Two locals - past and present - will team up this week to take on the world.
Anthony Wayne senior Andrew Donnal and Toledo native Kirk Heidelberg will be stationed on the American sideline for Saturday's Team USA vs. The World football game.
The first-year event pits 45 of the top American high school seniors against a team of standouts from eight countries. It will be televised at noon on NFL Network from Florida Atlantic University's Lockhart Stadium.
Heidelberg, a 1976 Woodward graduate and former University of Toledo assistant coach, will serve as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for USA. One of his star pupils is Donnal, a first-team All-Ohio selection at offensive tackle, who has verbally committed to play at the University of Iowa.
"I called him when I got the position and told him how excited I am to represent our country and to be coaching a fine athlete like himself," said Heidelberg, the head coach at Rockford Christian in Illinois.
Heidelberg, who worked at UT from 1990-92 under Nick Saban and then Gary Pinkel, intends to employ a no-huddle, spread offense, with hopes of "getting athletes the ball."
Chris Merritt, a high school coach in Miami, will lead Team USA. The World's coaching staff is headed by Jan Jenmert, Sweden's national team coach. Jenmert will field a 45-man squad that includes 32 Canadians. Three individuals each from Japan, American Samoa and Sweden will play, while Mexico, France, Germany and Australia are also represented.
None of the foreign players is older than 19.
"It's different to get to play against people that are from somewhere else," Donnal said. "The game is maybe a little bit different. It will be interesting."
Honorary captains for Team USA are Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Miami Dolphins center Dwight Stephenson, former
NFL running back Mosi Tatupu, and current Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Jonathan Fanene.
Heidelberg helped select Team USA's roster, mostly athletes considered among the best at their position by Rivals.com.
Aside from Donnal, two other Ohioans will make the trip. Cleveland St. Ignatius quarterback Mark Myers is expected to play at University of Pittsburgh, and West Chester Lakota West offensive tackle has verbally committed to Cincinnati.
"He was one of the top kids, lineman wise," Heidelberg said of the 6-foot-7, 285-pound Donnal. "I'm excited about it because I'm from Toledo and he's from Anthony Wayne, and I'm going to get to coach a northwest Ohio guy. Plus, he looks like a really good athlete."
Donnal is rated as the country's 16th best offensive line prospect, according to Rivals. Elite college programs represented in the event by prospective players include Texas, Alabama, Louisiana State, Florida, Oklahoma, Penn State, and Oregon,
"It's a chance to represent our country and go play football against people from other parts of the world," Donnal said. "Not too many people get a chance to do that."
It's been a busy month for Donnal, who also participated in the prestigious U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 9 in San Antonio. But unlike that game, Saturday's match-up is more than an all-star showcase, Heidelberg says. It's about national pride.
"That's how we're going to approach it as coaches," he said. "It's definitely not an all-star game. I think it's an honor to be selected to represent your country."
Contact Ryan Autullo at: rautullo@theblade.com
or 419-724-6160.
First Published January 29, 2010, 11:58 a.m.
