Kudos to Tom Gamble and the NKFCA coaches for pulling this off.  A lot of work takes place and the families of these kids to see one last football game for their sons.  Win or lose, those kids busted their humps last week to give a good showing but unfortunately, the game was not competitive, kind of like last year's super bowl.  A few years back, there was a thrilling overtime game.  Everyone got their money's worth.  Many all stay games have stopped over the years for all of the reasons mentioned in other threads.  Graduation, spring sports and scholarship kids opting out make it challenging.  The coaches who volunteered their times probably had practices with their teams that very same day.  Kudos to Dixie heights for allowing the teams to play there.  It's the best stadium for this event for many reasons.  Hope this continues in the future.

Does anyone have a roster for both the West and East that they can share with everyone?  I was unable to attend.  

 

25 minutes ago, KillerCats09 said:

Does anyone have a roster for both the West and East that they can share with everyone?  I was unable to attend.

I reached out via Twitter to the St. Elizabeth Sports Healthcare account (since that's really the only "visible" contact for the game organizers) and they said "Rosters are free to attendees." I asked after the fact for copies of the rosters and was told "Rosters were free at the game for attendees."

I'm not exactly sure why they aren't essentially saying, "Oh yeah, here you go," and getting the rosters out there - to the newspapers, even. You'd think maybe helping facilitate an increased conversation around the event might help them out, especially if the East team was actually having a hard time coming up with players for the game, as was mentioned earlier in the thread. That's just me, though. ??‍♂️

6 hours ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

They where blitzing.

Interesting.   I've never seen an all star game that allowed it.  And I coached in the NKY one decades ago and there was no blitzing.  We had to roll the same defense all night.  Same way when I coached the SW Ohio all star game about a decade ago.

 

Thanks for the info!

How about a shout to the NKOA officials. They donate their time every year to this game and also give out scholarships to the players. 

1 hour ago, New Colonel said:

Interesting.   I've never seen an all star game that allowed it.  And I coached in the NKY one decades ago and there was no blitzing.  We had to roll the same defense all night.  Same way when I coached the SW Ohio all star game about a decade ago.

 

Thanks for the info!

East linebackers where all game.

Here are the rosters from the game.

20 minutes ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

EAST ALL-STARS

1 Cam Mandel (RB/OLB) Bishop Brossart
2 Brady Lee (QB) Simon Kenton
3 AJ Lowe (WR/DB) Newport
4 Rod’Zion Thompson (RB/DB/K) Newport
5 Dom Gregory (DB) Highlands
6 Xavier Fancher (WR/DB) Campbell County
7 Armani Gregg (RB/WB/WR) Dixie Heights
8 Chris Owens (WR) Simon Kenton
9 Nate Back (WR) Simon Kenton
11 Austin Thomas (DL) Campbell County
12 Kyle Lee (QB) Newport
13 Jackson Kellerman (WR) Simon Kenton
14 Sam Boyd (RB) Covington Catholic
15 Tyler Holtz (QB/Holder) Bishop Brossart
18 Tommy Ferring (TE/DE) Highlands
22 Parker Kist (DB) Campbell County
24 Tyler Morehead (LB) Dixie Heights
26 Ethan Grimm (RB/LB) Highlands
32 Joshua Rector (LB/DE) Simon Kenton
41 Logan Nickelman (K) Highlands
45 TJ Hicks (LB) Highlands
53 Aven Bohms (LB/DL) Simon Kenton
54 Preston McCauley (OL) Simon Kenton
55 Jaylen Hartness (OL/DE) Newport
58 Isaac Mason (OL/ILB/LS) Campbell County
59 Shane Willike (OL/ILB) Bishop Brossart
67 Diego Race (OL/DL) Highlands
68 Cooper Cahill (OL/LS) Simon Kenton
70 Mason Dietz (OL) Covington Catholic
76 Peyton Young (OL/DL) Dayton
77 Joe Schroeder (OL/DL) Bishop Brossart

Head Coach: Paul Wiggins, Newport
Assistant Head Coach: Steve Lickert, Newport Central Catholic

