The first Northeast Nebraska All-Star Football Classic, featuring many of the area’s finest graduating seniors, will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2013 at Norfolk’s Veteran’s Memorial Park.
Jeff Bellar, principal and head football coach at Norfolk Catholic High School, who serves as the President of the NEN All-Star Football Classic Board of Directors, said the Classic is a great opportunity to promote football, recognize athletes and their hard work. “This is a very exciting time for football in Northeast Nebraska,’’ Bellar said.
Bellar also said the Classic will allow Northeast Nebraska area schools to interact at a professional level.
All-star Classic Board of Director and Madison Athletic Director Mike Sunderman said the game will provide an opportunity to showcase the football talent in Northeast Nebraska. “This will give area athletes a chance to compete against the best,’’ Sunderman said. “Giving the players and coaches a chance to compete in this “arena” is a once in a lifetime event. And, having the area schools and communities represented by these young men gives each community a chance to show their enthusiasm and pride in their young people.”
Sunderman also said the Classic will allow the athletes, fans, and families to enjoy what the Norfolk area has to offer as far as recreation, entertainment and shopping, while at the same time being able to give back to Northeast Nebraska with the proceeds of the game going to an outstanding charitable cause.
Bellar said 59 high school teams will be invited to nominate football players for selection to one of the two teams that will be determined at a later date. “We’re announcing this Classic at this time because we want our area athletes and coaches to start getting excited prior to the start of this year’s football season,’’ Bellar said. “During the winter months we’ll ask the area coaches to nominate players, a committee will evaluate the nominations, and then, we’ll start inviting athletes to participate. We believe this will be an outstanding opportunity for these young men.’’
Bellar said the area football teams eligible to nominate athletes for the All-Star Football Classic include: Allen; Bancroft-Rosalie; Battle Creek; Bloomfield; Boone Central/Newman Grove (at Albion); Boyd County (at Spencer)/Lynch; Clarkson/Leigh; Clearwater/Orchard; Creighton; Crofton; CWC Chambers/Wheeler Central; Elgin/Pope John; Elkhorn Valley (at Tilden); Emerson-Hubbard; Guardian Angels Central Catholic (at West Point); Hartington High; Hartington Cedar Catholic; Homer; Howells-Dodge; Humphrey High; Humphrey St. Francis; Laurel-Concord/Coleridge; Lindsay Holy Family; Logan View; Lutheran High Northeast (at Norfolk); Lyons-Decatur Northeast; Macy; Madison; Neligh-Oakdale; Newcastle; Niobrara/Verdigre; Norfolk Catholic; Norfolk High; O’Neill/Ewing; Oakland-Craig; Osmond; Pender; Pierce; Plainview; Ponca; Randolph; Santee; Scribner-Snyder; South Sioux City; Spalding/Spalding Academy; St. Mary’s (at O’Neill); Stanton; Stuart; Tekamah-Herman; Wakefield; Walthill; Wausa; Wayne; West Holt (at Atkinson); West Point-Beemer; Winnebago; Winside; Wisner-Pilger; Wynot.
