2013 West All Stars – #16
Mitch Bancroft
Defensive Back
5’11″ 170 lbs
High School: Stevensville Lakeshore, B
High School Coach: Denny Dock
College: Adrian College
Mitch’s father is Bill Bancroft, a local business owner and a volunteer football coach at Lakeshore the last 22 years. His mother is Joy, “a stay at home mom” and “Mitch’s biggest fan.” Mitch has an older brother, Drew, a sophomore at Community College of Denver and formerly an all conference linebacker for Lakeshore and a younger sister, Elise, who is a freshman at Lakeshore where she plays volleyball and softball.
Mitch has played football since the fourth grade starting with the Lakeshore Rocket program. He has played with the same core group of teammates throughout his career and has “enjoyed every minute of it.” In his senior season, Lakeshore finished 11-1 and was ranked third in Division 3, capping 23 straight winning seasons and 15 straight playoff appearences.
Mitch was awarded 1st team all conference for the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference as a safety. He was awarded 1st team AP All State, 1st team Detroit News All State and 1st Team Detroit Free Press All State. During the season, Mitch was twice selected as P&R Service Station’s Player of the Game. He was also selected as the Herald Palladium Student Athlete of the Week once.
Mitch was a four year letter winner for the high school hockey team, LSJ Warriors. He was a two-time all conference selection as a defenseman. He was also a two year starter as an outfielder for the high school baseball team.
Mitch thanked his “parents and siblings for the all the support they have provided over the years.” He gave special thanks to his grandparents, Win and Harriet Decker and Bob and Betty Kohn, “for all the support and nuturing over the past four years.” He thanked his teammates “as any award I received this past year was truly a ‘Team’ award.” Mitch said, “I can’t thank Head Coach Denny Dock and D Coordinator Bryan Keim enough. Not only did they make me into the player I was but they molded me into the person I am now, which wasn’t easy.” Mitch added: “I can’t name them all but thanks to all the support staff and other coaches as you created a great enviornment to come to every day and every game.” Lastly, he thanked “All of Lakeshore Nation. Playing in front of thousands of fans every week is something I will always remember.
Awards
1st Team All SMC Safety, 2012
1st Team All State, AP 2012
1st Team All State Detroit News &
Detroit Free Press, 2012
Twice Player of the Game,
P&R Service Station, 2012
Once Student Athlete of the Week,
Herald Palladium, 2012