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The Northwest Ohio Regional All-Star Football Game will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Friday in Perrysburg.
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Former high school foes come together in all-star football game

THE BLADE

Former high school foes come together in all-star football game

Stories and helmet stickers were swapped this week as a group of standout high school football players will get one last chance to play under the Friday night lights.

More than 100 recently graduated seniors will play in the Northwest Ohio Regional All-Star Football Game on Friday at Steinecker Stadium in Perrysburg.

The 30th annual event features a week of preparation where former foes get to know their rivals as members of the Black and Gold teams.

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“They get to meet other kids from different neighborhoods and different communities, which I think is pretty cool,” said Dan Chipka, the former St. Francis coach who will be leading the Black team. “They start chit-chatting with one another. They like each other's [helmet] colors and logos. They swap stickers. It's neat to see these kids cross paths where ordinarily they never would have gotten to know one another.”

St. Francis’ Dan Chipka speaks to his team following their victory in a playoff game against Anthony Wayne last season.
Mark Monroe
Chipka looking forward to last high school football hurrah

Kickoff for the event is set for 7 p.m. at Perrysburg Junior High School. Tickets are $7 and the gates open at 5:30 p.m.

Archbold coach David Dominique, who will coach the Gold team, actually played in the all-star game. He represented the Blue Streaks one final time in 2009.

“That was the last time I ever played football, so it brings back cool memories,” Dominique said. “I told them 12 years ago I was in their shoes. I told them to go enjoy it. It's such a fun experience. I look back and it's a great memory. It's their shot to show what they got one last time. The kids are excited.”

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Archbold linebacker Carson Meyer, who was the Northwest Ohio Athletic League's co-player of the year, said he has enjoyed getting to know some of his formal rivals.

“It's been a blast, especially meeting different guys from different schools,” Meyer said. “Yesterday everyone in the locker room traded stickers around. I've got Anthony Wayne and different stickers on my helmet. It's pretty cool.”

Dominique said once the players get to know each other, they quickly found out they have similar interests.

“They all love football, obviously. On Monday, the kids kind of stick with their home school. But by the end of the week they are all mingling together with people earlier in the year they had been competing against,” he said. “As the week progresses, you slowly see kids come out with new stickers on their helmets. They're all switching stickers around. You look at some of the helmets and some of them are full of others’ schools. It's cool to see them working together and talking and getting to know each other. They've come together as a team.”

Perrysburg assistant principal Scott Buker, one of the event's organizers, said this year's all-star game represents a return to normal after last year's event was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“It gives this group of kids an opportunity to come together with all they have been through this year with COVID in a much more 'normal' environment,” Buker said.

The event has attracted crowds of more than 2,500 each year.

“This year there is an extra component of the loosening of the COVID restrictions,” Chipka said. “We will really get some semblance of a full crowd on Friday night where the families in large numbers can come to the game and watch one last time. Although we got to play in the fall, we got robbed of that full experience where aunts and uncles and grandparents can all be there cheering on their young men.”

Rival players from Anthony Wayne and Perrysburg will be united on the Gold team, while graduates of Eastwood and Genoa will compete with each other on the Black team.

“Before and after practice, the kids swap stories about deep playoff runs or rivalry games or memorable touchdowns,” Chipka said. “It's just neat.”

Dominique said his players have really meshed well together.

“They've made friendships they never thought they would,” he said. “So it's just really cool to see stuff like that happen.”

Meyer, who earned All-Ohio first-team honors and won a state wrestling title in March, said this will be the last time he plays football.

“This will be my last time in the pads. I'm just ready to hit somebody again,” Meyer said. “It's really special because I love the sport of football. I've always had a big passion for it. When I got invited to this, I was really excited about it. It's going to be fun to go back out there with my Archbold guys and my coaching staff.”

Dominique said some of the players reported to the camp with apprehension on Monday.

“They were a little nervous coming in. They were worried they were going to be running a lot and some of them are not in shape like they used to be,” he said. “But that's not really how this event is set up.”

Although it's an exhibition game, Dominique said coaches must still install basic offensive and defensive playbooks.

“We keep it pretty simple and all these kids are football smart. Most of them know the concepts and it's gone better than expected,” he said.

Chipka said about 25 percent of his players will be going on to play at the next level.

“It's certainly like a preview of what they will be walking into,” he said. “Not only do they get back on the field, but the level of competition [is high caliber]. Some of these guys will be walking into college locker rooms where everybody was the star of their high school teams. And that's literally what this event is. Everyone here is a star. So it's a good preview.”

Dominique said about 10 of his players will be going on to play college football.

“It's a great chance for them to get back out on the football field and they can start to get their body ready to go for college. It gives them the feel for getting back in the game,” he said.

He said others are still hoping to play at the college level.

“But for most of them, this is their last chance to play football, so we're going to tell them to take it all in and enjoy it. It should be full capacity and we weren't able to get to see that this year,” he said. “It's an awesome thing for these seniors. They had a rough year. A lot of things were taken from them. These kids were so resilient and this is kind of their way to go out on the right note. It's cool for them to get that one last shot when the lights turn on and they get to hear the crowd.”

Thousands of recently graduated seniors have participated in one of the area's best mid-summer traditions, which is conducted by the Perrysburg athletic boosters.

“It's special because it's the last hurrah,” Chipka said.

First Published June 17, 2021, 11:10 p.m.

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The Northwest Ohio Regional All-Star Football Game will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Friday in Perrysburg.  (THE BLADE)  Buy Image
Archbold’s Carson Meyer sacks Columbus Grove quarterback Blake Reynolds during the Division VI regional semifinal game last fall.  (THE BLADE/LORI KING)  Buy Image
Archbold's head coach David Dominique talks with his team in a game last fall. Dominique will coach the Gold team on Friday.  (THE BLADE/REBECCA BENSON)  Buy Image
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