Central District All-Star football game returns Saturday, June 18, at Harvest Prep

Reestablishing a tradition that began nearly 40 years ago has been a priority for Maurice “Jumbo” Harrell.

The 1992 East graduate became the organizer of the Central District All-Star football game in 2019, but the contest was not held the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The game began in 1983 as the Central Ohio All-Star game and was called the Cap City Preps all-star game from 2010-17 before getting its current name.

The event returns at 6 p.m. June 18 at Harvest Prep with 66 area players from the class of 2022, with the winning team taking home the Dan Dupler Trophy.

Dupler was the game organizer from 1983-2009. He died in 2012 after a long battle with cancer.

“The classes of 2020 and ’21 didn’t get a chance to play in the game, so this year was sort of like putting together a puzzle,” Harrell said. “We got a lot of help from people in the community to sponsor the game and put it together. There’s been some challenges in getting the name and tradition and history back out there, but we’ve got some really good participation this year.”

Aaron Tiller, a Harvest Prep assistant, will coach the Red all-stars and KIPP Columbus coach James Lee will head the Blue all-stars.

Lee led KIPP to its first playoff victory and a 7-5 record while earning Division VI district Coach of the Year honors last fall.

“I’m excited to suit up and play one more game of high school football,” Beechcroft graduate Diante Latham said. “(I want to) have fun and compete.”

Latham figures to be one of the showcase players defensively for the Blue all-stars. He finished with seven interceptions at defensive back and had 812 yards and 12 touchdowns rushing while helping the Cougars go 7-4 and win the City League-North Division last fall.

In addition to what Latham could bring offensively, the Blue will feature Dublin Scioto’s Amare Jenkins at quarterback and New Albany’s Jadyn Garnes at running back.

Garnes was first-team all-district in Division I last fall, rushing for 1,966 yards and 27 touchdowns, and has signed with the University of Charleston.

“I’m excited to go out one last time and show the work I’ve been putting in throughout the high school level,” he said. “Not everyone gets invited to play, so I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

Jenkins is a Walsh commit who was first-team all-district in Division II last fall, when he set program records for touchdown passes for a career (48) and season (32). He threw for 2,515 yards last season as the Irish won a playoff game and went 8-4.

“I feel blessed to have another opportunity to suit up as a high school athlete,” Jenkins said. “I’m looking forward to playing some good talent. I get a chance to compete against people I’ve been training with for years. (Since the end of last season) I’ve been getting my body bigger for this fall. I’ve been practicing a lot of throws that translate to the next level.”

Columbus Academy’s Carter James should be another key running back for the Blue after rushing for 932 yards and nine touchdowns while making first-team all-district in Division V last season.

Wide receivers for the Blue include Gahanna Lincoln’s Brendan Raymond, Linden-McKinley’s D’Shawn McGlown and Westerville South’s Javi’er Wills, all of whom have committed to Tiffin.

Briggs’ Tajh Bowers, a Capital commit, also is at quarterback.

Defensively, Latham should lead a unit that also will include linemen Rico Franklin-Davis (Olentangy Orange) and Andre Satchell (Africentric), who have committed to Ohio Dominican and Walsh, respectively, and Northland’s Correy Craddolph.

Gahanna’s Tristin Cook-Fisher, a Tiffin commit, is another in the secondary.

The Red all-stars should be led defensively by Eastmoor Academy linebacker Diamonte Salley and Independence defensive back Jalin Sample, who were first-team all-district in Divisions III and II, respectively, as well as by Harvest Prep linebacker Edjay Sumo, who was first-team all-district in Division V and is headed to Walsh.

Offensively for the Red, special mention all-district honoree and Ohio Dominican recruit Tyler Love from Teays Valley and Central State commit Malachi Williams from East are at quarterback.

Heath running back Ar’Moni McCrae, who will play for Alderson Broaddus, finished with more than 1,300 all-purpose yards.

Also at running back are Hartley’s Nyal Johnson, who rushed for 1,199 yards and 16 touchdowns and will play for Kentucky State, and Reynoldsburg’s Zion Jackson-Wilborn, a Marietta commit.

