HILLSDALE COUNTY — The Hillsdale Daily News is closing the book on the 2025-26 school year by looking back at the athletes and teams that defined each sports season from fall, winter and to spring ahead of the 2026-27 school year.
Throughout the year, athletes from Hillsdale County ISD member schools — Camden-Frontier, Hillsdale, Hillsdale Academy, Jonesville, Litchfield, North Adams-Jerome, Pittsford, Reading and Waldron — were eligible for Daily News all-area awards, dream team selections and special honors.
Below are the athletes we recognized for their achievements. The Hillsdale Daily New also reviewed awards from the spring and winter sports season.
Fall MVP honorees
Football
11-player MVP and Offensive Player of the Year: John Milks, Jonesville
Milks continued his rise as one of the county’s most productive running backs, helping lead the Comets back to the playoffs. The junior rushed 248 times for 1,623 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging more than 162 rushing yards per game. He topped 100 rushing yards in eight of nine games and also contributed defensively in the secondary. Milks earned all-region, all-state and first-team all-league honors. He is on his way to becoming one of the most prolific rushers in recent Hillsdale County history after his upcoming senior season.
8-player Co-MVPs: Jake Drawe, Pittsford and Troy Shamplo, Waldron
Drawe led Pittsford to a second straight SCAA-B title and playoff appearance, throwing for 1,102 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 1,236 yards and 18 scores. He also recorded 109 tackles defensively and earned first-team all-league, all-region and all-state honors.
Shamplo starred on both sides of the ball as Waldron finished 6-3. He rushed for 1,528 yards and 19 touchdowns, added 377 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns, and recorded 73 tackles, two interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries. He earned first-team all-league honors at both running back and linebacker and became an all-state honoree.
Volleyball
Co-MVPs: Elizabeth Creger and Elizabeth Andaloro, Hillsdale Academy
The senior duo led Hillsdale Academy to a conference championship, district title, regional championship and state quarterfinal appearance. The Colts finished 25-12-1 overall.
Creger earned second-team all-state honors after totaling 306 kills, 58 aces and 41 blocks. Andaloro garnered third-team all-state recognition and compiled 677 assists while earning conference MVP honors. Their combined impact made them the Daily News co-MVP selections.
Cross Country
Boys MVP: Logan Youngman, Hillsdale
Youngman enjoyed a breakout season, earning all-state honors with a fourth-place finish at the Division 3 state finals. His personal-best time of 15:42.30 ranked among the fastest performances in school history. Youngman won six races, captured an LCAA title and finished runner-up at regionals.
Girls MVP: Evelyn Meyer, Hillsdale Academy
Meyer earned all-state honors with a 15th-place finish at the Division 4 state finals in a personal-record 19:45.2. She won three races, captured an individual SCAA championship and helped Hillsdale Academy finish as Division 4 state runner-up.
Special Award Winners
Soccer
David Maier, Will Carleton Academy
Maier was an all-conference leader for the Cougars and will return in 2026-27 for his senior season after a strong 2025-26 season.
Gabe McArthur, Hillsdale Academy
McArthur earned all-state honors while helping lead the Colts to another district championship.
Marshall Baker, Jonesville
Baker earned first-team Cascades Conference honors and helped lead the Comets to a playoff victory and their first winning season in more than a decade.
Tydan Bible, Hillsdale
Bible earned LCAA all-league honors at goalkeeper, led the Hornets in saves and converted a penalty kick in a victory over Bronson.
Girls Golf
Baeleigh Francis, Hillsdale
Francis served as a senior leader for Hillsdale County’s lone girls golf program. She led the Hornets at regionals in scoring and recorded a top-20 finish at the LCAA Championship Jamboree.
Cross Country dream teams
Cross country dream team selections were determined by the fastest times recorded during the 2025 season.
Boys Dream Team
Honorable Mentions
Girls Dream Team
Honorable Mentions
Volleyball dream team
First-team all-league honorees automatically received dream team recognition, while additional selections were made to ensure representation from each area school that had a team in 2025. Athletes receiving at least honorable mention all-league recognition were eligible for honorable mention dream team honors.
Honorable Mentions
Football dream teams
Offense
Captains
• Quarterbacks: Jake Drawe, Pittsford (8-player Co-MVP, Runner-up Offensive Player of the Year); Seth Williams, Waldron; Evan Towne, Hillsdale; Conner Arsenault, North Adams-Jerome; Luis Thilo, Camden-Frontier
• Running backs: John Milks, Jonesville (11-player MVP, Offensive Player of the Year); Troy Shamplo, Waldron (8-player Co-MVP); Ethan Pickford, Pittsford; Brayden Wright, Reading
• Wide receivers/tight ends: Thayden Welch, Hillsdale; Reece Rundquist, Jonesville; Brendan Nave, Pittsford; Brandon Menchaca, Camden-Frontier; Desman Lawless, North Adams-Jerome; Gavin Gutting, Litchfield; Aiden Jones, Pittsford; Carmen Kurtz, Waldron
• Offensive line: Harper Griffiths, Jonesville (11-player Runner-up MVP); Aiden Boyd, Waldron; Silas Williams, Waldron; Dylan Jenkins, Pittsford; Zach Schutte, Pittsford; Caleb Watson, Litchfield; Maverick Baker, Jonesville (Center); Cameron Wheeler, Reading
Defense and Special Teams
Captains
Honorable Mentions
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: The Hillsdale County 2025-26 calendar year review: Fall sports awards
Reporting by Joseph Flaherty, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Joseph Flaherty, Hillsdale Daily News | USA TODAY Network
