For every player in uniform Saturday afternoon at Cawley Stadium in Lowell, the 38th Shriners All-Star Football Classic represents an opportunity.
An opportunity to represent their respective high school one final time. An opportunity to make an impression on a college coach. And quite possibly, an opportunity to put on the pads one last time.
The North vs. South all-star game, the flagship fund-raiser for the Wilmington-based Aleppo Shriners, showcases 100 graduating seniors from Eastern and Central Massachusetts, representing 68 high school football programs. To date, the all-star game has raised $1.3 million for the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Boston and Springfield, where parents and patients bear no financial responsibility.
“The money that we raise goes to what we call the transportation fund,’’ said Peter Simmons, the game’s chairman. “Our transportation fund is used to fly children from all over the world to our hospitals here in Boston and Springfield.’’
Adam Gagne, who guided Westford Academy to the Dual County League Large title in his third season last fall, will coach the North squad. Ken LaChapelle, the winningest coach in state history in a legendary 40-year run at Northbridge High (340-102-6 record, with nine Super Bowl victories), will direct the South squad. His grandson, Trinity College-bound Koby Schofer, is one of the quarterbacks on the South roster after a stellar career at Northbridge.
The rosters include 14 Boston Globe All-Scholastic selections and three Players of the Year: Coby Tippett (D1, Xaverian), Chris Martin (D3, Dartmouth), and Jake Peterson (D5, East Bridgewater).
“For a lot of these kids it’s going to be their last football game before they head off to college whether they’re going to play college football or not,’’ said Simmons.
For most, the game is a final hurrah in high school. For those players that are still uncommitted for the future, it’s an opportunity.
“We still get coaches from the Division 2 and Division 3 schools that are coming to look at kids,’’ Simmons said.
“The kids that are uncommitted and looking to make an impression, they have that opportunity as well.’’
