2008 All Star West
Matt Zajac
Inside Linebacker
6’1″ 240 lbs
High School Coach: Mike Smith
High School, Class: Holt, A
College: Western Michigan University
After a five-year Junior Ram football career beginning in fourth grade, Mitch skipped both freshman and JV teams and jumped directly into the varsity ranks as two-way starter. During his four-year varsity career, he played in multiple positions ranging from defensive end, offensive guard, center, and fullback as well as his most accomplished position, middle linebacker. He set Holt records for the most games started (44) and most tackles in one game (22), Mitch amassed more than 450 career tackles. He was named team Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and team MVP as a senior.
During his high school years, Mitch earned a total of 12 athletic varsity letters, four each in football, wrestling and track, as well as three academic varsity letters. In addition to the football team’s record of four-straight league championships, Mitch was a four-year starter at 215 pounds on the 2008 Division 1 State Championship Holt Wrestling team. Individually, he recorded 130 career wins on the mat. He was a four-year League Champion, two-year District Champion, two-year Regional Champion and most recently finished in second at the Division I Individual State Wrestling Championships. Mitch was also a multi-year state qualifier in track and field in the shot put. Mitch was actively involved in Student Government as President, and the National Honor Society. He also graduated in the top ten of his class with a 3.992 GPA.
Mitch thanked his family, friends, teammates, coaches and teachers “for their years of support and encouragement.”
Awards
All League, Lansing State Journal, 06 & 07
All Area Dream Team, Lansing State Journal, 06 & 07
All Area Defensive Player of the Year, Lansing State Journal, 2007
Michigan Prep Football Great 8 Finalist, Mid-Michigan Touchdown Club, 2007
All State Dream Team, Detroit Free Press, 2007
All State Scholar Athlete, Detroit Free Press, 2007
MHSAA Scholar Athlete Award, 2008
All State lst Team, Detroit Free Press, 2006
All State Junior Team, Rivals/MichiganPreps.com, 2006
Top 50 Michigan Prospects, Rivals/MichiganPreps.com, 2006
All League, 04 & 05
All Area, Lansing State Journal, 04 & 05