The South squad pulled off an absolute stunner on July 18 at J.J. Keller Field, outscoring the North 14-0 in the second half to grab a wild 24-17 victory in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Large Schools All-Star Game. It was a comeback for the ages, with the South flipping the script late and leaving everyone talking.
Large Schools: South’s Clutch Plays Sealed the Deal
Man, talk about a clutch performance! Vidal Spivey from New Berlin Eisenhower was unstoppable for the South, leading the charge with 42 yards rushing on just six carries. He punched in a massive 24-yard run, and then Brady Melum of Sun Prairie East nailed the extra point with only 4 seconds left in the third quarter to give the South that decisive 24-17 lead. Quarterback Joey Passaglia from Middleton was on point, going 13-for-22 for 102 yards and a touchdown. He linked up with Jackson BeBow of Burlington for a 12-yard score, and BeBow, along with Tyler Deer of Grafton, each hauled in five passes for 38 yards. The South offense finished with 266 total yards.
The North tried to respond, led by Vinny Inga of Germantown with 36 rushing yards on nine carries. QBs Bryce Ott of Oshkosh North threw for 103 yards, completing 9-of-16 passes, while Tino Massa of River Falls added 111 yards on 4-of-10 passing, including a huge 63-yard touchdown to Will Svendsen of Rice Lake. Zach Shipman of Eau Claire North had four receptions for 38 yards. Despite racking up 307 total yards, the North just couldn’t put it all together in the second half. On defense, Aziz Ashour of Nicolet led the South with four tackles, and Amillione Johnson of Marquette University added three tackles and a crucial interception. For the North, Brady Stammer of Homestead led with five tackles, and Jonathan Ananiadis of Stevens Point snagged an interception too.
North’s Dominance in Small Schools, South’s Grit in 8-Player
The action didn’t stop there! In the Small Schools game, the North absolutely dominated the South with a crushing 41-0 victory. Carson Roemhild of Boyceville was lights out, completing 7-of-8 passes for 108 yards and three touchdowns. Logan Prall of Waupun caught three passes for 32 yards, including two touchdown grabs, one from Roemhild and another from Brett Paulsen of Kewaunee. Paulsen also made his mark with a 9-yard touchdown run and 23 rushing yards. Justin Bergmann of Pepin/Alma led North’s rushing attack with 39 yards. The North defense was fierce too, with Waylon Hargrove of La Crosse Aquinas getting eight total tackles, including a sack, and Daniel Buntin of Wrightstown adding a sack, four tackles, and a fumble recovery. Connor Kilgore of Kewaunee even returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Then came the 8-Player game, and once again, the South showed some serious heart! Trailing 18-6 after three quarters, they mounted their own comeback, pulling out a 22-18 win. Logan Schuh of Sevastopol was the hero, scoring on a 1-yard run, and Bryce Schultz of De Soto converted the two-point conversion with just 6:19 left in the fourth quarter to take the lead. Schuh was a dual threat, leading the South with 35 rushing yards and throwing a 15-yard touchdown to Kaden Washa of Highland in the second quarter. Washa led the South with two receptions for 35 yards. These all-star games were packed with late-game heroics and some serious talent!
It’s awesome to see these guys ball out and leave it all on the field in these all-star showcases. These young athletes are putting in the work, making big plays, and showing off their skills. It’s always exciting to watch the next generation of talent compete at such a high level. Who knows, some of these names might just be lighting up college stadiums or even Sundays for real down the road. Keep an eye on ’em!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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