Central District all-star football game returns
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
By Jarrod Ulrey
julrey@cbussports.com
Central District All-Star game organizer Jumbo Harrell talks to the players before the first practice at Reynoldsburg High School June 12. Photo: Kevin Rouch
As players funneled into the Central District All-Star football game’s first practice June 12, Will Cooper didn’t waste time.
Cooper, who threw for 34 touchdowns and more than 3,000 yards as a senior last fall as Thomas Worthington went 6-5 for its first winning season since 1999, began warming up almost immediately with some of those who will be his teammates in the game.
“You have to go out before practice, get with everybody and get it going, see who’s fast, where they like the ball,” said Cooper, who is a Tiffin commit. “It’s about getting comfortable with everybody. I’m super excited to put on my old high school helmet one last time and play with the best around central Ohio.”
Cooper will suit up as a member of the Red team, which will face the Blue team at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at Reynoldsburg.
The all-star festivities are organized by Jumbo Harrell and include what he describes as a “resource day” from 2-5 p.m. Friday, June 16, that will include information on various post-graduate opportunities academically and professionally.
About half of the more than 60 players expected to suit up already have committed to playing collegiately, with most going the Division II or Division III route.
The game began in 1983 and was known as the Central Ohio All-Star game before being named the Cap City Senior Bowl from 2010-17 and the Central District All-Star game since that time.
The showcase for recent graduates from the area was not held in 2020 or 2021 but returned last spring.
Independence quarterback Antonio Harris fakes to KIPP Academy’s Antonio Campbell during the Central District All-Star game practice June 12. Photo: Kevin Rouch
The winning team takes home the Dan Dupler Trophy. Dupler was the game organizer from 1983-2009 but died in 2012 after a long battle with cancer.
The Blue team is coached by Columbus South’s George Yates, who was the district’s Coach of the Year in Division III last fall as his team went 8-2, while the Red team is headed by Columbus East’s Mike Bell, who was the district’s Coach of the Year in Division IV as his squad finished 10-2.
“(Yates and I) did an interview together and George said I was ducking him,” Bell said, jokingly, about how they ended up becoming opposing coaches for the all-star game. “He won Division III Coach of the Year (in the district), so let’s put the Coaches of the Year against each other.”
Cooper is joined on the Red team at quarterback by East’s Tre Lindsey, an Ohio Dominican commit, and Linden-McKinley’s Christopher Towns.
Also on the Red are two players from Westerville South, which was a Division II, Region 7 semifinalist last season, two from Westerville North, four from Westland and three from Beechcroft.
Also committing to Tiffin along with Cooper from the Red are Westerville Central linebacker Buba Bangura and Beechcroft running back Jerome Killebrew, with Dublin Scioto wide receiver Ashton Wilson committed to Mercyhurst and Westland defensive back Steven Jackson headed to Ashland.
“Just the fact that I get to play another high school game, I’m blessed,” said East defensive end/wide receiver C.J. Swanson, a Notre Dame College commit who is one of seven players for the Tigers on the Red roster. “You get to have fun one last time.”
Among those in the spotlight for the Blue team will be Dublin Jerome quarterback Zakk Tschirhart, a Findlay commit who threw for 2,428 yards and 20 touchdowns last season, and Independence quarterback Antonio Harris, who threw for 697 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 895 yards and 15 scores.
Dublin Scioto’s Ashton Wilson makes a catch during drills at the Central District All-Star game practice June 12 at Reynoldsburg High School. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Pickerington North running back Dawaun Green closed his prep career as his program’s all-time leader in rushing yards (3,125) and rushing touchdowns (49). Last fall, he ran for 1,159 yards and 21 touchdowns as the Panthers went 7-5.
Worthington Christian’s Ethan Albert is listed as a wide receiver after scoring 13 touchdowns and being a key player on defense, but he also returned four kickoffs and one punt for scores last season.
The Blue team should be set at linebacker with Reynoldsburg’s Chris Karr and Marion-Franklin’s Malik Ali.
