EAST LANSING - Monday evening at the Kellogg Center, the first annual Great 8 Prep Football Awards took place. The event was sponsored by the Mid-Michigan Touchdown Club, which is a chapter of the National Football Foundation and honored 48 of the top prep football players in Michigan. Over 200 people were in attendance for the event, including college coaches from the Big Ten and Mid-American Conference.

The 48 finalists, from six different geographic regions, were selected by a distinguished panel of prep sportswriters and broadcasters from around the state.

The 48 players from those six regions were then split into eight position categories. Finally, the panel selected a player from each of those position groups to be part of the Great 8.

The Mid-Michigan Touchdown Club also sponsors the Duffy Daugherty Memorial Award each April and the Michigan College Coaches Kickoff Luncheon in August.

The Daugherty Award, given for outstanding contributions to amateur football, is housed in the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. Past recipients include: Bud Wilkinson, Bob Devaney, Eddie Robinson, Bear Bryant, Ara Parseghian, Joe Paterno, Bo Schembechler, Woody Hayes, Keith Jackson, Frank Kush, Biggie Munn, Hayden Fry and Tom Osborne.

The Mid-Michigan Touchdown club hopes to make Great 8 Awards an annual showcase to honor not only the best prep players each season, but also to pay tribute to the coaches, parents and mentors who help to mold the lives of Michigan's future football players.

Two Michigan State verbal commitments, quarterback Keith Nichol of Lowell and offensive lineman Patrick Rigan of Traverse City St. Francis, were honored with the Great 8 distinction. While Nichol was on hand to accept the honor in person, Rigan was unable to make the trip due to the fact that his TCSF's football awards banquet took place Monday night as well.

Below is a rundown of the inaugural Great 8 Class of 2005, as well as a list of the 48 finalists for the recently completed season.

Quarterback: Keith Nichol, Lowell

Running Back: Brandon Dunn, Lansing Sexton

Wide Receiver: Dominique Douglas, Detroit Murray-Wright

Offensive Lineman: Patrick Rigan, Traverse City St. Francis

Defensive Lineman: Ian Bartholomew, Rockford

Linebacker: Brandon Graham, Detroit Crockett

Defensive Back: Drew Bolhuis, Hudsonville

Special Teams: Eric Williams, Saline

Region 1: Tony Thompson, Traverse City West

Region 2: Keith Nichol, Lowell

Region 3: Nathan Turner, Haslett

Region 4: Greg Bartlett, Hemlock

Region 5: Danny Stiefel, Sterling Heights Stevenson

Region 6: Matt Forystek, Dearborn Divine Child

Region 1: Drew Wyse, Kingsley

Region 2: Kelvin Grady, East Grand Rapids

Region 3: Brandon Dunn, Lansing Sexton

Region 4: Michael Golden, Frankenmuth

Region 5: Mark Moundros, North Farmington

Region 6: Richard Franklin, Ann Arbor Huron

Region 1: Eli VanNuck, Grayling

Region 2: Brett Powell, Wyoming Park

Region 3: Tyler Aldridge, Jackson Lumen Christi

Region 4: Matt LaFreniere, Burton Bendle

Region 5: Adrian Cannon, Auburn Heights Avondale

Region 6: Dominique Douglas, Detroit Murray-Wright

Region 1: Patrick Rigan, Traverse City St. Francis

Region 2: Justin Henget, Zeeland West

Region 3: Stephen Johnson, Holt

Region 4: Bryant Nowicki, Bay City John Glenn

Region 5: John Stipek, Macomb Dakota

Region 6: C.J. Boyer, Chelsea

Region 1: Will Smith, Mio

Region 2: Ian Bartholomew, Rockford

Region 3: Justin Winsor, Fulton-Middleton

Region 4: Ben Leal, Birch Run

Region 5: Josh Allison, Lake Orion

Region 6: Jeff Maddux, Monroe

Region 1: Eric Gordon, Traverse City West

Region 2: John Muuse, Caledonia

Region 3: Jordan Bennett, Haslett

Region 4: Nick Violette, Bullock Creek

Region 5: Danny Richard, West Bloomfield

Region 6: Brandon Graham, Detroit Crockett

Region 1: Jimmy Parsons, Midland

Region 2: Drew Bolhuis, Hudsonville

Region 3: Cam Bramer, Olivet

Region 4: Jordan Bitzer, Unionville-Sebewaing

Region 5: Dionte Allen, Orchard Lake St. Mary's

Region 6: Derek Brighton, Allen Park

Region 1: Andy Pascoe, Traverse City Central

Region 2: Vince Agnew, Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Region 3: Frank Fata, Lansing Catholic

Region 4: Bobby Glazer, Chesaning

Region 5: Joe Nowicki, Lake Orion

Region 6: Eric Williams, Saline