Vote for the preseason Gaylord Herald Times football player of the year

GAYLORD ― It’s football season, Gaylord.

High school football season begins in Michigan on Thursday, Aug. 27, and all three Gaylord-area teams will be in action on opening night. Gaylord travels to North Branch, Gaylord St. Mary hosts Pellston and Johannesburg-Lewiston hosts Tawas Area to open their seasons.

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Football fans from Otsego County will see a mix of new and familiar faces throughout the lineups of the three area teams. Who is going to have the best 2026 season?

Help us decide and vote below:

Cosby made a name for himself last spring as an all-state pole vaulter. Now, he looks poised to take over the QB1 role for Gaylord football this season. He has displayed a strong arm and quick feet in limited preseason action, but expect Cosby to be a big part of the Blue Devils’ offensive game plan this season.

Gaylord’s strongest returning group is its defensive line, and a pass rusher like Leland Korona is one part of what may be the best position group on the GHS roster. He showed flashes as a pass rusher last year and coaches are expecting big things from the senior edge rusher.

Another key returner for a relatively young GHS team, Metzger will be critical to Gaylord’s efforts on both sides of the ball. Metzger was a second-team All-Big North offensive lineman in 2025 while being recruited more as a defensive lineman. Wherever he lines up in 2026, Gaylord’s opponents should have their eyes on the big fella.

Another returning defensive lineman, Sitz is the anchor in the middle for GHS’s front and helps solidify their run defense. An All-BNC honorable mention in 2025, the Gaylord coaching staff has big expectations for Sitz and the line moving into the season.

O’Connell made a name for himself in 2025, rushing and passing for over 1,400 yards and 12 combined touchdowns as a sophomore. He’s also one of the top returning defensive players in the new Bridge Alliance Conference, poised for another big season if things go as planned for GSM.

One of the most physical running backs in the state, regardless of division, Greenier finished just shy of 1,000 yards in the 2025 regular season before rushing for 398 yards and seven touchdowns in a playoff win over Mio. With even more depth to keep him fresh this season, expect big things anytime Greenier gets the ball.

Royce is Gaylord St. Mary’s best all-around athlete, but a knee injury ended his sophomore season before he could really show his abilities in 8-player football. Still, Royce had 10 catches for 373 yards and four touchdowns in just three full games, a sample of what he can do with nine games of work.

The son of head coach Joe Smokevitch, Joey enters his senior year after rushing for over 1,000 yards and leading the team in tackles in 2025. Maybe most importantly, his role as a leader will dictate if JoBurg can return to its winning ways after winning five games in the past five years.

To run JL’s Power-T offense, you’ll need plenty of ball carriers that are the right mix of tough and athletic. Basinski fits that mold, rushing for 408 yards in a variety of roles last season. He also had the second most total tackles for JoBurg in 2025 (76) and led the team in solo tackles (37).

A versatile athlete, Cash Cunningham will likely have many roles for the JL offense in 2026. While wide receivers don’t typically see a ton of targets in JL’s run-heavy offense, the coaching staff knows how effective Cunningham is with the ball in his hands and should find ways to get him in space this season.

Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Vote for the preseason Gaylord Herald Times football player of the year