2011 Wyandotte Patch Athlete of the Year: Tyler Dunn

Taking 36 percent of the nearly 1,300 votes cast by Wyandotte Patch readers, football player was selected as the 2011 Wyandotte Patch Athlete of the Year.

Out of a field of , Dunn received 466 votes, finishing ahead of other top vote getters, 2011 graduate (333) and senior football/baseball star (255).

As a running back this season, Dunn excited Wyandotte crowds many times by fooling defenders, rolling out of tackles and blazing trails to the end zone. The team co-captain finished 2011 with 700 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns, while also catching 12 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns.

Serving as a punt and kickoff return specialist in 2011, he also dazzled fans and frustrated opponents, taking back two kicks for touchdowns and gaining a total of 530 return yards.

On defense, as a member of the team’s secondary, he picked off three passes and made a total of 30 tackles.

“I was hoping I’d have (a good season), but I didn’t expect it to be this good,” Dunn said.

The dedication by both him, and his teammates, to weightlifting and other off-season preparation was a big reason for his on-field success this year, Dunn said.

“We were working all year round,” he said. “It wasn’t just me; it was everyone.”

Dunn’s season began with him scoring three touchdowns and gaining more than 200 all-purpose yards against in the first game of 2011. His performance that night earned him

Throughout the year, Dunn had a knack for coming up big when it mattered most.

Against , in a battle for the Downriver League title, he scored three touchdowns, gained 173 all-purpose yards and intercepted a pass on defense.

Three weeks later, with the on the line, Dunn rushed for 142 yards, scored two touchdowns and picked off a pass at a key moment against rival Southgate Anderson.

Some of his biggest performances also came at times when the spotlight on the Bears was brightest. Visiting media, such as the TV cameras of and Fox Sports Detroit, were in attendance on multiple occasions.

Although such attention could add additional pressure for a high school athlete, Dunn said it didn’t interfere with his concentration.

“It never really bothered me,” he said. “I get in the football zone and never really pay attention.” 

With the season now over, Dunn said several collegiate football programs have shown interest in him. So far, he said, he has spoken with representatives from Saginaw Valley State University, Wayne State University, Hope College and Concordia University.

At the college he chooses, Dunn said, he plans on majoring in exercise science, with a goal of one day becoming a personal trainer and owning his own gym.