Mount Vernon, Clear Fork players shine in 33rd NCOFCA All-Star Football Game

LEXINGTON – Even in an all-star game, Clear Fork coach Dave Carroll doesn’t like to lose at rival Lexington.

That was evident Friday night as the veteran Colts coach led the South to a convincing 38-7 win over the North in the 33rd North Central Ohio Football Coaches Association All-Star Game.

Carroll, whose roster included 10 Clear Fork players from last year’s 11-1 team, laughed afterward when asked about his desire to win at the home of the Minutemen.

“(Lexington coach Taylor Gerhardt) is one of my favorite coaches in the area,” said Carroll, a Clear Fork alum. “I guess the cat is out of the bag … a Clear Fork guy said he likes someone from Lexington.

“We are going to be back on each other’s schedule, not this fall, but next fall,” Carroll said. “We had to get familiar with the place again. It’s been a couple of years.

“The kids worked so hard during the week and picked stuff up. You could tell they had jelled together and were having fun. When that happens, you have a good all-star game,” Carroll said.

BIG PLAYS: Clear Fork’s stars paced the South as QB Blake Dinsmore was selected Most Valuable Offensive Player, linebacker Jacob Bailey was chosen Most Valuable Defensive Player and kicker Sloan Bowman was awarded Outstanding Special Teams Player.

Dinsmore, who will play at Hocking College this fall, used his scrambling skills in the second half to bedevil the North just as he did Clear Fork opponents last year. He also tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Colts’ teammate Bryce Lyon.

In reality, Dinsmore could have also received consideration on defense as he picked off a North pass and returned it 55 yards for a TD in the first half as the South built a 21-0 edge at the intermission.

Ironically, Dinsmore was only able to attend one South practice since he is already enrolled in college, taking classes and working out with new teammates.

“I felt like I got a lot better working (out) at my college,” Dinsmore said. “There are 15 of us down there. We just lift twice a day, do our school work, and then do field work to get ready for the season.

“I had a blast tonight. It couldn’t have been better.”

One all-star teammate Dinsmore certainly appreciated was Northmor graduate Demetrius Johnson, a speedy running back who will run track for Eastern Michigan.

Johnson never found the end zone, but his runs, returns and a thrilling long pass reception from Dinsmore had the South fans on their feet early and often.

“He’s an animal,” Dinsmore said of Johnson. “I love him. I wish he he had gone to Clear Fork.”

Carroll said he wasn’t surprised to see Dinsmore succeed, despite missing most of the all-star practices.

“Blake does his thing. He knows our offense. He just does the rest. He’s an athlete,” Carroll said.

GOAL REACHED: Though his team lost, Crestview coach Dan Mager said his North team accomplished its primary goal.

“Our main focus was to get a lot of kids playing time,” he said. “On offense, we had seven different packages to make sure all the kids got in.

“We wanted the kids to get a lot of playing time. That was our goal all week. This is going to be the last game a lot of these kids play and I didn’t want it to be a situation at the last minute that we were scrambling to get kids in,” Mager said.

“We had fun. It was a pleasure and an honor to coach these guys,” Mager said.

SCORING COLUMN: In addition to Dinsmore’s pick 6 and TD pass, the following players scored:

— South QB Jaxon Gregory (Mount Vernon) opened scoring with a 67-yard TD pass to Marion Harding’s Devon Fraker.

— South QB Sid Caudill (Mansfield Senior) had an 11-yard TD pass to Mount Vernon’s Logan Tate to make it 14-0.

— North QB Jay Oswalt (Crestview) connected on an 80-yard TD pass to fellow Cougar Garrett Dudley to cut the South lead to 21-7.

— Bowman nailed a 35-yard field goal to increase the South lead to 31-7.

— South running back Brice Berger (Danville) closed the scoring with a 3-yard TD run.

AWARD WINNERS: Other top players selected Friday were:

— Outstanding Offensive Back — Johnson

— Outstanding Offensive Lineman — Josh Egan, Mount Vernon

— Outstanding Defensive Back — Norian Lindsey, Mansfield Senior

— Outstanding Defensive Lineman — Carter Brooks, Shelby