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One last hurrah for many in WVFCA All-Star game
Mid-summer contest gives some players last game action
TERRE HAUTE -- Some players in Saturday night's Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association All-Star Game at Terre Haute North will be continuing their careers in college this fall, but for the majority of the players this week is the last time they will ever suit up in pads and play in a competitive game.
Thirteen players from Putnam County will be participating in the game, with the "Gold Division" team including two players from Greencastle and five from North Putnam.
There will be a definite South Putnam flavor to the "Black Division" team, as six former Eagles -- tied with Northview for the most players on the squad -- will be taking part.
South Putnam coach Nathan Aker is one of the assistants for the "Black Division" team.
"This is a first-class run deal every year," Aker said. "It's awesome to be around the kids from other schools, and also for our kids to get to play with other people. It's great coaching with coach [Mark] Raetz [of Northview] and the other coaches from the other staffs."
Aker said the event annually serves as the culminating end to each season, and signals the start of the new campaign in a few weeks.
"It's nice to cap off a good year, as we're getting ready for a new season in August," Aker said. "It's nice to have a last ride with our seniors."
Aker thinks his players are "doing great" in practice, and feels the entire Black team has progressed well in a short period of time.
"There's always an adjustment period, but as a whole the entire team is doing great," he said. "They have picked up things we're trying to do. Offense looks tremendous. Brandon Gierke jumped over to defense on the second day of practice; he hadn't played there yet, but did a good job."
Two of Aker's former Eagles and current defensive players are both enjoying their time on the team.
Daniel Grundlock is an outside linebacker for the Black team, and has enjoyed the week so far.
"It's gone pretty well," he said. "It's fun getting to play with people I've never met before. We're doing pretty well both defensively and offensively."
Grundlock said the layoff from the Eagles' Nov. 6 season finale made things a little difficult early, but it's all coming back now.
"It's about as difficult as I thought it would be," said Grundlock, who played on both the basketball and baseball teams since his last football action. "It's hard getting back into it after being off so long; it's not the same conditioning."
Grundlock likes the fact that the players are at a more advanced level than a typical high school football roster.
"It's easier since everybody knows what they're doing," he said. "Typically, you have the younger guys you have to coach up a little more than the others at the beginning of the season. Everyone knowing what they're doing is a lot better and it's a lot more focused."
Will Cruse is a pass-rushing defensive end who is used to being outsized.
"I'm a little guy, so everyone's bigger than me," said Cruse, who used his speed during Wednesday's practice to get past slower offensive linemen. "I'm seeing some familiar faces from teams we've played in the past. It's something good getting to meet and play with new people."
Cruse wrestled during the winter sports season, but did not play a spring sport.
"I worked out during the spring while everyone was in their spring sports," he said. "I think that has helped."
Aker likes the camaraderie of the week as well as the action on the field.
"Football coaches are a special breed," he said. "We'll sit down and have dinner, and talk about what the other team does to beat you. I'm not sure the other sports are like that, but football coaches are all really good about sharing information with each other."
He especially likes it when another coach installs a certain formation or alignment that his players already know.
"It's kind of cool when a different coach introduces something to our guys, and they realize we did the same thing but just called it by a different name," he said. "When that clicks in their mind, that's neat to see."
WVFCA All-Star Game
When?: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where?: Terre Haute North
Who?: Players from 33 Wabash Valley area schools
Who might I know?: Anthony Rossok and Chase Chew of Greencastle; Brayden White, Bobby Scheele, Brad Hodges, Daniel Huffman and Bailey Allen of North Putnam; Joe Masters, Brandon Gierke, Daniel Grundlock, Jimmy Rutter, Will Cruse and Matt Schnepp of South Putnam.