While Ali has committed to Alderson Broaddus, Karr left the Raiders as their unofficial all-time leader in career tackles.
The Blue roster also includes three players from Division I state semifinalist Gahanna Lincoln and two from Division V regional runner-up Harvest Prep.
Albert is among four players listed on the Blue roster who have committed to Ohio Dominican along with Eastmoor offensive lineman Cameron Coleman, Groveport defensive back Shawn Payne Jr. and Gahanna wide receiver Brayden Sanders.
Gahanna defensive back Isaiah Jackson is committed to Notre Dame College and Hartley wide receiver Terrion Barbour will play for West Virginia State.
There are five players from South on the roster.
“I get to coach my guys one more time,” said Yates, who also coached in the Central District all-star game in 2018. “You still feel like you want to win, but it’s the experience that matters and that they have a good time and don’t get too stressed about winning.
“The name that jumped out to me was Malik Ali. It’s funny because everyone thinks (Marion-Franklin and South) hate each other in that rivalry, and it’s not the case. There are some guys over there I feel a certain way about, but I love Malik to death. You get to coach some different guys, so it’s fun.”
Linden McKinley quarterback Chris Towns warms up during the Central District All-Star game practice at Reynoldsburg High School June 12. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Central District All-Star football rosters:
BLUE — Ethan Albert, Worthington Christian (WR); Malik Ali, Marion-Franklin (LB); Isaac Asiedu, Hartley (DL); Abdoul Bah, Independence (OL); Adavian Bankston, Columbus South (WR); Terrion Barbour, Hartley (WR); Xavier Cain, Harvest Prep (DL); Antonio Campbell, KIPP Columbus (RB); Cameron Coleman, Eastmoor Academy (OL); Davonte Courtney, Canal Winchester (DL); Jaylan Davis, South (OL); Rashad Debose, Harvest Prep (OL); Dezwaun Dickerson, Marion-Franklin (DL); Dawaun Green, Pickerington North (RB); Nakylan Haley, Whitehall (DB); Braylon Hall, Gahanna Lincoln (WR); Marvais Hampton, Eastmoor (RB); Antonio Harris, Independence (QB); Jaden Hill, Groveport (WR): Isaiah Jackson, Gahanna (DB); Katoryan Johnson, South (WR); Chris Karr, Reynoldsburg (LB); Gavin Karshner, Teays Valley (LB); Donovan King, South (DB); Carl Ligon, Columbus West (WR); Mariante Mankins, Walnut Ridge (OL); Shawn Payne Jr., Groveport (DB); Desean Pollard, South (LB); Dylan Rosser, New Albany (RB); Brayden Sanders, Gahanna (WR); Jabar Sellers, Walnut Ridge (DB); Zakkary Tschirhart, Dublin Jerome (QB); Matthew Washington, Eastmoor (DL); Carmello Yarbrough, Marion-Franklin (OL)
RED — Juliano Albano, Columbus East (DB); Bubba Bangura, Westerville Central (LB); Will Cooper, Thomas Worthington (QB); Cullen Dent, Ready (LB); Deangelo Fuller, Africentric (RB); Alain Georges, East (OL); Trey Gibbs, Westerville North (LB); Zane Gibbs, Westland (WR); Steven Jackson, Westland (DB); Stanley Jackson Jr., Westerville North (LB); Abu Keita, Thomas Worthington (DB): Jerome Killebrew, Beechcroft (RB); Tre Lindsay, East (QB); Gentry Ross, Northland (DL); Trey Rutherford, Westerville South (OL); Abdalla Sharif, Westland (OL); Quentin Sheets, Westerville South (K); Javontice Shull, Beechcroft (DL); Ernest Smoot, Westland (WR); Gene Sutton, Linden-McKinley (DL); C.J. Swanson, East (DL); Dylan Taynor, Dublin Scioto (OL); Chris Towns, Linden (QB); Solomon Vaughn, East (WR); Armond Vickers, Beechcroft (OL); Nick Watson, Linden (OL); James Whatley, East (LB); Saquan Williams, East (DL); Ashton Wilson, Scioto (WR)