and has wonderful character,” Coach Rowley said.
Krause, a junior, made second-team linebacker and has started for two years. He called the defensive signals for the team.
“He’s very cerebral,” Coach Rowley said. “He’s a football player who just loves to play and he’s coming back next year.”