Detroit MLK QB Moore named AP D3-4 Player of the Year
Dante Moore has been a highly regarded prospect since walking onto the Detroit Martin Luther King field.
He just wasn’t always sure of himself.
As a freshman, Moore said he was nervous when the Crusaders lost in the state championship game.
He had a different mindset before leading Detroit MLK to the Division 3 state title this year.
“My confidence was really high going into the (state finals) game with my brothers,” Moore said.
Moore, widely considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the country, is named the Michigan Associated Press Division 3-4 Player of the Year after helping his team win 13 straight games to claim the state title after opening the season with a loss.
“I just thought he made really good decisions most of the time,” coach Tyrone Spencer said. “The confidence he had made our team better.”
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound junior threw for 3,050 yards and 40 touchdowns and just three interceptions. All that came despite the fact that two of the Crusaders wins came by forfeit. He has more than 7,000 career passing yards.
Moore also led King to a win over perennial powerhouse Cincinnati Moeller and a win over defending state champion Dewitt in the Division 3 state championship game. He completed 18 of 24 passes for 228 yards in the state finals.
Moore holds offers from Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State and Notre Dame, among others. He said the recruiting process is going “as planned.”
“I’m blessed that I am experiencing it,” he said.
Spencer said some of his confidence came when he went out on the camp circuit between his sophomore and junior seasons.
“He went to a lot of elite camps, and I think he grew during that time,” Spencer said. “He’s older and more mature now.”
Moore is joined by six teammates on the All-state team: defensive backs Terrance Brown and Jameel Croft Jr., linebacker Blake Bailiff, lineman Kenny Merrieweather and Jonathan Slack and wide receiver Lynn Wyche-el.
The other quarterback on the team is Tyler Holtz of Dewitt. The running backs are Chelsea’s Trent Hill, Christian Stokes of Harper Woods, Julion Mccray of Battle Creek Harper Creek and Mount Pleasant’s Max Humphrey. Tommy Mcinthosh of Dewitt, Tay’shawn Trent of Harper Woods, Chelsea’s Lucas Hanifan and Andon Grigg of Holland are the other wide receivers.
The Coach of the Year is Josh Lucas of Chelsea, who won the Division 4 state title.
The 2021 Michigan Associated Press Division 3-4 All-state football team, which is selected by a statewide panel of 12 sports writers in the state:
Player of the year
• Dante Moore, Detroit Martin Luther King, Jr.
Quarterbacks
• Dante Moore, Detroit Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Tyler Holtz, Dewitt, Sr.
Running backs
• Trent Hill, Chelsea, Sr.
• Christian Stokes, Harper Woods, Sr.
• Julion Mccray, Battle Creek Harper Creek, Sr.
• Max Humphrey, Mount Pleasant, Jr.
Wide receivers
• Tommy Mcintosh, Dewitt, Sr.
• Tay’shawn Trent, Harper Woods, Sr.
• Lucas Hanifan, Chelsea, Sr.
• Andon Grigg, Holland, Sr.
• Lynn Wyche-el, Detroit Martin Luther King, Sr.
Linemen
• Davonte Miles, River Rouge, Sr.
• Jonathan Slack, Detroit Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Russell Sullivan, Chelsea, Sr.
• Connor Williamson, Mason, Sr.
• Kenny Merrieweather, Detroit Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Matt Lyons, Croswelllexington, Sr.
• Ryan Shinabery, Hudsonville Unity Christian, Sr.
• Alex Schlemm, Marquette, Sr.
• Brady Ploucha, Dearborn Divine Child, Sr.
Linebackers
• Tag Bonnema, Zeeland East, Sr.
• William Gaskell, Milan, So.
• Nick Flegler, Dewitt, Sr.
• Blake Bailiff, Detroit Martin Luther King, Sr.
Defensive backs
• Myles Walton, Muskegon, Sr.
• Terrance Brown, Detroit Martin Luther King, Sr.
• Alex Duley, Freeland, Sr.
• Jameel Croft Jr., Detroit Martin Luther King, Jr.
Specialist
• Cole Mcelvany, Milan, Sr.
Kicker
• Paige Westra, Zeeland
East, Sr. Punter
• Nick Collins, East Grand Rapids, Jr.
Coach
• Josh Lucas, Chelsea
SECOND-TEAM ALL-STATE
(Nominees receiving two or more votes from the voting panel)
Quarterback
Lucas Dunn, Chelsea, Sr.
Running backs
Drew Chandler, Hudsonville Unity Christian, Sr.; AJ Martel, Mason, So.; Cody Britt, Gibraltar Carlson, Sr.
Wide receivers
Nick Marsh, River Rouge, So.; Owen Beauchamp, Marquette, Sr.
Linemen
Derek Rood, Cadillac, Jr.; Nate Polston, Haslett, Sr.; Marco Fields, Muskegon Reeths-puffer, Sr.; Decorion Temple, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Sr.; Evan Noga, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Sr.; Terrence Maize, Detroit Martin Luther King, Sr.; Trevor Dennis, Dewitt, Sr.; Cameron Heiss, Cedar Springs, Sr.; Brendan Schanick, Flint Kearsley, Sr.
