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Rosters Announced for OVAC All-Star Football Classic

Choosing the best 33 senior football players in both Ohio and West Virginia can be a most difficult task.

Add head coaches Scott Holt and Bruce Stiles to the list of guys who’ve learned that all too well.

The respective West Virginia and Ohio head coaches believe to have finalized their rosters for the 73rd annual OVAC Rudy Mumley All-Star Football Game, which is set to return to Wheeling Island Stadium on Saturday, July 28.

As has been a growing trend in recent years, both Holt and Stiles, who led Cameron and Union Local, respectively, to OVAC titles in the fall have incurred many hiccups in finalizing their rosters, which report to Bethany College on July 21 to begin training camp.

“We feel like we’ve put together a roster that has a lot of talent, but is also deep, particularly at the skill positions,” Holt, who led Cameron to the Class A title last season, said. “We have some names on the roster that Ohio Valley fans will certainly recognize, but we also have some players who maybe haven’t been front-page names that will need to play a significant role if we’re going to win.”

Obviously, both states’ coaching staffs dealt with the big question of who to take, but Stiles has spent a lot of time communicating with game director Bob Koch because — for a myriad of reasons — the Ohio roster has endured several changes from what the Ohio staff had originally envisioned when it began this process.

“Our roster is coming together,” Stiles said. “We’ve had a lot of players simply not willing to play. We’re still trying to find guys to fill certain positions, which is frustrating. Bob Koch has been a great help and really does a lot to support the game.”

Some names that a general prep football fan in Ohio and West Virginia would expect to see aren’t on their respective state’s team and most have cited their upcoming college commitments as the chief reasoning.

Regardless, the game will go on and 66 players will be afforded the opportunity, which is still highly cherished.

“(Picking the roster) is tough because not only are you splitting hairs when it gets down to the last few selections because you’re not only determining who will play, but also who gets the experience and life-long memories that come along with the selection.”

One thing that remains constant, however, is coaching the OVAC All-Star Game affords both coaches to recognize a handful of the players who helped put them in position to be invited to coach.

Holt chose three Dragons — Colby Brown, Wyatt Wingrove and Trey Scott — while Stiles selected the maximum number of four Jets — Lucas Donley, Bradan Lucas, Ben Howell and Cody Ray.

All told, the West Virginia squad has a representative from 13 schools, while Ohio features at least one player from 18 different schools.

Steubenville, which finished 15-0 and won the Division IV state championship, Martins Ferry, Union Local, John Marshall and Wheeling Park are the only schools who have the maximum four players selected.

Big Red will be represented by Johnny Agresta, Jonathan Blackmon, Tyler Ely and Quentin Moore.

The Purple Riders selections are Hunter Bodkin, Demetrius Dokes, Dalton Hoover and Rayquan Prayear.

The Patriots chosen are Rennie Clark, Brett Donohew, Austin Loew and Nate Phillips.

The Monarchs’ representatives are Nick Coulter, Ronnie Durrah, Dereck Hess and Andrew Simonton.

When the players report to camp, there can be no further changes to the roster, so the rosters — as of today — are as follows:

Ohio

Johnny Agresta, Steubenville; Caden Arbaugh, Harrison Central; Luc Baker, River; Koby Berger, Cambridge, Easton Black, Meadowbrook; Jonathan Blackmon, Steubenville; Hunter Bodkin, Martins Ferry; DeJuan Caldwell, Harrison Central; Demetrius Dokes, Martins Ferry; Lucas Donley, Union Local; Geno Drake, St. Clairsville; Thor Duffy, Bellaire; Josh Dulesky, Buckeye Local; Tyler Ely, Steubenville; Bobby Feyko, Meadowbrook; Matt Greenwood, St. Clairsville; John Hawley, St. Clairsville; Dalton Hoover, Martins Ferry; Ben Howell, Union Local; Jake Keenan, Toronto; Alex Krupa, Shadyside; Ryan LaFollette, Monroe Central; Michael Loy, East Liverpool; Bradan Lucas, Union Local; Nick Miller, Shenandoah; Quentin Moore, Steubenville; Jacob Morgan, Beaver Local; RayQuan Prayear, Martins Ferry; Cody Ray, Union Local; Levi Thompson, Steubenville Central; Andy Waggoner, Indian Creek; Alex Webb, Monroe Central.

West Virginia

Clay Bailey, University; Jaylon Bridges, Weir; Pat Brown, Wheeling Central; Colby Brown, Cameron; Rennie Clark, Wheeling Park; Nick Coulter, John Marshall; Brett Donohew, Wheeling Park; Ronnie Durrah, John Marshall; Ryan Ekey, Madonna; Nick Falbo, Linsly; Vic Giovengo, Linsly; Dereck Hess, John Marshall; Luke Lawrence, Wheeling Central; Austin Loew, Wheeling Park; Derek Lowery, Morgantown; Tyler Mack, Weir; Neil McKnight, Morgantown; Dawson Mellinger, Linsly; Brooks Parsons, Magnolia; Hunter Patridge, Magnolia; Nate Phillips, Wheeling Park; Mac Raymond, Madonna; Mason Rice, Weir; Trey Scott, Cameron; Ethan Secrist, Brooke; Andrew Simonton, John Marshall; Haydan Starcher, University; Benji Steele, Clay-Battelle; Cole Streyle, Morgantown; Dawson Wear, Wheeling Central; Collin Williams, Oak Glen; Wyatt Wingrove, Cameron; Owen Zeiders, University.

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