BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
Everest Collegiate High School senior Grant Burgess finished his football season with his second First Team All-State honors.
He received the honors for his senior season from the Michigan High School Coaches Association.
“It is a huge honor,” he said. “It’s an indescribable feeling of all your hard work leading up to the moment you receive your award. It’s relief and satisfaction you have accomplished in your career in the season. It’s a pretty special feeling.”
Last year he received First Team All-State honors from the Associated Press.
The Mountaineers finished the season 9-3 and finished in the regional final against future Division 8 State Champion Ottawa Lake Whiteford.
Burgess added it was quite a feat especially for a team with 15 players.
“It’s really crazy if you think about it we were able to survive that long season with not many injuries so we were able to not forfeit games,” he said.
Burgess explained he has learned a lot from Everest Football.

“The most important values I have learned from the program are how to handle adversity in tough situations and how to bounce back; teamwork, how to be disciplined and work as a team through difficult situations; brotherhood, all those 15 players are so close to me,” he said. “No one leaves each other out. In the locker room everyone is smiling and laughing. It’s really fun. I also learned a winning mentality for life. You just want to make sure you are giving it your all and you are trying to win at it.”
Burgess began playing football in third grade and during fourth grade started playing basketball and baseball, which he still plays.
Burgess has a 3.96 grade point average and plays sports all year. He added being involved in sports has helped him with his studies.
“It gives you a schedule that’s routine,” he said. “I am always active and never bored.”
Burgess is still looking at colleges to attend after graduation which includes continuing to play football
“I love the sport because of the values it has taught me, the friends I’ve made, and the friends I can make on the next level,” he said.
He plans to study business with focus in marketing.
When Burgess isn’t studying, practicing or competing in a game he enjoys hanging out with friends, watching movies with family, or boxing which he got into during the summer.
His advice to aspiring athletes is “whatever you do stick to it, don’t quit. Believe in yourself and always do whatever you are doing with heart and passion. Always do things with a purpose. Keep fighting for what you are doing and you will be successful.”
The Everest Boys Varsity Basketball team will be back in January. Catch them this Friday as they play against alumni players.

  AOW, Athlete of the Week