Linebackers
Kirk Wilson, Croswelllexington, Sr.; Graham Doman, Detroit Country
Day, Jr.; Grant Anderson, Vicksburg, Jr.; Kory Davis, Mount Pleasant, Sr.; Collin Johnston, Cadillac, Sr.
Defensive backs
Desmond Mullen, Marquette, Sr.; Johnny Dreer, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Sr.; Luke Ammori, Detroit Country Day, Sr.; Jace Demann, Grand Rapids South Christian, Sr.
Specialist
Brandon Mann, Detroit Country Day, Sr.
Kicker Hunter Shaw, Chelsea, Sr. Coach
Craig Tibbe, Hudsonville Unity Christian
Honorable mention Quarterbacks
Austin Ridl, Marquette; Jake Townsend, Croswell-lexington; Nate Tucker, Marshall; Luke Davis, Battle Creek Pennfield; Nolan Wheeler, Parma Western; Isaiah Grybauskas, Jackson Northwest; Cameron Chandler, Hudsonville Unity Christian; Jake Dehaan, Grand Rapids South Christian; Zach Hop, Holland; Bryson Huckeby, Freeland; Brandon Green, Linden; Will Damaska, North Branch; Reid Shumaker, Lake Fenton; Gavin Reames, Fruitport.
Running backs
Cullen Sylvester, Paw Paw; Cameron Torres, Coldwater; Ashton Laguire, Charlotte; Cole Dipiazza, Allendale; Bryson Kuzdzal, Ada Forest Hills Eastern; Alec Pruett, Whitehall; Lucas Storm, Lake Fenton; Dylan Dickens,
Ortonville Brandon; Nico Hernandez, Madison Heights Lamphere; Nolan Ray, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice; Jakob Price, Muskegon; Gabe Winowich, Detroit Country Day.
Wide receivers
Saige Slanec, Croswell-lexington; Caleb Wardlow, Pinckney; Braden Hill, Charlotte; Jabari Campbell, Wyoming Kelloggsville; Ryan Serba, Coopersville; Jalen Charity, Grand Rapids Northview; Gavin Malenfant, Flint Kearsley; Jalen
Holley, River Rouge; Joseph Williams, Detroit Martin Luther King; Chansey Willis Jr., Detroit Martin Luther King; Cody Nash, Fruitport; Jeremiah Dault, Muskegon.
Linemen
Dennis Strey Jr., Paw Paw; Bo Skidmore, Vicksburg; Terell Hollingsworth, Detroit Martin Luther King; Bryce Debri, Dewitt; Charlie Lovell, Pinckney; Dominic Honsinger, Parma Western; Gabe Wertz, Charlotte; Adam Waszak, St. Johns; Brandon Grant, Ionia; Bobby Clendenon, Zeeland West; Skye Vanderkuyl, Zeeland West; Blake Scheer, Cedar Springs; Ahmon Parks, Grand Rapids Christian; Grant O’brien, Goodrich; Max Muenzer, Lake Fenton; Gino Tribuzio, Ortonville Brandon; Eric Grenadier, Detroit Country Day; Andrew Agbay, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice; Blake Swiger, Cadillac; Dylan Senda, Dearborn Divine Child;
Josh Rau, Lowell; Keon Price, Wyoming Godwin Heights; JB Couch, Alma;
Hunter Throop, Spring Lake; Ty Irby, Muskegon; Deshawn Robinson, Auburn Hills Avondale.
Linebackers
Connor Quake, Three Rivers; Ethan Ettinger, Mason; Kaleb Parrish, Mason; Alex Ream, Cedar Springs; Joseph Maier, Bay City John Glenn; Bryce Eliuk, Linden; Tristian Gist, Madison Heights Lamphere; BJ Wright, Muskegon; Jackson Minelli, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice.
Defensive backs
Aiden Brunin, Cedar Springs; Carson Gray, Chelsea; Landon Bethka, Alma; Demari Foster, Muskegon. Specialists
Jacob Thompson, Sturgis; Dontal Wright, Lansing Sexton; Lonnie Smith, Haslett; Cebe Hunderman, Zeeland East; Dylan Turoski, Sparta; Jacob Kundinger, Freeland; Caden Kolanowski, Goodrich; Cole Lacanaria, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice.
Kicker
Nate Brinks, Grand Rapids South Christian; Luke Silvernale, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern.
Coaches
Gary Houghton, Mason; Brad Thomas, Haslett; Jason Mcintyre, Mount Pleasant.
Voting panel: George Pohly, The Macomb Daily; Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer; James Cook, Traverse City Record-eagle; Brian Calloway, Lansing State Journal; Josh Vandyke, The Muskegon Chronicle; Daniel Dáddona, Holland Sentinel; Drew Ellis, The Oakland Press; Greg Wickliffe, The
Ann Arbor News; Doug Donnelly, Daily Telegram (Adrian); Dave Goricki, The Detroit News; Jim Lahde, The Morning Sun (Mount Pleasant); Jason Juno, The Daily Globe (Ironwood).