High School Seniors Gather For All-Star Football Games
The state's premier high school football players from the 2009 season take the field one last time as the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh hosts the 34th Annual Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) All-Star Classic on Saturday (July 17) at Titan Stadium.
A pair of games will showcase graduated seniors from all seven divisions, including a total of 39 WFCA All-State First Team selections. At 2 p.m., the North and South teams from WIAA divisions 4-7 will kick off the All-Star festivities. North and South squads consisting of divisions 1-3 face off in the nightcap at 7 p.m.
Head coaches in the Division 4-7 game are Jerry Hannack (Elmwood) for the North and Ken Taylor (Watertown Lutheran Prep.) for the South. The Division 1-3 leaders are Bruce Larson (Somerset) for the North and Al Minnaert (Madison Edgewood) for the South.
The Division 1-3 South team features 20 all-state performers, including nine from the offensive and defensive lines. First-team offensive linemen include Justin Barber (Homestead), Zac Epping (Kenosha Tremper), Jake Schall (Slinger) and Tom Scherer (Jefferson). The team's defensive standouts are Bryce Gilbert (Brookfield Central), Jeremy Gordon (Milwaukee Riverside), Jake Irwin (Waunakee), John Laihinen (Homestead) and Mitch Severson (Waunakee).
The South's all-state players continue with linebackers Darren Anderson (Waunakee), Nick Jauch (Middleton), Tyler Merlo (Waterford) and Lucas Speaker (Homestead), and defensive backs Brian Kroll (Whitefish Bay), Nick Malinowski (Hartford Union) and Brad Slomkowski (Kenosha Bradford). Kicker Kyle French (Menomonee Falls), receiver Lechein Neblett (Madison Memorial), running back Leighton Settle (Madison West) and tight end Mitch Ziegler (Kenosha Bradford) round out the squad's honored athletes.
Three state champions (Anderson, Irwin and Severson) from Division 2 Waunakee will participate in the final contest. The Division 1-3 North team contains a single state champion, fullback Shane Rockweiler from Division 3 Reedsburg.
The North Division 1-3 team is highlighted by 10 all-state selections, including offensive linemen John Banovetz (Stevens Point), Taylor Gabriel (Manitowoc), Joe Hackbarth (Fond du lac) and Rob Wendt (Somerset). They are joined by linebackers Kolby Knuth (Appleton North) and Tremayne Williams (Appleton North), quarterback Trey Demler (Oshkosh West), back Steve Lichtfuss (Appleton North), split end Ryan Danczak (Marshfield) and tight end Nate Piel (Wausau West).
The South Division 4-7 team has five all-state picks, including defensive linemen Nathan Nagel (Big Foot) and Ben Tenpas (Nekoosa). The group also contains offensive lineman Brandon Booth (Brodhead-Juda), linebacker Dustin Sorrentino (Big Foot) and running back Michael Walker (Big Foot). Division 4 champion Big Foot owns three players on the team (Nagel, Sorrentino and Walker), while Division 7 winner Catholic Central (Brian Fliess and Sam Wagner) and Division 5 champ St. Mary's Springs (Joe Belisle and Anthony Parker) own two.
Four all-state performers will suit up for the Division 4-7 North team, including quarterback/punter Justin Sinz (Edgar). The other three selections are receiver Taylor Dayton (Clayton), defensive back Nick Schouten (Glenwood City) and defensive end Doug Wagner (Edgar). The squad features a trio of state champions (Andy Borchardt, Sinz and Wagner) from Division 6 Edgar.
All four teams began practicing earlier this week, with the North squads honing their skills at UW-Oshkosh and the South teams working out at UW-Whitewater.
The Wisconsin High School Football All-Star Classic is being held in Oshkosh for the 29th time. The contest was held at Madison's Camp Randall Stadium from 1999 to 2002 and Menasha's Calder Stadium in 2004.