Shaker Heights quaterback Connor Hall scrambles for a big gain.UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS--There were a lot of impressive performances during the 40th annual Cuyahoga County East-West All-Star Football Game at John Carroll University.
It was also sloppy, controversial and chippy at times with a number of personal fouls. The East, led by head coach Scott Wodtly of John F. Kennedy, opened up a 34-point lead in the third quarter and ended with a 37-19 victory over the West squad, coached by Lakewood's Joe Zombek.
The contest was dominated by the East team until the West made it respectable with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns.
Shaker quarterback Connor Hall, heading to Davidson in the fall, tossed three touchdowns and earned MVP honors for his team.
“It’s awesome, I never expected it,” said Hall. “It was a team effort and I just executed when I had to. I felt pretty confident, just stuck to the game plan. We saw on the defensive end what we expected and what we planned for and it just worked well.”
The East led, 25-3, at halftime and scored on three of its four possessions. Villa Angela-St. Joseph's Tim Harrison opened up the scoring with a 1-yard run in the first quarter. Hall then threw his first touchdown with a 27-yard connection to John F. Kennedy's Marcus Martin with 3:52 to play.
Also reaching the scoring column was Trinity quarterback Ryan McSweeney and receiver William Woods IV of Shaw. The pair connected on a 27-yard score late in the second quarter. On the very next possession Bedford's Terrick McKenney picked off a pass and ran it 63-yards the other way for another score.
Hall’s second touchdown pass came in the third on a 36-yarder to Martin. On the East’s next drive, Hall scrambled and desperately hurled up a 39-yarder on fourth down. Woods IV came down with it in the end zone for an improbable score.
The exhibition between some of the area’s most talented seniors was starting to get out of hand – and it wasn’t just because of the score.
Personal foul penalties were building throughout the game and it nearly reached a breaking point late in the third quarter. A scuffle between two players after the whistle resulted in a nearly benches-clearing situation.
Several flags and ejections later, play was peacefully restored.
The West finally got in the end zone midway through the fourth quarter with a 41-yard throw from Holy Name quarterback Jake Schaefer to Cuyahoga Heights' Jordan D'Orazio. The finally score of the game came on a 21-yard hookup between Schaefer and Cleveland Central Catholic's Kentrell Richard.
The proceeds of the game went to the scholarship fun of the Greater Cleveland Football Coaches Association.
Jerseys for both teams were donated by the Cleveland Browns, with the East wearing the brown tops and West donning the white uniforms, something that was a huge thrill for the players.
“It feels awesome, wearing brown,” said Hall. “It’s your last high school game, you couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Earning MVP honors for the West squad was Cleveland Central Catholic's Kahari Dickson, who took over 15 carries. North Olmsted's Marc Remy (Toledo) and Fairview's John Doherty (Baldwin-Wallace) also took carries in the backfield.
Others catching passes on the night were Normandy's Jacob Thomas (Carnegie Mellon), Westlake's Kyle Perkins (Notre Dame, OH), D'Orazio and Richard for the West and Shaker's Delmar Henderson (Tiffin) for the East.
Other local players rounding out the East roster were Euclid's Benny Walker III (Youngstown State), Houston Boon, Jr. (Arizona Western) and DeAndre Rollins (Iowa Western), Solon's Tres Barksdale (Michigan State), Austin Stock (Columbia) and Cory Stuart (Dayton), Beachwood's Ari Sobel (Penn State), Cleveland Heights' Christian Cartwright (Dayton) and John Johnson (Central St.), Benedictine's William Cloud (Erie CC), Orange's Austin Garcia (Ohio State), Brush's Andrew Thomas, University School's Cole Boehmer (Amherst) and Reid Singer (Wesleyan) and Gilmour Academy's Eric Anderson (Miami).
Dotting the West roster were St. Ignatius' Tim Shenk (Air Force), St. Edward's Joe Dever (Mercyhurst), Lakewood's Aturo Morgan (Lake Erie), Wayne Majcher (Hocking) and Sie Doe (Erie CC), Bay's Tim Altieri (Hope), North Royalton's Bobby Barnes (Mount Union), Lutheran West's Larry Oldenburg (Concordia), Midpark's Nick Murray (Dayton) and Nate Simpson (Muskingum), Normandy's Matthew Condrich (Marietta) and Jacob Thomas (Carnegie Mellon), Padua's Zak Baumer (Ohio Dominican) and Rob Wallace (Gannon University), Parma's Johnnie Karban (Ashland), Brecksville's Kyle Graham (Case Western) and Rody Seballos (Ohio Northern), Independence's Jimmy Kroeger (Baldwin-Wallace), Berea's Zach Sullivan (Heidelberg), North Olmsted's Pat Moran (Notre Dame, OH), Holy Name's Joe Duff (Hillsdale), Olmsted Falls' Nolan Brandt (Baldwin-Wallace) and Mike Sauvey, Fairview's John Haney (Baldwin-Wallace), Valley Forge's Kyle Parker (Toledo) and Justin Griffen (Tri-C) and Strongsville's Zak Lors (Ohio).
Bill McCleave of Independence was the honorary coach for the West team and GA's Bob Spicer served that role for the East.
Area coaches serving as assistants for the game were Richmond Heights' William Cloud, Brush's Cecil Shorts and Shaker's Brian Stevenson for the East and Lakewood's Chris Gielink and Mark McClosky, Strongsville's Rick Martin, Westlake's Chris Milano and Olmsted Falls' Marty Simon for the West.
Contact Blake at (216) 986-7536