Final 2023 Livingston County football top performers

Bill Khan, Livingston Daily

Tue, Oct 31, 2023, 9:59 AM·5 min read

Grant Hetherton of Brighton, Justin Jones of Howell, Nolan Carruthers of Pinckney, Jacob Ross of Hartland and Ethan Keider of Howell put up big numbers this football season, but fell just short of significant statistical milestones.

Hetherton threw for 1,959 yards, coming 41 shy of becoming only the fifth Livingston County quarterback to reach 2,000 yards. That wasn’t as close as Pinckney’s Buck West came in 2013 when his final number was 1,999.

Jones, despite missing a game early in the season, was 12 yards short of the 1,000-yard rushing mark.

Carruthers’ 68 catches put him 10 away from the county record set by Brighton’s Zach Nichols in 2005. With one year remaining, perhaps Carruthers will set that record next season.

Ross and Keider fell just under 100 tackles, Ross racking up 96 and Keider 95.

These are the final county statistical leaders in 2023, including Brighton’s playoff game. Every other county team played only nine games.

Passing yards

1,959, Grant Hetherton, Brighton (157 of 259)

1,118, Wyatt Soli, Fowlerville (82 of 153)

1,035, Jax Raymond, Pinckney (106 of 193)

826, James Butzier, Hartland (73 of 138)

286, Luke Marhofer, Pinckney (33 of 72)

186, Preston Barb, Howell (10 of 21)

137, Gabe Timpa, Hartland (4 of 10)

128, Palmer VanDeven, Howell (11 of 19)

109, Lucas Warr, Hartland (7 of 13)

Passing touchdowns

13, Grant Hetherton, Brighton

11, Wyatt Soli, Fowlerville

7, Jax Raymond, Pinckney

7, James Butzier, Hartland

3, Preston Barb, Howell

1, Gabe Timpa, Hartland

1, Lucas Warr, Hartland

Howell's Justin Jones came 12 yards short of a 1,000-yard rushing season.

Rushing yards

988, Justin Jones, Howell (148 carries)

774, Aiden Horvath, Howell (137 carries)

640, James Butzier, Hartland (93 carries)

546, Grant Hetherton, Brighton (115 carries)

400, Blake Juopperi, Fowlerville (108 carries)

321, Kyle Pies, Hartland (76 carries)

305, Matt Flynn, Hartland (49 carries)

300, Jackson Johnson, Brighton (53 carries)

205, Ethan Keider, Howell (34 carries)

202, Levi Curtin, Howell (25 carries)

182, Colin Jewell, Hartland (56 carries)

174, Jacob Miner, Pinckney (41 carries)

172, Justice Wojcik, Fowlerville (33 carries)

154, Carter Gregg, Brighton (36 carries)

145, Henry Taube, Pinckney (64 carries)

137, Adam Aeschliman, Fowlerville (21 carries)

Rushing touchdowns

12, Grant Hetherton, Brighton

9, James Butzier, Hartland

8, Justin Jones, Howell

7, Aiden Horvath, Howell

4, Carter Gregg, Brighton

4, Palmer VanDeven, Howell

4, Blake Juopperi, Fowlerville

3, Ethan Keider, Howell

2, Levi Curtin, Howell

2, Matt Flynn, Hartland

2, Levi Baker, Fowlerville

Pinckney's Nolan Carruthers led Livingston County in catches and receiving yards.

Receptions

68, Nolan Carruthers, Pinckney

38, Sebastian Boyea, Brighton

28, Caleb Webb, Brighton

27, Brayden Platt, Brighton

26, Brendan Ray, Fowlerville

26, Hayden Beaver, Pinckney

26, Carter Gregg, Brighton

18, Will Shrader, Fowlerville

17, Nevan Anderer, Hartland

17, Adam Aeschliman, Fowlerville

16, Gabe Timpa, Hartland

16, Luke Marhofer, Pinckney

15, Larry Smith, Pinckney

11, Braden Streight, Hartland

Receiving yards

637, Nolan Carruthers, Pinckney (68 catches)

438, Brendan Ray, Fowlerville (26 catches)

434, Sebastian Boyea, Brighton (38 catches)

393, Carter Gregg, Brighton (26 catches)

372, Will Shrader, Fowlerville (18 catches)

371, Brayden Platt, Brighton (27 catches)

340, Caleb Webb, Brighton (28 catches)

252, Hayden Beaver, Pinckney (26 catches)

196, Connor Renaud, Hartland (7 catches)

183, Luke Marhofer, Pinckney (16 catches)

182, Braden Streight, Hartland (11 catches)

164, Nevan Anderer, Hartland (17 catches)

135, Larry Smith, Pinckney (14 catches)

125, Adam Aeschliman, Fowlerville (17 catches)

124, Brody Stack, Howell (6 catches)

109, Gabe Timpa, Hartland (16 catches)

Fowlerville's Will Shrader led Livingston County with seven touchdown catches.

