UW-Oshkosh To Host High School All-Star Football Games
The state's leading senior players from the 2015 high school football season showcase their talents when UW-Oshkosh hosts the 40th Annual Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) All-Star Classic on Saturday (July 16) at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
The event features three all-star games, including an 8-Man contest that kicks off the schedule at 10 a.m. Players will compete in the Division 4-7 game at 2 p.m. and the Division 1-3 contest at 6 p.m.
The 8-Man game, which debuted last year, kicks off the day. Luck's Don Kendzior will coach the North team and Gibralter's Pat Keehan the South.
Head coaches in the Division 4-7 contest are Glenwood City's Shane Strong for the North and Arcadia's Derek Updike for the South. The Division 1-3 head coaches are Mayville's Tom Noennig for the North and Brookfield East's Tom Swittel for the South.
Among the players participating in the Division 4-7 game are Joe McKelvey and Cole Riemer from Division 4 champion Osceola; Tyler Biadasz, Garrett Groshek, Ben Gutschow and Amaziah McCall from Division 5 champion Amherst; and Andrew Piske from Division 7 champion Bangor.
The Division 1-3 contest features Keegan Downham, Brady Heimer and Blair Mulholland from Division 1 champion Kimberly; Jake Bruner and Matthew Winters from Division 2 champion Homestead; and Blake Olejniczak and Vinny Pallini from Division 3 champion Notre Dame Academy.
All six teams began practicing on Sunday (July 10), with the North squads honing their skills at UW-Oshkosh and the South teams working out at UW-Whitewater.
Last year, the South won the Division 1-3 game, 20-15, while the North was victorious in the Division 4-7 and 8-Man contests by scores of 10-3 and 20-14, respectively.
The WFCA All-Star Classic is being held in Oshkosh for the 35th time. The games will be the first to be played on the new turf playing surface that was installed this summer at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium. The event was at Madison's Camp Randall Stadium from 1999 to 2002 and Menasha's Calder Stadium in 2004.
Football players from across the state are nominated by their high school coaches to play in these prestigious annual North vs. South All-Star Charity Football Games. Each year, more than 400 players were nominated and 220 were chosen to take part.
Proceeds from the games have gone to the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. Over the past nine years, more than $3,000,000 has been raised to benefit patient care programs. The fund-raising efforts by the players and coaches involved in last year's WFCA All-Star Games resulted in a record of just over $500,000 being raised for Children's Hospital.
The Divisions 4-7 and Division 1-3 games will be televised live on Time Warner Cable Sports 32 and simulcast on MyTV14 in Madison and WKBT in La Crosse/Eau Claire in the western half of the state.
Thursday, July 14 Practice Schedule (J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium)
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.: 8-Man North Division, 8-Man South Division, North Division 1-3
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.: North Division 4-7
Friday, July 15 Practice Schedule (J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium)
8 a.m. - 9 a.m.: 8-Man North Division
9 a.m. - 10 a.m.: 8-Man South Division
10 a.m. - 11 a.m.: North Division 4-7
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.: North Division 1-3
2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.: South Division 1-3 & 4-7
Saturday, July 16 Game Schedule (J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium)
10 a.m.: 8-Man All-Star Game (North 48, South 14) (Final Game Stats)
2 p.m.: Division 4-7 All-Star Game (North 28, South 24) (Final Game Stats)
6 p.m.: Division 1-3 All-Star Game (South 17, North 7) (Final Game Stats)