Usually in the summer months, graduating seniors get a chance to don the helmets again for their high school one last time at the High School Football All-Star game. However, in 2023, due to the lack of funding, the game would be canceled.
Even though the game was canceled for 2023, SoDak Football Coaches Association on Twitter would still announce the teams which included a Pierre Governor, Jack Merkwan. Merkwan was selected to the Blue team which would have been coached by Brian Allmendinger of Milbank. Merkwan, the USF commit, broke the school record for catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions as he and Lincoln Kienholz became one of the deadliest quarterback-wide receiver combo in the history of the state.
Other area athletes who received an honorary selection were Trevor Werdel of Miller/Highmore-Harrold and Chase DeRouchey of Potter County.
The game will not be played this season, but the hope is to get the game back again in the summer of 2024 which is played at the Dakotadome in Vermillion. You can see a full list of the teams below.
Blue Team
QB Tray Hettick, Herreid/Selby
QB Tayton Snyder, Sioux Falls Christian
QB Josh Merkle, Canton
RB Brenden Begeman, Herreid/Selby
RB Israel Caldron, Brookings
RB Karson Carda, Aberdeen Central
RB Nelson Wright, Sioux Falls Jefferson
OL Kley Heumiller, Avon
OL RJ Perry, Great Plains Lutheran
OL Carter Traill, Dell Rapids
OL Charlie Prien, Hanson
OL Tucker Kooiman, Sioux Falls Christian
OL Riley Zomermaand, Sioux Falls Christian
OL Lucas Johnson, Madison
OL Lucas Krogstad, Corsica-Stickney
WR Eli Johnson, Milbank
DE TJ Salmen, Hitchcock-Tulare
DE Rocky Wiedman, Todd County
DE Austin McNulty, Tri-Valley
DE Tyler Horner, Sioux Falls Jefferson
DT Trevor Werdel, Miller/Highmore-Harrold
DT Gunnar Stephens, Gregory
DT Antuan Duran, Sioux Falls Jefferson
DT Isaac Johnson, Brandon Valley
LB Aiden Schoenhard, Mobridge-Pollock
LB Tyrus Bietz, Jim River
LB Aidan Foell, Milbank
LB Beau Williams, Canton
LB Maddox May, Aberdeen Roncalli
S Jagger Tyler, Mitchell
S Ethan Opitz, Webster Area
S Keaton Rohlfs, Redfield
CB Brady Bierema, Avon
CB Dylan Stromer, West Central
CB Caden Hall, West Central
WR Jack Merkwan, Pierre
WR Owen Heath, West Central
WR Landon Puffer, Hitchcock-Tulare
TE Isaac Crownover, Bon Homme
TE Brian Johnson, Aberdeen Central
TE Braxton Saathoff, Estelline/Hendricks
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Head Coach Brian Allmendinger, Milbank
Assistant coaches: Brady Clark, Brookings Tom Culver, Avon Mike Murray, Gregory Matt Christensen, Brandon Valley
Red Team
QB Bennett Dannenbring, O’Gorman
QB Rugby Ryken, Yankton
QB Colin Bauman, Deubrook Area
RB Matt Larson, St. Thomas More
RB Landon Iverson, Hot Springs
RB Peyton Frid, Beresford
RB Gavin Ross, Harrisburg
WR Easton Ogle, St. Thomas More
WR Julian Scott, Rapid City Stevens
WR Tyler Sohler, Yankton
TE Gabriel Lindeman, Dell Rapids St. Mary
TE Gage Gilbert, Harding County/Bison
OL Cody Peterson, Lennox
OL Landon Schurch, Beresford
OL Aidan Brower, Sioux Valley
OL Chace Fornia, Elk Point-Jefferson
DT Austin Hoiten, McCook Central-Montrose
DE Aidan Foley, Harrisburg
DE Abraham Myers, Sioux Falls Washington
LB Brady Hartwig, Spearfish
LB Reese Jacobs, Sturgis
LB Gabe Gutierrez, Sioux Falls Lincoln
LB Benjamin Swatek, Elk Point-Jefferson
RB Gunner Rohloff
TE Layton Spratte, St. Thomas More
RB Anthony Moser, Rapid City Douglas
OL Jake Vanhout, McCook Central-Montrose
OL Elliot Renville, Sioux Falls Lincoln
RB Treven Grimsrud, Deubrook Area
WR Peyton Hage, O’Gorman
OL Carter Skogsberg, Vermillion
RB Griffin Clubb, Howard
DT Chase DeRouchey, Potter County
DT Roz Baylor, Vermillion
LB Nate Ratzlaff, O’Gorman
LB Taven Clapper, Sioux Falls Lincoln
DB Cedar Amiotte, Wall
DB Cody Oswald, Yankton
DB Mandalla Mohamed, Sioux Falls Washington
DB Braeden Wulf, Lennox
DB Ryan Krog, Elkton-Lake Benton
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Head Coach Nathan Lamb, Deubrook Area
Assistant coaches Chris Koletzky, Sturgis Jared Fredenburg, Sioux Falls Lincoln Wayne Sullivan, St. Thomas More