Marion-Franklin's Chrishawn Adams, a first-team all-district honoree who has committed to Hocking College, Whitehall-Yearling’s Kevin Jackson and Taron Biles-Walker, both of whom have committed to Muskingum, and Central Crossing’s Alec Boyd, a Capital commit, are at wide receiver.

Independence’s Wadney Antenor (Wilmington) and Robert Lipscomb Jr. (Bluffton), Columbus South’s Tony Souvanhly (Army) and Reynoldsburg’s Caleb Turner (St. Ambrose) are offensive linemen with college futures.

“What makes me excited about this game is playing against players I’ve never played before and with players I’ve never played with before,” Johnson said. “That to me is going to make it a lot more fun, competitive and interesting. ... My focus is just getting my body ready for the next level in any way I can.”

julrey@thisweeknews.com 

@UlreyThisWeek

Central District All-Star football rosters

BLUE — Jack Bates, Westerville South (LB); Derrick Bias, Whetstone (DB); Tajh Bowers, Briggs (QB); Nadir Carpenter, Westerville South (OL); Maurice Carreker, Mifflin (LB); Malcolm Carter, KIPP Columbus (DL); Markel Carter, Grove City (RB); Tristin Cook-Fisher, Gahanna Lincoln (DB); Correy Craddolph, Northland (DL); Keshawn Davis, Linden-McKinley (LB); Zaire Dawson, Walnut Ridge (OL); Xavier Ferguson, KIPP Columbus (WR); Rico Franklin-Davis, Olentangy Orange (DL); Jadyn Garnes, New Albany (RB); Connor Henneman, Worthington Kilbourne (WR); Rayvon Ivery, Northland (LB); Carter James, Columbus Academy (RB); Kayden James, Africentric (OL); Amare Jenkins, Dublin Scioto (QB); Diante Latham, Beechcroft (DB); Darius Love, Westland (OL); Khmari Loveless, Centennial (DL); D'Shawn McGlown, Linden (WR); Brendan Raymond, Gahanna Lincoln (WR); Antwoin Reed Jr., Beechcroft (OL); Fernando Sanabria-Nieves, Briggs (DL); Andre Satchell, Africentric (DL); Kayln Spence, Africentric (DB); John Turner, Beechcroft (OL); Mekhi Vance, Walnut Ridge (OL); Jake Walters, New Albany (OL); Zach Walton, KIPP Columbus (DL); Javi’er Wills, Westerville South (WR)

RED — Chrishawn Adams, Marion-Franklin (WR); Wadney Antenor, Independence (OL); Darnell Berry, Columbus South (DL); Taron Biles-Walker, Whitehall-Yearling (WR); Alec Boyd, Central Crossing (WR); Giguere Collier, Eastmoor Academy (OL); Mo Conteh, Eastmoor (DB); Daizhon Cox, South (DL); Eli Fleshman, Central Crossing (LB); James Fuqua, South (DB); Donjaun Hampton, Marion-Franklin (WR); Kevin Jackson, Whitehall (WR); Zion Jackson-Wilborn, Reynoldsburg (RB); Nyal Johnson, Hartley (RB); JaQuan Lauderdale, Marion-Franklin (OL); Robert Lipscomb Jr., Independence (OL); Tyler Love, Teays Valley (QB); Ar'Moni McCrae, Heath (RB); Jae'V'on Pass, Central Crossing (DB); Austin Reeves, Harvest Prep (DB); Kamron Roberts, East (LB); Diamonte Salley, Eastmoor (LB); Jalin Sample, Independence (DB); Colin Sheehan, Granville (DL); Keyshaun Slaughter, Reynoldsburg (DL); Tony Souvanhly, South (OL); Ishmael Spann, East (WR); C.J. Spruill, Canal Winchester (DL); Edjay Sumo, Harvest Prep (LB); Ty Taylor, East; Dimir Thomas, Marion-Franklin (DL); Caleb Turner, Reynoldsburg (OL); Malachi Williams, East (QB)

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Columbus-area players gear up for all-star football game