34 minutes ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

WEST ALL-STARS

Jayden Jackson (RB/RET) Boone County
Justin Padilla (WR/S) Boone County
Elijah Collins (WR/DB) Lloyd Memorial
Shawn Turney (WR/LS) Boone County
Keedon Moore (DB) Ludlow
Tyler Copeland (WR/RB/S/RET) Scott
Paul Kramer (LB) Conner
Andrew Herron (K/P) Conner
Wyatt Hatfield (QB/WR/DB/RET) Conner
Elliott Bucher (WR/DB/RET) Conner
Chase Caplinger (WR/DB/RET) Conner
Ezaiah Tillman (RB/LB) Holmes
Jordan Fabre (RB/DB) Holy Cross
Clay Hayden (QB) Beechwood
Landon Lorms (WR/DB) Ryle
Jaden Galicia (RB/DB/RET) Ryle
LJ Warner (WR/OLB) Ryle
Isaiah Sebastian (WR/DB/RET) Lloyd Memorial
Spencer Brandenburg (WR/DB) Ludlow
Carson Evans (TE/DE) Ludlow
Jaxon Fann (TE/LB) Lloyd Memorial
Connor McKinley (WR/DB) St. Henry
Matt Brock (OL/LB) Ludlow
Nick Hightchew (OL/DL) Boone County
JD Quintanilla (DL) Cooper
Ethan Sears (OL) Lloyd Memorial
Landon Meyer (OL/DL) Ludlow
Ari Adams (OL/DL) Holmes
Jack Meier (LB) Beechwood
Trenton Addison (OL/DL) Holmes
Riley Marsh (OL/DL) Conner
Mikey Mulvihill (DE) Cooper
Kyron Carter (OL/DL) Lloyd Memorial
Charles Marshall (OL/DL) Boone County
Cooper Ward (OL/DL) Holy Cross
Devan Thompson (DL) Holmes
Eli Reynolds (OL/DE) Ryle
Matthew Cole (OL/DL) Holy Cross
Quincy Huling (OL/DL) Holmes
Kaleb Sparks (TE/LB) Conner

Head Coach: Jay Volker, Beechwood
Assistant Head Coach: Dave Trosper, Conner

6 hours ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

They do it in Ohio with no issue.

Good for Ohio. 

4 hours ago, New Colonel said:

Interesting.   I've never seen an all star game that allowed it.  And I coached in the NKY one decades ago and there was no blitzing.  We had to roll the same defense all night.  Same way when I coached the SW Ohio all star game about a decade ago.

 

Thanks for the info!

I've been involved in All-Star games as a coach and player in two different states (PA as a coach, and Delaware as a player), and neither allowed blitzing. Both also had two weeks of 2 a day practices in a camp format. Delaware's Blue/Gold game is played at the University of Delaware and is Upstate vs Downstate, and is played for charity, benefiting children and young adults with disabilities. Each player (and cheerleader and band member as they are involved as well)gets paired up with a Buddy in January and spends some time with them, which is a great experience for both. I stayed in touch with my buddy for many years until he passed away.  It's a really fun event and gets a great crowd, and even some of the top players still participate. Obviously, it's a statewide event on a much bigger scale than the NKAC event and a true all-star event where players are selected by position. At this point, the NKAC needs a bigger hook and a way to make this game more meaningful to get a better turnout... In the 20+ years I've been in the area, the game seems to have grown less and less popular. I don't think moving it to December would help at all...cold weather for practice and the game wouldn't help to get more players or fans to participate.  The lack of coverage and information that's available about the game doesn't help....it seems like every year it like pulling teeth to get rosters. 3 days of practice also isn't ideal to ensure a competitive game. It seems like changes will need to be made or I can envision a time, maybe not all that far in the future where the game no longer is held, which would be a shame.

3 hours ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

East linebackers where all game.

I'm guessing this is a case of where these guys were freelancing and doing their own thing. Officials likely wouldn't be enforcing it (how would you if you had to). I also think, what you were seeing was not necessarily a true, pre snap blitz....likely guys just hitting gaps on the snap.

West backers blitzed, east backers blitzed. Neither side was unbalanced in the scheme they employed. The west defensive front was able to get consistent pressure, the east defensive front was not able to.

While there weren't a ton of scholarship players playing this game, there were some. You're never gonna capture the best of the best with this type of game because the best of the best are already enrolled in college for the spring semester in many cases. Ohio all star games suffer from the same deal.

That doesn't take away from the guys that did play. Just enjoy it for what it is. Their last game as a high school athlete. For many, the last game of their career. 

On 6/5/2025 at 5:24 PM, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

They didn't tweet pictures of players from Dixie, New Cath, Cov Cath, Campbell County, Cooper, Ludlow, or Newport.

Ludlow's graduation was the same night so unfortunately none of them are able to play. They were given their uniforms still.

On 6/7/2025 at 9:24 PM, rjs4470 said:

The lack of coverage and information that's available about the game doesn't help

This!  Is their biggest issue.

How many knew the AS baseball game was last night?  I wouldn't have know if my kid didn't play in it.

I guess who should be responsible for putting the info out there?  The St E group that sponsors it?  The coaches association?

I'm sure there are other AS events going on that we know nothing about.