Jake's Take: $11,253.70 raised from 44th News Journal All-Star Classic ... Thank you!

MANSFIELD — I don't know if there are enough words to describe just how grateful I am.

But, the only ones that come to mind are thank you.

The 44th News Journal All-Star Classic has come and gone and another year of the historic event is in the books. And what a record-setting night it was. The North beat the South 150-120 by tying the record for the most points in a Classic and the largest deficit in the game's history and, yet, it felt entertaining from tip to buzzer and it really didn't seem like a 30-point game.

But the game was just the byproduct of the night. Yes, we got to showcase area seniors and give them one final game to have as much fun as they possibly could. Chunky Haney pulled off the first in-game backflip in Classic history, Jayden Jeffries won the MVP and Baden Forup and Jacob Maddy did their best to shatter Lexington's new backboards.

But what the night was all about was raising money for Catalyst Life Services Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Crisis Services Department. After expenses were taken out, it was calculated that the game raised $11,253.70, and every single penny was donated to Catalyst Life Services to help pay for adolescent mental health services for kids in the Mansfield community.

That is what the game and this entire event are all about. And I do not deserve an ounce of credit for any of it.

First off, much of the credit goes to the game's sponsors. Here they are:

Step-by-Step ChildcareImagination ChildcareCharter Next GenSpherion Mid-OhioCrossroads ChurchBaker's PizzaAmcrete Concrete ConstructionDallahan Door and WindowBookwalter and Skulski OrthodonticsStrategic Turf SystemsCrawford County Basketball.comJules JamzKyle BierlyIn Memory of John Eichinger

All of these local businesses donated money for several reasons. Mainly, it was to cover the costs of the game itself. We hosted the players and their families for an annual banquet at Der Dutchman in Bellville. We had to order jerseys at the last minute so the players had a nice memento to commemorate their time playing in the game. We had programs printed so the families could have a nice keepsake and those in attendance could read a bit about who they were watching on the court. And all of that costs money.

And it all could have very easily been taken out of the ticket sales from Friday night, but that could have eaten into the total number of dollars we could have given to children in need. So, our sponsors stepped up and made donations ranging from $1,000-$20, and every single dollar is more appreciated than they will ever know. We didn't use it to fund projects for the News Journal that the NJ should pay for itself. We donated every single cent right back into the community with the sole purpose of helping the youth.

The $11,253.70 was the highest single-year total since 2013, when the game raised $13,678.18, the best year in 10 years. If you ever get the chance to support one of these businesses, please do so.

Unbelievable and thank you!

The next group to thank is Catalyst Life Services. Melissa Drozda and Grace Riegel worked tirelessly to build the programs, create t-shirts, sell tickets, sell t-shirts, gather sponsorships and in a last-second, crazy dash to the finish line, they, along with Laura Zimmer of Progress Industries, helped us avoid a complete catastrophe by producing jerseys in 48 hours. These ladies worked tirelessly since February right after their annual telethon wrapped up to make sure the game went off without a hitch, and it did because of them.

Thank you so very much.

Next, I have to thank the other media outlets in the area. In no particular order, WMAN, OH Report and WMFD all broadcasted the game. But what was the greatest part of all was they did it on tape delay, waiting until after the game to publish their feeds so that they didn't interfere with ticket sales, because that is the main revenue for the game and the donation. Playing the game live would have wrecked sales as people wouldn't have come out to Lexington High School and bought a ticket opting to watch it on TV instead. So, I really appreciate that very much.

I also have to thank Zack Holden of the Bucyrus Telegraph Forum and Mark Caudill of the News Journal, who both helped tremendously with writing some great stories about the game. Tom Puskar of the Ashland Times-Gazette and freelance photographers Eric Marshall, Jeff Hoffer, Diane Bail and Troy Magers all did an amazing job capturing some of the greatest photos this game has ever seen.

Thank you.

Then, there is Lexington High School, which has hosted the game for the last 44 years and will continue to do so as long as it would like to. It opened its doors for a week of practices and the game and the crew is top-notch. The table crew did a fantastic job. Mike Clapper on the mic and beats, Bob Jarvis on the stats, I mean, what could be better? Colton Ullman donated his time to be the athletic trainer. It was a total team effort.

Thank you.

The officials for the game, JT and Jalen Reese and Ernie Perkins, were true pros. They didn't ask for anything in return for doing the game and they know what it means to the community and what we all are trying to do. They called a great game and made it entertaining.

Thank you.

To the fans who packed the house, what an atmosphere you all created for these seniors in their final high school game ever. You really brought the energy and helped these guys put on an absolute show. More so, you helped make all of this possible. You buying a ticket helped a struggling youngster who needs mental health help receive those services. You helped a kid in crisis be saved in their most vulnerable moment. You made it possible for a child's family to not have to choose between getting their kid a therapy session or buying groceries.

You made it possible to donate more than $11,000.

Thank you.

And finally, to the players in the game. My goodness fellas, you all gave us a game we will never forget. You had a lot of fun and gave the people the show they came to see. Dunks, deep 3s, backflips, smiles, laughs, you name it, you brought it. You also made the day of a special young boy, Klayton Hayes, who was this year's All-Star poster child. The gifts you gave him and the pregame fist bumps did more for that young man than you will ever know. I honestly think he is going to take this experience and flourish and, who knows, maybe he will be a News Journal All-Star when he grows up.

I told you all at the banquet, but I'll say it again, you have my number. If you ever need anything, a college paper edited, or a reference on a job application, reach out. You did more for me, the youth of this community and this game than I could ever do.

Thank you.

I sat down with my wife, Sam, who deserves maybe the biggest thanks of all for being so cool with the amount of time I spend on this game and for creating the cool logo, on Saturday night and Sunday morning exhausted from a whirlwind of a week preparing for the All-Star game. But our topic of conversation wasn't centered around how happy I was that the game was over and how I cannot wait to just chill for a little while. Instead, it was all about the excitement over next year's game. We talked about a new logo and possibly a new jersey design and how amazing it is going to be to put on the 45th News Journal All-Star Classic.

I can't wait for next year.

But for now, all I feel is gratitude for every single person who made the game and its success possible.

Again, thank you.

jfurr@gannett.com

740-244-9934

Twitter: @JakeFurr11

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Jake's Take: $11,253.70 raised from 44th News Journal All-Star Classic ... Thank you!