OVAC All-Star Classic; Much More Than Football
High School football is back, better than ever, as eight area graduate football players will put on the blue jerseys of West Virginia for the OVAC All-Star game July 26 at Wheeling Island Stadium. The contest will begin at 7:15 p.m.
The West Virginia team will try to knock off Team Ohio, which has won 13 of the last 14 All-Star games.
Forty-one schools are participating in this year’s activities that include the OVAC McDonald’s All Star Band, Queen of Queens, Cheerleaders, and football players.
In 37 years, the OVAC All-Star Football Charity Classic has donated more than $850,000 to organizations and scholarships throughout the Ohio Valley.
The football players will report to West Liberty State College on July 19, while the McDonald’s All Star Band and the All Star Cheerleaders reported July 22.
Valley High School Band Director Benjamin McPherson and New Martinsville School Band Director Amanda McPherson are co-directors of this year’s All-Star Band.
A Queen of Queen Talent Show will be at the WesBanco Civic Center on July 25 at 7 p.m. at a cost of $5 for general admission. Admission to the All-Star game is $10 at the gate, but advance sale tickets are available at Witschey’s Market for $7.
The Blue Eagles will send three players to participate in this year’s event: Tyler Hanna, Jason Utt, and Brandon Sprouse, while Paden City and Valley will be represented by Wes Cosper and Morgan Long, respectively. Nate Zills from Tyler Consolidated finish out the West Virginia area players. D. J. Duke, Jordan Clegg, and Tyler Brooks from the 2008 undefeated River Pilots, will don the red shirt for the Buckeyes.
Area Queen of Queen candidates are Amy Toman from Paden City, Chelsea Lowe of River, Makenzie Walker of Magnolia, and Kara Martie from Tyler Consolidated.
The OVAC Queen of Queens Pageant has 29 queens representing high schools from throughout the Ohio Valley. Once again, the OVAC will award $5,000 in scholarships to the top five places in this year’s pageant, including Miss Congeniality. Winners will be announced at halftime of the Rudy Mumley All-Star Football Classic, July 26, at Wheeling Island.