Harlem's Cooper, Palos named MVPs as NIC-10 all-conference football team released

Rockford Register Star

Harlem's Adrian Palos, who led the NIC-10 in tackles and was named conference defensive MVP, and Omarion McFadden make a tackle against Auburn in the season opener.

Harlem quarterback James Cooper Jr. and linebacker Adrian Palos were named the NIC-10 offensive and defensive MVPs by conference coaches after leading the Huskies to a 6-0 record and their first NIC-10 football title since 1997.

Gary Griffin, who led East (4-2) to the NIC-10 title game, was named coach of the year.

Freeport (3-3), which finished second to East in its division, won the sportsmanship award.

Here is the NIC-10 all-conference team for the COVID-19-shortened 2021 spring season:

Offensive MVP:James Cooper Jr., Harlem

Defensive MVP: Adrian Palos, Harlem

Coach of year: Gary Griffin, East

Sportsmanship: Freeport

Final NIC-10 football stats:James Cooper Jr. leads passers by a record 1,192-yard margin

First-team offense

WR — Ky’ree Shirley, Freeport, Sr.

WR — Dezzion Jordan, Harlem, Sr.

RB — Tyron Brakes, Belvidere North, Sr.

RB — Dylan Collins, Hononegah, Sr.

RB — CJ Berry, East, Sr.

QB — James Cooper Jr., Harlem, Sr.

C — Abe Hall, Boylan, Sr.

OL — Hunter Olejnik, Belvidere North, Sr.

OL — Mat Logan, Boylan, Jr.

OL — Caden Geiser, Freeport, Sr.

OL — Jason Stroberg, East, Sr.

K — Zack Hollister, Boylan, Sr.

TE — Dominic McCarren, Harlem, Sr.

At large

WR — Xavier Bryant, Boylan, Sr.

OL — Nate Smith, Harlem, Jr.

WR — Braden Sayles, Hononegah, Sr.

QB — Benny Jass, Boylan, Sr.

First-team defense

DB — Joey Appino, Boylan, Jr.

DB — Daquavian Oaks, Auburn, Jr.

DB — Bryce Goodwine, Hononegah, Jr.

DB — Shamar Holt, East, Jr.

DL — Max Caltagerone, Boylan, Sr.

DL — Keshawn Harrington-McKinney, Harlem, Soph.

DL — Aidan Peters, Hononegah, Jr.

DL — Nick Fehrle, Boylan, Sr.

DL — Nathan Tracy, Belvidere, Sr.

LB — Dan Contreras, Boylan, Sr.

LB — Adrian Palos, Harlem, Jr.

LB — Dylan Sayles, Hononegah, Jr.

P — Joe Namio, Freeport, Sr.

At large

LB — Aaron Winters, Belvidere North, Jr.

DB — A’tiq Muhammad, Guilford, Sr.

DL — Alex Escamilla, Hononegah, Jr.

DL — Tyress Cunningham-Smart, East, Jr.

Honorable mention

RB — Tristen Gille, Boylan, Sr.

DB — Brady Dolan, Boylan, Sr.

DB — Ethan Taylor, Harlem, Jr.

OL — Brennan McCoy, Harlem, Jr.

OL — Ethan LaRue, Auburn, Sr.

WR — De-Arious Maxey, Auburn, Sr.

RB — Javius Catlin, East, Fresh.

DB — Jaden Davis, East, Jr.

QB — Jake Tapia, Belv North, Sr.

DL — Justino Benitez, North, Jr.

OL — Clayton Walls, Hononegah, Jr.

OL — Jacob Klink, Hononegah, Soph.

QB — Nick James, Jefferson, Soph.

OL — Calvin Cardenas, Jeff, Jr.

LB — Aiden Kerr, Freeport, Sr.

LB — Trent Strohecker, Freeport, Sr.

OL — Bryan Sandoval, Guilford, Sr.

OL — Nate Johnson, Guilford, Sr.

LB — Jonathan Urbieta, Belvidere, Sr.

DB — Jonathan Fettes, Belvidere, Sr.

Matt Trowbridge: mtrowbridge@rrstar.com; @matttrowbridge