SPRINGFIELD – A slew of area players, including eight from the 2007 Missouri Class 5 state champion Waynesville High School football team, will be in action next month during the Grin Iron Classic.
The Grin Iron Classic is an all-star football team made up of southwest Missouri high school senior standouts from the 2007-08 school year. The East-West all-star game is to be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 7 at the Plaster Sports Complex on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield. In addition, a new tailgate event including music, food, entertainment and more will begin at 3:30 p.m. on June 7.
The Grin Iron Classic benefits the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, a mobile dental clinic for kids who have no access to dental treatment. Since 2002 more than 7,000 at-risk children have received $4.2 million in dental treatment through 20,000 appointments on “The Tooth Truck.”
Tickets for the all-star football game will be $6 per person and are available at participating McDonald’s Restaurants, Price Cutter/Ramey/Smitty’s Supermarkets and the Ronald McDonald House, 949 e. Primrose St., Springfield. Kids age 6-under will be admitted free.
The Waynesville players will be members of the East Team. Waynesville players scheduled to participate are Lucas Bateman, Trumayne Clayton, Lyle Cox, Aaron Cruz, L.J. Fort, Andre Taylor, Chris Young and Tamar Patton. Also on the East coaching staff, coaching defensive backs, will be WHS assistant coach Brian Vernon.
Bateman, Cox, Cruz, Fort, Taylor and Young were all named to the Missouri Sportswriters and/or Missouri Football Coaches Association all-state teams following the 2007 season, during which the Tigers finished 12-1 overall and defeated Belton in the Missouri Class 5 Championship Game at the Show-Me Bowl.
Cabool’s Vince McCrosky will be the head coach for the East Team while Joplin’s Doug Buckmaster will be the head coach for the West Team.
Here are the team rosters:
East Team
Lucas Bateman (6-3, 176), WR-DB, Waynesville.
Chris Westfall (6-0, 175), WR-DB, Branson.
Jonathan Batchellor (6-0, 180), QB-DB, Ava.
Trumayne Clayton (5-8, 165), RB-LB, Waynesville.
Danny Skaggs (6-0, 170), WR-DB, Cabool.
Patrick Jesse (6-4, 180), WR-DB, Cabool.
Derek Libby (5-10, 165), WR-DB, Camdenton.
Matt Jordan (6-1, 190), QB-DB, Ozark.
James Reese (5-10, 148), PK-P, Marshfield.
Lyle Cox (6-2, 190), QB-DB, Waynesville.
Jordon Theobold (5-11, 160), SB-DB, Marshfield.
Ryan Williams (5-11, 181), RB-LB, Rolla.
Aaron Cruz (5-10, 185), P-PK, Waynesville.
Ethan Fowler (5-10, 150), WR-DB, Rolla.
Ryan Smith (6-0, 175), RB-LB, Cabool.
Brick Wilce (6-0, 170), WR-DB, Willow Springs.
Kenneth Maes (6-1, 190), DB-OLB, Rolla.
L.J. Fort (6-1, 215), LB-RB, Waynesville.
Aaron Charleson (5-9, 175), SB-DB, Mtn. Grove.
Tanner Thompson (5-10, 175), RB-LB, Springfield Glendale.
Jake Williams (5-11, 178), WR-SS, Camdenton.
Michael Lowther (6-2, 175), RB-SS, Thayer.
Devian Golden (6-1, 190), RB-LB, Ozark.
Justin Drane (6-0, 160), WR-DB, Marshfield.
Andre’ Taylor (5-8, 195), FB-LB, Waynesville.
Logan Williams (5-8, 170), RB-LB, Mtn. Grove.
Chance Davis (5-7, 175), RB-LB, Ava.
Mark Philpot (6-0, 175), WR-FS, Ava.
Chris Hayden (6-2, 295), C-DT, Rogersville.
Andrew Sullivan (6-2, 265), OT-DT, Ozark.
Logan Wendt (5-11, 200), OT-OLB, Marshfield.
Alex Olive (6-4, 275), OT-DT, Glendale.
Alex Pedigro (6-3, 215), OT-DE, Glendale.
Raymond Bowen (6-4, 265), OT-DE, Glendale.
Travis Sandford (6-3, 265), OT-DT, Camdenton.
Kiley Weaver (5-11, 215), C-DE, Marshfield.
Craig Claussen (5-11, 226), G-DE, Ozark.
Doug Walls (6-0, 205), G-MLB, Cabool.
Chance Iott (6-4, 290), OT-DT, Cabool.
