43
Stateline stars prepare for June 25
By JOHN BASSETTI
EAST PALESTINE
Sorelle Cope may have said it best as she took her seat in the bleachers to watch a non-contact practice in preparation for the 31st Pennsylvania-Ohio Stateline All-Star Football Classic: “Well, this is the last hurrah.”
As the grandmother of East Palestine’s Austin Cope, she was speaking for most of the recent high school graduates who are playing in their last high school-related athletic contest.
Cope is one of 36 players on the Ohio team, which has its first contact practice today at 6 p.m. at East Palestine’s stadium.
The Stateline game is June 25 at West Branch High’s Clinton Heacock Stadium in Beloit.
Pennsylvania leads the series, 21-9, including a 24-12 win in 2009 in Beaver Falls, Pa.
Western Reserve’s Shane Ewing said it is an honor to be chosen for the game and to represent his state.
“We just want to get a win,” said the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Ewing, who passed for over 6,000 yards in three years as Western Reserve’s quarterback.
Reserve had back-to-back-to-back winning seasons as the Blue Devils erupted into a successful program under Mike Kopachy and most recently under Andy Hake.
As quarterback, Ewing operated in a spread offense utilizing four wideouts, hand signals, audibles and hot routes.
The Kent State-bound student said he’s attending on academic scholarships, but his football future will unfold when he arrives on campus.
“I’ll try to walk on and see what happens,” said Ewing, who plans to major in biology.
Clayton Hull, one of Ewing’s top receivers at Western Reserve, is also on the Ohio team.
Ben Gysin, another East Palestine graduate on his home turf on Wednesday, was also wearing the Ohio all-star team’s scarlet and gray uniforms that symbolize the Columbus-based Buckeyes.
However, Gysin said he was born in Michigan before his mother, Kathy Darlington, moved here.
The 6-4, 240 Gysin will play defensive end in the Stateline game for coach Jeff Sharkey, who was East Palestine’s coach before being hired at his alma mater, Barberton, in March.
Gysin’s high school football days were very fruitful, but June 25 will provide a last hurrah.
“I’m looking forward to getting one more chance to play with them.”
“We just want to come out, compete and win. I wouldn’t say it’s a rivalry as much as just coming out to play to win.”
Gysin’s senior football season was enjoyable because it culminated adolescent memories.
“We spent at least seven years together leading up to this year.”
Gysin, Cope, Shane Peterson, Jake Guzzetti and Shane Jurjavcic are Ohio squad members from Sharkey’s team that went 7-3 in 2009.
Gysin will continue to play football at Mercyhurst, a Div. II program.
About 10 years ago, Sharkey was also an all-star head coach for a matchup of East and West squads from Stark County, when he was at Marlington.
“All-star games are fun because you never know how they’re going to turn out because of the short practice time,” said Sharkey. “But it’s football, so it comes down to execution and no turnovers.”
For coaches, a group of all-stars responds better.
“In practice, it’s been really nice because they pick up instructions so much quicker than your average team.”
Trey Wiggins, a wide receiver from Steubenville Big Red, was 45 miles from home for the practice.
The 5-10, 160 Wiggins will attend Div. II Fairmont State in West Virginia.
At Steubenville, Wiggins had 24 catches for 430 yards his junior season and 37 for 640 as a senior.
Big Red’s records were 14-1 in 2008 and 13-2 last year.
To end his junior year, Steubenville reached the Div. III state finals, but lost to Kettering Alter.
Last year, Big Red lost to Mooney.
In the game, Wiggins said he had two catches for first downs and a couple returns against the Cardinals.
He’ll also play in the OVAC all-star game in Wheeling on July 25.