SP, NP's Gold team wins football all-star game

Monday, June 24, 2013
North Putnam defensive lineman Eric Davis rips through the protection to sack Greencastle quarterback Nick Gilliam in the second quarter of the 2013 Wabash Valley Football Coaches Assocation All-Star game on Saturday. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

TERRE HAUTE -- Eric Davis and Laren Sanford of North Putnam and Justin Bumgardner, Ryan Chestnut and Tanner Thompson of South Putnam walked off the football field on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium as members of a record-setting Gold All-Star Team.

Nick Gilliam, Brett Gierke, Mac Shuee and Hunter Smith of Greencastle were on the other end of that record as members of the Black All-Star Team in the Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association All-Star Game at Memorial Stadium in Terre Haute.

With Davis and company pressuring Gilliam and passes bouncing off the hands of intended receivers, the Gold All-Star earned an 18-0 victory and the first shutout in the game's nine-year history.

"It was a great honor and a privilege to play in this (game). And we got the first ever shutout, so it was a pretty big deal," said Chestnut, who will return to Terre Haute to throw the shot put, hammer and javelin for the Indiana State track team.

It was the final game for Thompson. "It was fun getting out meeting new people, playing. The last one is a win," Thompson said.

Every player and coach agreed it was just fun to play.

South Putnam offensive lineman Ryan Chestnut withstands the powerful rush of Greencastle defensive end Brett Gierke (82) during the Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association All-Star game on Saturday. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

"It went well. We were definitely on the plus side. We worked hard all week and it paid off. Football is always fun," Davis, who will play at Franklin College this fall, said.

At halftime, legendary DePauw University football coach Nick Mourouzis, former Edgewood and Owen Valley coach Dick Ranard and former Schulte coach Dr. David "Pudge" Bennett were introduced as the newest members of the Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Gilliam, who will play at Siena Heights University (Adrian, Mich.), completed 12 of 26 passes for 93 yards with three interceptions.

"All the receivers were catching everything I was throwing, it was great. I was kind of scared that with the triple option (offense) we weren't going to throw very much, but we luckily called some pass plays," Gilliam said.

Gilliam's first completed pass was a seven-yarder to Shuee.

"It was good playing again. I'm done now, but it was always fun playing. Coming back with my teammate here (Gilliam)," Shuee said.

Shuee's biggest contributions came in the opening quarter. On the opening kickoff, Shuee made a loud, pad-popping tackle on Linton's Koye Kaiser at the 18-yard line.

"I was just feeling it," Shuee said.

Black's offense struggled under the pressure of the Gold defensive line through the first half.

"I think both offensively and defensively started out slow, but then after we got a couple series under our belts we started playing really well. On defense we were getting (the Gold) in third-and-20s and they didn't score the rest of the time," Gierke, who will play at Wabash College, said.

Gold took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter when Cascade's Colin Smith hooked up with Terre Haute North's Charles Dillahunt for a 51-yard touchdown. The Gold made it 12-0 in the second period when Sullivan's Payne Fortner found Edgewood's Derek Driver for a 14-yard score.

Black put together a strong drive in the closing minutes of the first half. Looking at third down and 15, Gilliam found Gerald Richardson of Oblong (Ill.) for a 31-yard gain to spark the Black drive.

Two more complete passes put Black at the Gold 28-yard line. With the Black facing a fourth down and 10, North Putnam's Davis sacked Gilliam for a six-yard loss to end the drive.

"It was good to hit him for the last time," Davis said with a grin.

Gilliam knew who hit him.

"(Davis) got me good one time; blindsided me. Gave me a little love there, but that's just part of the game," Gilliam said, laughing.

The Black opened the second half with 13 straight running plays to the Gold 22-yard line. Looking at a fourth down and 11, Gilliam fired a pass to an open receiver, but the ball bounced off his hands and Vasco Billberry of Terre Haute North picked off the loose ball and returned it 50-plus yards to the Gold 23-yard line before being tackled by Shuee.

Two plays later Brother Scank of Terre Haute North ran 18 yards for the game's final touchdown. Scank finished with 29 yards on 13 carries.

"I opened a few (holes at tackle) for (Scank) and he hit them and hit them hard and scored," Chestnut said.

Defense dominated this game. The Gold defense held the Black offense just 89 rushing yards and 182 yards of total offense, while the Black defense limited the Gold to 200 total yards.



At Memorial Stadium (Terre Haute)
Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association All-Star Game

Black ............0 0 0 0 -- 0
Gold.............6 6 6 0 -- 18

Brett Gierke and Ryan Chestnut

G -- Charles Dillahunt (Terre Haute North) 51-yard pass from Collin Smith (Cascade). Kick failed. 6-0.
G -- Derek Driver (Edgewood) 14-yard pass from Payne Fortner (Sullivan). Kick failed. 12-0.
G -- Brother Scank (Terre Haute North) 17 run. Pass failed. 18-0.

Eric Davis
Tanner Thompson
Mac Shuee
Hunter Smith
Justin Bumgardner
Nick Gilliam
Laren Sanford
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