Welcome to the 2026 Hockey POTY

Welcome to the 2026 Hockey POTY presented by
Warrior Hockey

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The 2025/26 High School Hockey Player of the Year Award process:
 

The criteria that will be used to select the Hockey POTY Award:

30% – Performance Throughout Season
20% – Level of Competition
20% – Online Vote
15% – Big Game Performance
10% – Team Success
5% – Highly Recruited Prospect

Throughout the season, we will be updating player statistics and adding new candidates into the contest as their actual play and performance merits, with a goal of keeping the ten best players on the board. In mid-March we will close online voting and select our final four candidates. The final award selection and presentation will take place after the Hockey Finals with all of our friends at Warrior!
 

Please check out State Champs! Network content on the following platforms:

We are thrilled to announce the final four nominees for the prestigious STATE CHAMPS! Mr. Football Award, delivered by Hungry Howie’s!
We’ll reveal the winner shortly after the conclusion of the 2024 Football State Finals. 
Stay tuned to see who will take home this incredible honor!  
 
 
Thanks again to a great partner of State Champs! Network – Hungry Howie’s

We are thrilled to announce the winner of the prestigious STATE CHAMPS! Volleyball Player of the Year Award, delivered by Michigan Elite Volleyball! Congratulations to Ella Craggs, who has earned this incredible honor with her outstanding performance during the 2024 volleyball season. Thank you to all the nominees for an amazing season!

Thanks again to a great partner of State Champs! Network – MIElite
Peter Sanin
Detroit Catholic Central
(Class of 2025 - Forward)
Peter is a big returner for us up front from a team that graduated a lot. He produced quite a bit for us last season and so far this year he has done the same. We expect he will continue to do so as we lean on him while a lot of our new guys find their feet. He's got a quick heavy but will also go to the net and find the ugly goals. Brandon Kaleniecki - Detroit Catholic Central Head Coach. Photo Courtesy: Isaac Flicks
Bryson Williams
(Orchard Lake St. Mary's 6-2, 195 WR Sr.)
Committed to Michigan State, Williams is a rangy, athletic and intelligent split end that beats opposing cornerbacks with his quicks, his smarts and timely playmaking. He is the Catholic League's No. 1 rated wide receiver entering the 2024 campaign, highlighting a St. Mary's lineup littered with DI college recruits from top to bottom grade-wise. Williams is one of three future MSU Spartans on the Eaglets '24 roster along with tight end Jayden Savoury and linebacker Charles "D.J." White.

OLSM (10-3)
Last Week Results: Final 4; 28-27 OT win over Groves
Season Stats: 92 yard KO return for TD, 12 TD receptions 1,067 yards receiving), 6 rushing TD (488 yards on ground)
Elliott Larner
(DeWitt 6-0, 185 QB Sr.)
Committed to Michigan Tech, Larner is a doozy of a dual-threat dynamo, wowing fans in the Lansing area with his arm and his feet. His No. 1 target in the pass game is his twin brother Abram, who is committed to Grand Valley State for his college pigskin. So far this season, Larner has stuffed the stat sheet for 674 yards passing and 955 yards rushing and a total of 23 touchdowns. In Week 4, he broke the DeWitt single-game rushing record with 279 yards and 5 scores on the ground.

DeWitt (12-1)
Last Week Results: Final 4; 32-20 loss to Zeeland West
Season Stats: 2,187 yards passing, 33 TDs (1 pick), 1,898 yards rushing 25 TDs
Jaden Pydyn
(Det. Catholic Central 6-2, 200 Sr. RB/LB/S)
Committed to Army for football and baseball, Pydyn is a force of nature on both sides of the ball on the gridiron, imposing his will rushing the rock and relentlessly chasing down ball carriers. Last season, he played quarterback. This fall, he's the Shamrocks No. 1 option in the run game and led undefeated CC (9-0) to a Catholic League title. During the spring, he plays centerfield for the Catholic Central diamond-cutters and is being scouted for the 2025 MLB Draft.

Catholic Central (12-1)
Last Week Results: Final 4; 17-14 loss to Cass Tech
Season Stats: 1,265 yards rushing, 25 TDs (82 tackles from safety)
Connor Arko
Houghton
(Class of 2026 - Forward)
Goals: 8
Assists: 12
Points: 20
Ayden Cook
Flint Powers
(Class of 2026 - Forward)
Goals: 18
Assists: 20
Points: 38
Donovan Durbin
Trenton
(Class of 2026 - Forward)
Goals: 18
Assists: 6
Points: 24
Tommy Marinoff
Northville
(Class of 2026 - Forward)
Goals: 14
Assists: 5
Points: 29
Benny Mielock
Forest Hills Central
(Class of 2026 - Forward)
Goals: 12
Assists: 4
Points: 16
Chad Pietila
Howell
(Class of 2026 - Defenseman)
Goals: 8
Assists: 13
Points: 21
Thaddeus Raynish
Orchard Lake St. Mary's
(Class of 2027 - Forward)
Goals: 16
Assists: 9
Points: 25
Brayden Stephens
Hartland
(Class of 2026 - Forward)
Goals: 11
Assists: 6
Points: 17
Luke Thick
Marysville
(Class of 2026 - Forward)
Goals: 11
Assists: 14
Points: 25
Gavin Winterstein
Alpena
(Class of 2026 - Forward)
Goals: 9
Assists: 8
Points: 17
Gibby Grendel
Forest Hills Central
(Class of 2025 - Defensemen)
Gibby is an electric player who is an elite skater. He’s a great player, but an even better person. Gibby is continuing to learn the position and keeps getting better. Bill McSween - Forest Hills Central Head Coach

Goals: 10
Assists: 19
Points: 29

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