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3rd Annual Wabash Valley All Star Game
Final Score: North All Stars 29 - South All Stars 18
Thank you to Nancy Stepp of Marshall for providing some pictures from this year's game. If you have pictures you would like
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Worth the wait: North takes Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association All-Star Game 29-18
By Todd Golden
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE - On Saturday, it rained.
On Sunday, it rained footballs and yellow flags at Memorial Stadium.
Severe thunderstorms on Saturday meant the Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association All-Star Game ended a day late,
but the result of the game remained the same. The North All-Stars won its third WVFCA All-Star Game in as many tries with
a 29-18 victory in front of an estimated 3,400 fans at Memorial Stadium.
The North All-Stars got into a huddle and did a celebratory chant, but the result of the game was secondary to the experience
for most of the All-Stars, most of whom gathered with their families for pictures after the game.
"It's definitely been the best week of my life. I've met a lot of people and had a lot of fun," said Marshall's
Jacob Winkler, who made the experience even more memorable with a third-quarter safety. "I'm glad I got my only career
safety here."
Among those enjoying the post-game camaraderie was Terre Haute South quarterback Michael Engle, who played his part in
the aerial circus. Engle passed for 317 yards and set a WVFCA All-Star Game record with 40 pass attempts in a losing cause.
Engle's primary target - Cloverdale's Christian Cheatham - set game records for receptions (11) and receiving yards (171).
But the statistics weren't what was on Engle's mind as he stood in the middle of Memorial Stadium.
"We could have done a few things different in the game, but overall it was a fun game," Engle said. "It's
very emotional being able to play one more game. It was great to play out here with my dad [South All-Star assistant coach
Jay Engle, ex-coach at Terre Haute South] since it was my last high school game and also his."
Engle's day played a big part in the 517 combined passing yards for both teams, with South passing for 344 yards.
South also outgained North in total yards 407-255. But advantageous field position negated South's yardage. North had
three scoring drives of 27 yards or less.
Much of the credit goes to Northview receiver Chase Yocom. He averaged 31.3 yards in three kick returns and had three
catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns.
"I had some good blocking on those returns. I tried to find the hole and hit it as hard as I could and it worked
out nicely," Yocom said.
The game resumed with just over 10 minutes to go in the second quarter with North leading 6-0, but South tied the game
on its second drive. An eight-play, 72-yard pass-fueled drive was capped with an Engle-to-Cal Gard 14-yard touchdown connection
to tie the game 6-6.
North pulled ahead in its final drive of the second half. After an 18-yard South punt gave North the ball at the South
27, it wasted little time taking advantage as North Putnam's Brayden Dahlstrom completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Riverton
Parke's Mark Pate (who had four receptions for 84 yards) to make it 13-6 with 1:08 to go in the half.
North's special teams carried the day through more than just Yocom's returns. A 71-yard punt by Casey's Zach Ring pinned
South at its own 1. With the North defense exhorting the otherwise quiet All-Star crowd to cheer them on, Winkler broke through
on the first play from scrimmage and tackled Phil Higginbotham for a safety.
After the free kick, another short drive put North in command. A 24-yard scoring drive was finished off by an all-Northview
Broc Miller-to-Yocom 2-yard scoring pass to make it 22-6.
North never looked back as both teams traded scores in the fourth quarter. A 5-yard Engle-to-Kurt Mehl touchdown pass
made it 22-12. North countered with a Matt Seliger-to-Yocom 18-yard touchdown pass to make it 29-12 and South finished scoring
as Engle completed an 11-yard pass to Michael Richardson.
The only downer during the game was the proliferation of penalties. Seventeen penalties were called for a combined 198
yards, grinding the game to a halt at times.
But it didn't seem to matter to the participants.
"We kept the streak going for the North. Three in a row feels pretty good," Yocom said. "It was real emotional
- this is the last time I;m strapping up - we wanted to go out with a bang and I was glad we did."
Three scholarships were awarded during the game. Marshall's Chris Stepp was given the Brett Eitel Memorial Scholarship.
Dahlstrom and Red Hill's Michael Fiore were awarded the Pete Varda/WVFCA Hall of Fame Scholarships.
Reprinted courtesy of TribStar.com
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