WNY footballers get one last All-Star showcase before college

By Cullen Tonge

This past spring was one of the busiest boys’ high school sports seasons that Western New York has ever seen. Baseball, track and field, lacrosse, all happened in their usual seasons, but in a condensed fashion. Football, which we all know to be a fall sport, also took place in the Spring due to COVID-19 shutting it down in the Fall of 2020.

In a very shortened season that ended without the chance at a state-championship, players had to give it their all in every game they played. For a majority of them, that only ended up being six or seven games maximum. Now, the Kensington Lions Club is giving a select group of senior players the chance to represent their school one more time in the 45^th Annual All-Star Game.

The All-Star Classic takes place annually each summer at the end of July, with the exception of last summer due to the pandemic. Seniors are split up by their school’s location into two teams, North and South. There is no shortage of talent on this year’s teams and it should be an exciting matchup tonight, July 28th, at Williamsville South High School as kickoff is scheduled for 7 P.M..

Looking at the rosters, it seems as though the North team, coached by Clarence head coach Paul Burgio, has a steep uphill battle in front of them. Six members of the first team All-WNY group from this past season are playing in the All-Star Classic, and only one of them is on the North team: James Brooks. The 6-foot-3, 220 lb. linebacker from Clarence will anchor the defense for his former head coach as he will look to put a stop to the dominant running attack of the South team.

The South team has the other five first Team All-Western New Yorkers that are participating. None better than South Park’s star running back Keith Jackson, the Dick Gallagher Award Winner as the best player in the area. In just six games, Jackson rushed for 889 yards and 13 touchdowns. His efforts helped propel the Sparks to their second Class A title in as many years.

If Jackson needs a break or if South’s head coach Glen Graham, who has been the coach of Cleveland Hill’s football team for years, decides to run a two-back set, Mekhi Bridgers will get the call. Although he was selected as a linebacker for 1^st Team All-WNY, Bridgers will strictly be playing running back in the All-Star Classic. He is a fast, yet powerful downhill runner who will no doubt make an impact in the game.

Those two ferocious backs will run behind a stacked offensive line that features first team selection Eric Deitz out of Orchard Park. Deitz is a 6-foot-3 245 lb. monster who only allowed just a single sack over two seasons as a starter for the Quakers. Frontier lineman Ryan Bednasz is also expected to start on South’s offensive line as the big man from the Falcons was selected to second team All-WNY.

Like I mentioned before, the defense of the North team is going to have to be on their A-game if they are going to stop the offense of South. However, they have the players to do so. Much like the first team All-WNY, there will be six second team All-WNY selections participating in the game, but North has four of them, with three playing on the defensive side of the football.

6-foot-4 Sammy Moss out of McKinley High School will line up at the defensive end position for North. His height and size will help limit the passing game for South and allow him to track down those dynamic backs. Aidan Ostrowski will be playing one last home game for the North team at the linebacker position as the 6-foot 210 lb. linebacker will represent the Billies of Williamsville South for the final time. Anchoring the defensive backfield will be Lucas Siefert out of Grand Island High School who will also see his brother, Joe Siefert, potentially starting as the third linebacker for North.

South also has some talent on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage at the defensive end position. Marqwan Fluitt, out of South Park High School, will be the best player on that side of the football for South. His athleticism is through the roof and it is no surprise that he has committed to play at Robert Morris next season.

It should be a fantastic game tonight and it is very hard for me to see North pulling off an upset. I had the opportunity to participate in the game back in 2018 and it was an amazing experience and honor. Some of these kids are getting one last football game before they go off and play college ball, or for some, one last organized football game ever. The Kensington Lions Club puts on this event every year, and every year it is something that you don’t want to miss. Tickets can be bought at the gates of Williamsville South for $15 and trust me, that $15 will be very well spent.

BUFFALO SPORTS NEVER STOP. THIS TRAIN NEVER STOPS.

WNY footballers get one last All-Star showcase before college

By Cullen Tonge