This is the first of a daily installment where I'll present a position group for our All-Decade team, enlisting your input as we make our final selections for publication next month.
We've been introducing sports all fall, but with football such an undertaking and with more teams and athletes than any other, it made more sense to extend the discussions, as I'm sure they'll be among our most lengthy.
So here's what I've got for quarterbacks:
My starter (so far): Andy Schmitt, St. Johns (graduated 2005, played at Eastern Michigan)
Other finalists: Dan Van Dreumel, DeWitt (2008); Josh Brehm, Ithaca (2002, Alma College); Chad Alger DeWitt (2003, Ferris State); Matt Bohnet, Grand Ledge (2001, Iowa and Eastern Michigan).
Best of the rest: Jordan Beachnau, Holt (2010); Nick Kissane, Grand Ledge (2009, Lansing Community College for baseball); Reggie Williams, Everett (2009, Grand Valley State); Adam Follett, Alma (2008, Indiana); Mike Canfield, Everett (2006, Central Michigan); Nathan Turner, Haslett (2006, Western Michigan); Mikhail Eiseler, Holt (2005, GVSU); Chad Somerville, Mason (2005, GVSU); Kyle Haskell, Charlotte (2004), Lucas Ewing, Leslie (2002, Air Force), Joe Davis, Potterville (2006, Beloit College).
Wow. I bet you can mention a ton of other standouts who aren't even listed. Among the finalists, Schmitt was voted the best by area coaches among an amazing 2004 group and led his team to an unexpected state final; Bohnet came on strong as a senior and led the Comets to the area's only state title with perhaps the best high school performance I've seen; Brehm put up state-record passing numbers and the won what is in essence the Division III college Heisman Trophy; VanDreumel was an all-state Player of the Year and Alger might've been even better for the Panthers as a senior.
Even among the best of the rest, Kissane and Eiseler were first-team Division 1/Class A all-state picks, Haskell was an LSJ Player of the Year, Canfield and Follett went Division I for college and Williams and Turner were among the top handful of playmakers this area saw this decade. Ewing and Beachnau were 1,000/1,000 rusher/passers.
But I went with Schmitt so far -- by just a smidge over the others -- because of skills, size (6-foot-4, 220 pounds), stats (just a few yards shy of 2,000 passing and 1,000 rushing despite being focused on almost exclusively by defenses) and performance (previously mentioned state finals finish).
That said, I could totally see switching in one of the others. What do you think?
High school sports editor 
