MARBLEHEAD — As is the case every year, the 2017 “Big Five,” the five major award winners at the 72nd annual Daily Item Football All-Star Banquet, was a star-studded group. Four of the five winners came from Lynn schools, showing just how powerful the city’s football teams were this season. But what may be more impressive is the wide range of stories these award winners have to tell.
There’s St. Mary’s quarterback Calvin Johnson, who was named the Edward H. Cahill Item Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. After winning the award as a running back in 2016, Johnson made the move to quarterback for his senior season and led the Spartans to an 11-1 record. He had 1,781 total yards and 37 total touchdowns (25 rushing, 12 passing) and also made an impact on defense with 30 tackles and an interception.
“It was a bit of an adjustment, but coming into my senior year when Coach (Matt) Durgin asked me to do it, I just said ‘why not?'” Johnson said of the switch. “But really, it’s just an honor to win this award two years in a row, I’ve worked really hard and it feels great to get rewarded like this.”
Tech running back Steffan Gravely was named the Item/Agganis Foundation Offensive Player of the Year. Gravely rushed for 2,044 yards and 31 touchdowns this season, all while helping to lead the Tigers to the Massachusetts Vocational Athletic Directors Association championship. The senior ended his career fourth all-time in Massachusetts history in rushing yards (5,903 yards) and seventh all-time in rushing touchdowns (83).
“It feels great, like all of the hard work is getting paid off,” Gravely said. “It’s been a long ride ever since coming in as a freshman, but coach had a plan and we stuck to it, and now everything is happening just how we said it would.”
This year’s Item/Agganis Foundation Defensive Player of the Year didn’t get off the the kind of start he wanted this year, but still rallied for a big senior season. Marblehead’s Aidan Gillis missed the first three games of the season with mononucleosis, but the four-year starter still rallied to record 101 tackles and three sacks from the linebacker position. He won’t be slowing down anytime soon either, as he is a captain on the Marblehead hockey and lacrosse teams.
“Obviously the year didn’t get off to the start I wanted it to, but just coming back and being able to help my team was great,” Gillis said. “And to win this award is a huge honor, because there are a ton of great players in this conference, so to be recognized as the best defensive player is a big deal to me.”
The William F. Connell Student-Athlete of the Year award for this year went to English’s Jacob Miller, who made an impact all over the field. In addition to anchoring an offensive line that rushed for 29 touchdowns, Miller, a team captain and four-year starter, was an absolute stud on defense with 87 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and two interceptions at linebacker. But that dominance also translates into the classroom, where Miller is a National Honor Society member who is now looking at some of the top colleges in the country.
“It means a lot to me because I work really hard to keep my grades up for college, and I work really hard on the field as well,” Miller said. “I really consider this a team award, because I couldn’t do as well as I have without all my teammates behind me, so this award is for them too.”
And finally there’s Tech’s James Runner, who was received the Peter Gamage Coach of the Year. Runner’s Tigers went 12-1 this year and won the vocational title. Seven Tech players were named Commonwealth Athletic Conference All-Stars. But with all of these accolades, Runner knows that he couldn’t have done any of it without the help of the players and coaches.
“This is a Coaching Staff of the Year award, really,” Runner said. “I couldn’t have done it without all of those guys and the players too. Everyone put in so much work over the last couple of years and this year in particular, and to see it all end with a state title and this award is a blessing.”