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I'd have to disagree with Ferman on that one.

I've seen the last three games of Almont's this season, including both playoff games for the Raiders this fall. Out of the Raiders' 12 games they have played this year, we have had at least a photographer at nine of the Raiders games. We have covered a total of six games for the Raiders this season, so I feel very comfortable with saying this.

If I had a vote for the Division 5 All-State team, Neal Zott would most definitely be on the ballot.

Here's why... he's very good. All anyone who did have a vote would have had to do was watch the way Zott played against Livonia Clarenceville last Friday night to see why I think he should be All-State.Ê

Zott played a great game from start to finish on both sides of the ball. He threw for more than 100 yards, rushed for 18, and captained the Raiders on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

Not to mention he made what might just be the play of the year during the game. With the score tied 7-7 and with 16 ticks left on the clock before halftime, Zott pulled a little magic out of his bag of tricks to give his team the lead.

With the ball on the 22 yard line, Zott took the snap and dropped back to pass. When the Livonia Clarenceville pass rush broke through the Almont offensive line, Zott quickly scrambled to his left and ran all the way to the home team's sidelines.

When he ran out of real estate on that side of the field, Zott changed his direction and scrambled with the ball backwards before making his way all the way back to Almont's side of the field.

As he was about to be pushed out of bounds by a Clarenceville defender, Zott fired a perfect strike 50-yards downfield to a wide open Garrett Savage in the endzone for the go-ahead touchdown.

A 50-yard pass that only netted Zott 20-yards in passing. Not that it mattered to Zott.

"I was just trying to make a play," Zott said after the game. "We didn't exactly draw it up like that, but it worked. I just wanted to keep moving and and guys kept moving and working for me. I just laid it up and found a place in the zone and it worked.

"All the credit goes to my guys. They kept the play alive."

It was a play worthy of an ESPN highlight reel. And that's the type of play Zott can make look easy, which says a lot about how good of an athlete he is.

He is the most dangerous weapon on the football field in the entire area. Zott can throw for a touchdown. He can rush for a touchdown. So far this season, he has returned interceptions for touchdowns. And let's not forget how dangerous he can be on special teams.

Coach Ferman told me after the Cass City game that, in Almont's first nine games of the season, Zott had been kicked to on kickoffs a total of 14 times up to that point. And up to that point, Zott had taken back five of those kickoffs for touchdowns. An impressive total that could have been two higher if not for a couple of holding penalties called on the Almont return team.

With all that he does for his team, why not pick Zott for All-State? Well, because the AP All-State teams are a collection of kids who usually put up gaudy numbers for the season. Voters don't get to see most of the kids play on the field, so they don't get a feeling for the intangibles that certain players bring to the field. And a lot of the players on the team's coast through to the squads on a reputation built on pre-season hype that they might gather from attending any of the prestigious summer football camps that are held in the area.

Something Zott has going for him is his reputation. He was named First-Team All-State last season after having a spectacular season for Almont at wide receiver.Ê

The move to quarterback and his willingness to share the limelight with his teammates just speaks volumes about the kid as well. After interviewing him a couple of times, I can tell he couldn't care less about personal post-season awards. But it was his coach who brought it up in the first place, not Neal.

So, after all of this, I would have to say that I think coach Ferman has done plenty to get Zott a shot at earning a second straight All-State nomination. Whether or not the AP voters agree with me is a whole other arguement.

Andrew Selich is Sports Editor at The County Press. He can be reached at (810) 664-0811 ext. 8124 or andrew.selich@lapeergroup.com.