The seventh annual Thanks4Giving All-Star Football Game will kickoff at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Stow-Munroe Falls High School.
The game, which brings back an old tradition of having a “Turkey Day” game in Akron, is set to feature several of the top seniors in Summit County with the money raised and canned goods collected then distributed to charities, according to game organizers Greg Shook, Jay Brophy Sr., Brian Kluender and Nick Pappas.
Shook said Stow Athletic Director Cyle Feldman and Bulldogs football coach Mark Nori have been very helpful, along with the game coaches, Kenmore’s Kemp Boyd guiding the East Team and Coventry’s Ed Egan leading the West Team.
All Summit County football teams were invited to participate, but CVCA, Green, Manchester, Mogadore and Western Reserve Academy will not have a senior participant. Players from Archbishop Hoban and Hudson will not play in the game because their teams will be competing in state semifinal games this weekend along with Perry and Canton Central Catholic of Stark County.
The rosters, in alphabetical order by school as provided by game organizers:
West All-Stars — Barberton: Khalil Dunem, Aryc Clayton, Tamarion Jennings, Kobie Booker, Trenton Stefan, Dominic Massarelli. Buchtel: Dillon Henderson, Brandon Tuck-Hayden, Tariq Vinson, Pyrce Taylor, Michael Connalley, Jamie Rogers, Shaun Cooper, James Newell. Copley: Alex Zelch, Zafeer Muhammad. Coventry: Dusty Burkhart. Cuyahoga Falls: Damien Fleming, Sam Forbes, Adam Riegler, Dakota Dobbins, Nick Siegferth, Pat Horrigan. Firestone: Zuriel Sanders, Jordan Jones, Asante Santee, Demonte’ Swain, Alec Kelley, Bo Covington. Norton: Quaid Ivy, Nick Farmer, Matt Bradshaw. Revere: Logan Berg, Tom Baker, Nicholas Kelly. St. Vincent-St. Mary: Brandon Bischof, Eric Bentley. Woodridge: Sharif Howard, Jacob Margroff, King Alfred Sanders, Jacob Mally, Dontae Craft, Kasey Kelleher, Kyle Lamson, Hayden Gerdes.
East All-Stars — East: De’Andre Brimage, Kerriyon Somerville, Lamontae Shaver. Ellet: Marquise Bridges, Garrett Haverstick, Cameron Brake, Andre Brown, Lucas Renick. Garfield: David Gilcreast, William Shropshire, Elliot Gales, Marcus Kidd, Bryce Johnson. Kenmore: Qwalon Oden, Myles Stafford. Nordonia: Bernard Russ Jr., Jake Bobnar. Springfield: Cole Meyers, Tracy Jordan, Trevor Scott, Zach Weaver, Cody Zink
Stow: Joe Gobble, Joe Gibbs. Tallmadge: Hunter Sally, Derek Dalton, Josh Todd. Twinsburg: Jalen Tucker, Colin Trouten, Timmy Edwards. Walsh Jesuit: Quinn Saluan, Steve Walko, Josh Bennett, Blake Herideen, John Hassman.
Girls basketball opener
The Copley girls basketball team will travel to Firestone for a 7 p.m. varsity tipoff Friday to open the season.
The game will also be the first for the Falcons in their new gymnasium.
Boys exhibition
A boys basketball preview featuring six teams will take place Friday at Buchtel.
The matchups are Richmond Heights vs. Firestone at 6 p.m., Cleveland East Tech vs. Garfield at 7 p.m. and East Cleveland Shaw vs. Buchtel at 8 p.m.
Thanksgiving Classic
Chippewa is hosting a girls basketball event called the Lady Chipps Thanksgiving Classic on Friday and Saturday.
The Friday schedule – 1 p.m.: Cleveland John Marshall vs. Northwestern. 2:45 p.m.: North Union vs. Barberton. 4:30 p.m.: Massillon vs. Marlington. 6:15 p.m.: Chippewa vs. Willard.
The Saturday schedule – 1 p.m.: Willard vs. North Union. 2:45 p.m.: Barberton vs. Euclid. 4:30 p.m.: Maple Heights vs. Massillon. 6:15 p.m.: Chippewa vs. Medina.
Turkey Tip-Off
The Green Turkey Tip-Off Classic will feature three girls basketball games on Saturday: Crestwood vs. Canton South at 4 p.m., Buchtel vs. Manchester at 5:30 p.m. and Green vs. Kenmore at 7 p.m.
Malone event
Malone University will host the Romeo’s Pizza Classic, a girls basketball event set for Sunday and Tuesday.
Archbishop Hoban and Jackson will tipoff at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The Tuesday schedule calls for Perry to play defending Division I state champion Wadsworth at 6:30 p.m. and Norton to play Canton McKinley at 8 p.m.
Michael Beaven can be reached at 330-996-3829 or mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the #ABJVarsity high school blog at www.ohio.com/preps. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MBeavenABJ.