Receiving touchdowns

7, Will Shrader, Fowlerville

5, Carter Gregg, Brighton

4, Braden Streight, Hartland

4, Nolan Carruthers, Pinckney

3, Brendan Ray, Fowlerville

3, Brayden Platt, Brighton

2, Easton Hardesty, Brighton

2, Luke Marhofer, Pinckney

2, Sebastian Boyea, Brighton

2, Brody Stack, Howell

Tackles

96, Jacob Ross, Hartland

95, Ethan Keider, Howell

78, Alexander Criscuolo, Hartland

75, Jack Lansing, Hartland

63, Blake Juopperi, Fowlerville

60, Vinnie Abbey, Hartland

60, Brayden Packer, Fowlerville

58, Jaden Rogers, Brighton

57, Reed Blake-Thomas, Brighton

50, Landon Brown, Hartland

49, Gavin Nastevski, Howell

47, Jacob Miner, Pinckney

46, Gavin Unsworth, Brighton

45, Will Shrader, Fowlerville

43, Brock Foster, Fowlerville

42.5, Jadin Miller, Pinckney

41, Tyler Mira, Howell

41, Jason Eisinger, Brighton

40, Aiden Horvath, Howell

39, Drew Lynn, Howell

38.5, Evan McGlothin, Pinckney

38, Mitchell Rucinski, Brighton

38, Bobby Kanka, Howell

37, Jacob Esch, Fowlerville

37, Evan Brown, Hartland

37, Brady Robison, Howell

36.5, Levi Podhola, Pinckney

35, Braeden Chiles, Brighton

34, Ben Brown, Howell

34, Nolan Carruthers, Pinckney

32, Jack McKinnon, Brighton

31, Kyler Blixt, Fowlerville

31, Adam Aeschliman, Fowlerville

30, Sean O’Keefe, Brighton

29.5, Owen Turner, Pinckney

29, Gavigan Walraven, Howell

28, Bodie Abbey, Hartland

28, Kyle McDaniel, Hartland

28, Saleem Jackson, Hartland

27, Cain Barth, Pinckney

27, Hayden Beaver, Pinckney

24, Lucas Stone, Brighton

Tackles for losses

17, Bobby Kanka, Howell

15, Gavin Nastevski, Howell

8, Jaden Rogers, Brighton

8, Sean O’Keefe, Brighton

8, Brock Foster, Fowlerville

6, Jacob Miner, Pinckney

4.5, Travis Budnik, Pinckney

4, Ben Brown, Howell

4, Gavigan Walraven, Howell

4, Hayden Lorius, Brighton

4, Blake Juopperi, Fowlerville

4, Landon Brown, Hartland

4, Brett Karwowski, Hartland

Sacks

8, Bobby Kanka, Howell

6, Gavin Nastevski, Howell

3, Jaden Rogers, Brighton

3, Sean O’Keefe, Brighton

2, Ben Brown, Howell

2, Jacob Miner, Pinckney

2, Kyle McDaniel, Hartland

2, Blake Juopperi, Fowlerville

2, Gavigan Walraven, Howell

2, Brett Karwowski, Hartland

2, Evan Brown, Hartland

Interceptions

5, Adam Aeschliman, Fowlerville

2, Brandon Hamilton, Howell

2, Jason Eisinger, Brighton

2, Jack McKinnon, Brighton

2, Justice Wojcik, Fowlerville

2, Saleem Jackson, Hartland

Forced fumbles

3, Gavin Nastevski, Howell

3, Jaden Rogers, Brighton

2, Drew Lynn, Howell

2, Levi Podhola, Pinckney

2, Dylan Edgeworth, Brighton

Fumble recoveries

4, Kyle McDaniel, Hartland

2, Jacob Ross, Hartland

2, Drew Lynn, Howell

2, Nathan Head, Pinckney

2, Brock Foster, Fowlerville

Field goals

5, Braeden Chiles, Brighton (5 of 7)

5, Alex Hernandez, Hartland (5 of 8)

4, Anderson Berry, Fowlerville (4 of 4)

Punting

(Minimum 5 punts)

43.3, Grant Hetherton, Brighton

39.1, Noah MacDonald, Brighton

38.0, Brady Robison, Howell

Kick returns

(Minimum 5 returns)

44.0, Adam Aeschliman, Fowlerville

35.0, Easton Culver, Hartland

20.8, Brandon Hamilton, Howell

Punt returns