Aaron Sheldon (6-1, 310), OT-DT, West Plains.
Brady Jones (6-3, 240), OT-DE, Glendale.
Ryne Armstrong (6-2, 255), C-DL, Ozark.
Shawn Sullivan (6-2, 220), DE, Springfield Catholic.
Chris Young (6-2, 230), G-DE, Waynesville.
Cameron Hurst (6-2, 165), WR-LS, Glendale.
Ryan Tate (6-4, 215), TE-DT, Thayer.
Spencer Shaw (6-4, 215), TE-DE, Camdenton.
Deniz Kutmen (6-2, 240), TE-DE, Rolla.
Kody Parker (6-4, 245), TE-DE, Lebanon.
Michael Johnson (6-0, 220), OT-DE, Cabool.
Tamar Patton (6-5, 237), TE-DE, Waynesville.
Coaches – Head Coach: Vince McCrosky, Cabool. Assistants: Ken Cooperman, Cabool; Chris Allison, Ozark; Steve Ary, Mtn. Grove; Darren Acklin, Mountain View; Bobby Cornelison, Catholic; David Williams, Ava; Eric Sloan, Cabool; Gary Hurst, Glendale; Daniel Swafford, Ava; Brian Vernon, Waynesville; Brock Kenega, Mountain View.
West Team
Aaron Cervin (6-0, 175), OLB , Carl Junction.
Austen Heidlage (6-0, 200), DL-DT, Carthage.
Austin Etter (6-1, 215), TE-LB, Springfield Kickapoo.
Ben Manlove (6-0, 181), C-DB, Reeds Spring.
Caleb Powell (6-4, 235), TE-DE, Webb City.
Casey Youngblood (5-8, 140), WR, Diamond.
Chase Philpot (5-11, 225), OL-DT, Webb City.
Chism Cooper (6-4, 265), C, McDonald County.
Corey Wattelet (5-7, 150), WR, Joplin.
Cory Rector (6-0, 165), QB, Joplin.
Danny Naugle (5-9, 200), FB-DE, Cassville.
David Adams (6-3, 230), DE, East Newton.
Devon Fowler (5-10, 190), RB, Joplin.
Eric Botts (6-2, 180), WR-DE, Mt. Vernon.
Eric Thomason (6-0, 235), C-DE, Webb City.
Patmir Osmani (5-10, 170), C-WR-DB, Monett.
Harrison Menke (6-4, 260), OL, Joplin.
Hayden Cook (5-11, 240), OL, Carthage.
Ja-Cobe Britt (6-1, 190), SS, Joplin.
Jessee Demoss (5-10, 170), FS, Neosho.
John England (5-11, 165), C-WR-DB, Willard.
John Graessle (6-2, 215), LB, Monett.
Josh Lohkamp (6-3, 220), TE, Nixa.
Kellen Cox (5-10, 160), C-QB-DB, Mt. Vernon.
Kyle Noblitt (6-0, 285), DL, Republic.
Landon Eggerman (6-5, 280), DL, Lockwood.
Landon Zerkel (6-3, 190), WR-DB, Webb City.
Logan Cornish (6-0, 180), QB-SS, Lockwood.
Logan Simon (6-2, 175), WR, Joplin.
Lucas Manning (5-11, 150), C-WR-DB, Stockton.
Luther Roweton (6-3, 190), SS, Bolivar.
Matt Curtis (6-0, 220), LB, Bolivar.
Matt Price (6-2, 165), WR-OLB, Aurora.
Mitch McHenry (5-10, 175), QB, Republic.
Nick Allphin (5-8, 170), LB, East Newton.
Nick Griffin (5-10, 215), LB, Nixa.
Ryan Herda (5-11, 200), LB, Nevada.
Ryan Rowley (5-10, 180), C-DB-WR, Cassville.
Sam Edwards (6-2, 220), RB-LB, Sarcoxie.
Stephen Poston (6-2, 205), WR, Carthage.
Tyler Elbert (6-2, 250), OL, Seneca.
Tyler Parrigon (6-3, 225), TE, McCauley.
Zach Thompson (5-10, 170), RB, Seneca.
Jordan Forste (5-10, 190), OLB, Joplin.
Coaches – Head Coach: Doug Buckmaster, Joplin. Assistants: Jason Vieselmeyer, Joplin; Matt Harding, Joplin; Mike Rose, Joplin; Craig Lynch, Joplin; Allen Linden, Joplin; Michael Lawrence, Joplin; Tobin Schultz, Joplin; Kris Garrett, Joplin; Clay Lasater, Lockwood.
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