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East uses plethora of speed to knock down West, 30-13

Dan Stickradt | June 25, 2011 | Comments (2)

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

MT. PLEASANT — There’s a debate on where the trophy of the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association All-State Game goes every summer. Regardless, it will be residing somewhere on the East side of the state this year.

The East put on a fine display of speed and passing Saturday at Central Michigan University’s Kelly Shorts Stadium, rolling up their sleeves for a 30-13 triumph, giving the East a 17-14 edge in the al-time series.

Ray Tillman of Auburn Hills Avondale, Spencer Cairo of Rochester Adams and Blake McGhee of 2010 Division 1 state champion Lake Orion were the three local players from the www.northoaklandsports.com coverage area, but several other players hailed from the Oakland Activities Association and Oakland County in general.

Cairo and McGhee, a pair of all-state offensive lineman headed to Bowling Green and Saginaw Valley State, respectively, were on the field for the first three scoring drives for the East.

“I’m so excited,” said McGhee. “It’s like I won the (state) championship all over again. This was a great experience, even better that we won.”

The East led 16-7 at the break, holding a 205-132 yards advantage in the first 24 minutes of play.

The East scored first when QB Keith Moore’s 61-yard bomb pass fell into the hands of Jason Wilson (Farmington), who rambled home to the score.

West quarterback Mack Sovereign (Traverse City Central) hit Luke Capen (Ithaca) with a 21-yard strike with 5:39 left in the second quarter to help put his team up 7-6. The lead was shot-lived.

The Moore (Detroit Cass Tech) to Wilson connection struck again with 4:49 to play in the half, this time on a 68-yard pass play for a 13-7 advantage.

Aaron Berthnet (Utica Ford) drilled a 27-yard field goal as time expired to end the first half and give the East the nine-point lead at the break.

Tillman, who didn’t have a ball thrown in his direction during the entire first half, was put to use in the East’s first drive of the third quarter. He caught a pair of passes in the 89-yard drive, including a 55-yard catch when Moore was chased out of the pocket and found a racing Tillman open down the right sideline.

West was able close the gap down to 23-13 when Mike Weeks (Cadillac) hauled in a 31-yard pass from Sovereign.

The West coughed up the ball on downs on its own 10-yard line on its final drive and the East scored with 1:20 to play, with Rabeah Beydoun (Dearborn Fordson) scoring on a 10-yard sprint.

“We had a lot of speed on this team and we had to use it,” said Moore, who is headed to Saginaw Valley State. “We got the ball to the right people.”

Tillman waited patiently to get his due. He finished with two catches for 61 yards.

Shane Vanfleteran (Utica) had 66 yards on five catches and Wilson, playing at his future home at CMU, had three catches for a game-high 136 yards.

“Our quarterbacks, both of them, they are very good and they picked their spots,” said Tillman, who nearly had a third grab in the fourth quarter that was knocked away. “I got my chance eventually.

“I love football and the opportunity to play in this game,” added Tillman, undecided about where he’ll attend college.

Moore finished 8-for-13 passing for 212 yards and Tommy Vento (Farmington Harrison) chipped in with 78 passing yards on 8-for-16.

Sovereign finished 7-for-16 passing for 108 yards for the West, which was outgained 353-213 by the East.

“A lot of bonds were made,” said McGhee. “The first couple of days were kind of shaky, but by Wednesday the team just really pulled together. Everyone hung out with everyone, no one sits alone. We’ve become great friends now.”

But who gets to carry the trophy home?

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Tags: football, High Schoool Football, MHSFCA East-West All-Star Game, prep football