HILLSDALE COUNTY — The Hillsdale Daily News is continuing its review of the 2025-26 school year by looking back at the athletes and teams that defined the winter sports season.
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. Here is a look back at the winter season’s MVPs and dream team selections.
Winter MVP Honorees
Boys Basketball MVP – Caleb Blonde, Jonesville
Blonde cemented himself as one of the top players in program history during a standout junior season. He surpassed 1,000 career points, earned second-team all-state honors from the Michigan Sports Writers and honorable mention Division 3 all-state recognition from the Detroit Free Press. Blonde was named Cascades Conference Co-Player of the Year and earned a second consecutive spot on the conference Dream Team.
The Comets star averaged 17.3 points, four assists, 3.6 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game while helping Jonesville finish 18-7, capture a district championship and win the Pat Paterson Tournament. He also delivered two game-winning shots in the final five seconds during the season.
Girls Basketball MVP – Abby Bills, Litchfield
Bills closed her senior season as one of the most accomplished players in Litchfield girls basketball history. She earned first-team all-league honors, was selected to the SCAA Dream Team and earned first-team Division 4 all-state honors from the Michigan Sports Writers.
Bills set a school record with 432 points in a season while averaging 18.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.9 steals per game. She also totaled 146 rebounds, 136 steals, 41 blocks and 38 assists. During the season, she set school records with 43 points in a game and 14 steals in a game while helping the Terriers post a 12-11 record and secure their first winning season after the previous year was canceled.
Wrestling MVP
Daily News MVP: Isaac Westfall, Reading
Westfall capped a dominant junior campaign with his second all-state finish in three seasons and a bronze medal at the Division 4 state finals at Ford Field.
The Reading standout surpassed 100 career victories during the season, won another Big 8 Conference title and captured district and regional championships. At regionals, he did not allow a single point. He finished the year 49-2 overall and helped Reading secure its first team district championship since 2017.
At Ford Field, Westfall advanced to the semifinals with back-to-back pins before rebounding from a semifinal defeat to win the bronze-medal match in sudden victory over Benzie Central’s Lane Sanchez.
Readers’ Choice MVP: Blake Ryan, Jonesville
Ryan closed his senior season with a state finals appearance and a top 12 finish in Division 4 at 113 pounds.
The Jonesville senior won a Cascades Conference championship, finished district runner-up and reached Ford Field as the Comets’ lone state qualifier. His postseason included a key regional blood-round victory over teammate Briggs Baker to secure a state finals berth.
Ryan finished the season 35-13 and earned the Readers’ Choice MVP award while also finishing as the runner-up in Daily News MVP voting.
Bowling MVPs
Kyle Covey, Jonesville
Covey played a key role in another successful season for the Comets boys bowling program. The senior graduate earned all-region and all-conference honors, finished second at regionals and helped Jonesville capture an undefeated conference championship and regional title.
Covey also helped lead the Comets to the team state semifinals and finished among the top 20 bowlers at the individual state finals with a team-high six-game total of 1,126 pins.
Morgan Dilyard, Jonesville
Dilyard helped power Jonesville’s girls bowling team to an undefeated conference season and regional championship. The sophomore earned all-region honors with a fourth-place finish at regionals and qualified for the Division 4 individual state finals.
At state finals, Dilyard delivered the county’s lone bowling all-state performance, advancing to the Elite Eight of the championship bracket after placing ninth in qualifying with a six-game total of 1,035 pins. She also helped the Comets reach the team state semifinals.
Special Awards
Boys Basketball Dream Team
Dream Team
First Team
Second Team
Third Team
Honorable Mentions
Girls Basketball Dream Team
Dream Team
First Team
Second Team
Third Team
Honorable Mentions
The Daily News will continue its review of the 2025-26 school year with a look back at spring sports award winners and dream team selections.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: The Hillsdale County 2025-26 calendar year review: Winter sports
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
