Sixty-eight of the best high-school football players in Ohio will be on display June 16 when the Grange Insurance Ohio North-South Classic is played at Columbus Crew Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

As the longest running high-school football all star game in the nation, the 62nd Annual Grange Insurance Ohio North-South Classic is widely recognized as the leading all star game in the Midwest and among the best in the country. This year, the game will again feature most of the top graduating high-school football players in Ohio. Ohio State recruits Dan “Boom” Herron, Jermale Hines, Nate Oliver, Rocco Pentello, Solomon Thomas and Devon Torrence are among the players in this year’s game. In all, fourteen players in this year’s game will play football next year at Big Ten Conference schools, while about 40 of the 68 will play Division I football next year.

Kevin Fell of Wapakoneta will coach the South squad and Bob Spaite of Columbiana will coach the North team in this year’s Grange Insurance Ohio North-South Classic.

The Ohio News Network will broadcast this year’s Grange Insurance Ohio North- South Classic live, with two replays at times to be announced.

“We are proud to again bring together the best high school football players in Ohio for the Grange Insurance Ohio North-South Classic,” said Steve Channell, head coach at Edgewood High School and president of the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association. “This is the premier all star football game in the United States and the last chance to see these high-school football players compete before many of them go on to play Division I football.”
        
The 62nd annual Ohio North-South Classic will again be played in Columbus Crew Stadium, where the game has been played since 2001. The Ohio High School Football Coaches Association, the Greater Columbus Sports
Commission and Columbus Crew Stadium worked together to move the Ohio North-South Classic to Columbus in 2001 after it was held in Northeast Ohio from 1977 to 2000. Columbus-based Grange Insurance extended a title sponsorship agreement in 2005 that will keep the Ohio North-South Classic in Columbus at least through 2007.

“Grange Insurance is proud to sponsor this classic sports event and we salute the fine young athletes who are competing. Grange is committed to supporting young people and through the Most Valuable Player scholarship donation we can also recognize their excellence,” said Phil Urban, president and CEO of Grange Insurance. “As past chairman of Experience Columbus (formerly the Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau) and a supporter of the Greater Columbus Sports Commission, I want to promote bringing events such as the Grange Insurance Ohio North-South Classic to Columbus. This is a wonderful opportunity for Grange and for our independent agents throughout the state to support the game and the student-athletes in their communities.”

Proceeds from the Grange Insurance Ohio North-South Classic benefit the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association’s Scholarship Program.

“The Ohio High School Football Coaches Association is proud to support our student-athletes through our scholarship program,” Channell said. “Any Ohio high-school student is eligible for to be awarded a scholarship and we are pleased to be able to award 129 scholarships worth $70,000 in 2007.”

Ohio All-Star Classic players and coaches will arrive in Columbus on Sunday, June 10. Media Preview Day will be held at noon on Monday, June 11 at Otterbein College. The players and coaches will make a variety of public appearances throughout the week, including visits to Columbus Children’s Hospital and Columbus City Council. The players will also meet and spend time with Central Ohio Special Olympics members through a “Buddies Program” instituted in 2006.

The Grange Insurance Ohio North-South Classic Scholarship Banquet will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, June 15 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The teams will practice at Otterbein College throughout the week in preparation for the game.

Sponsors for the Grange Insurance Ohio North-South Classic include Grange Insurance, Cavalier Coach, Children’s Hospital, Ohio Air National Guard, Ohio Army National Guard, Outbak Steakhouse, Reebok, Signs By Tomorrow, Telex Communications, Varsity Gold, Wilson, Zides Sports Shop.

WHAT: Grange Insurance Ohio North-South Classic, the leading high school football all star game in the Midwest
WHO: 68 of the top high-school football players in Ohio
WHERE: Columbus Crew Stadium
WHEN: Saturday, June 16. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
TICKETS: Tickets are available for $10 by calling Crew Stadium at 614-447-CREW.
TELEVISION: Ohio News Network (ONN)
CREDENTIALS: Please direct requests to Brent LaLonde at
blalonde@columbus.rr.com or via fax at 614-430-9216 or by mail

MORE INFORMATION: www.OHSFCA.org

MEDIA CONTACT:
Brent LaLonde                                        
OHSFCA                                                
614.562-0940 (cell)                                        
blalonde@columbus.rr.com                

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