All-stars return after generation

It’s been 23 years since Idaho high school senior football players have had a state all-star game. But a couple of coaches have been instrumental in reviving the game.

The all-star game, featuring Team Idaho (players from outposts outside the greater Boise area) and Team Treasure Valley (players within the Boise area), is set for July 9 at Boise State University’s Bronco Stadium.

“It’s an opportunity to resurrect the all-star game and to showcase the kids of Idaho,” said Lake City coach Van Troxel. “We’ve got some good football players in this state.”

Troxel has worked with Bishop Kelly coach Tim Brennan to get the game off the ground. Spearheading the major fund-raising and landing of sponsors is Matt Williams, who moved last summer from the Sacramento, Calif., area to Boise, where he operates a college recruiting business for all sports.

“The idea for the game has changed,” Williams said by phone Friday. “I originally wanted to get my name out and thought, ‘What better way than to host an all-star football game?’ But after finding out that the kids and the coaches are excited about this, I want to put on the best all-star game that I can.”

Seniors used to have an all-star game. It was started in the late 1970s but fizzled out after 1982, Troxel said.

North Idaho will be well represented on Team Idaho. The 14 players who have committed to the game are: Gabe Le (running back), Coeur d’Alene; Ben Felix (rb), St. Maries; Blake Mahler (wide receiver/return specialist), Sandpoint; Travis Harmon (wr), Lake City; Greg Borders (offensive line), Post Falls; Matt Hohensee (ol), CdA; Jarrett Thompson (tight end), Timberlake; Chad Denny (defensive line), Sandpoint; Brian Resso (linebacker), Sandpoint; Marshall Childers (lb), Post Falls; K.C. Billetz (defensive back), Post Falls; Clayton Hewitt (db), Clark Fork; and Blake Cord (lb), Timberlake.

Adam Shamion (lb) of Post Falls, who signed with the University of Idaho, also will play if a knee injury heals in time, Troxel said. Also, Ben Widmyer (quarterback) of LC, Max Lyons (qb) of CdA and Sean Lissy (ol) of Sandpoint were invited, but had prior commitments, Troxel said.

As he began to formulate the idea for the game, Williams learned that most districts statewide conducted all-star games. But there was no game to showcase the best in the state.

“I wanted to bring everyone from Twin Falls to Pocatello to Coeur d’Alene and everywhere in between,” Williams said.

Williams called Boise-area coaches and the idea snowballed.

“I want the kids to feel like this is the premier game to play in every year outside of winning a state championship,” Williams said. “We’ve got the 40 best kids from (the Boise area) and the 40 best kids from the other districts. There were a lot of all-state players who didn’t make the team.”

An honorary head coach was selected for both teams. For Team Idaho, former CdA coach Herb Criner, who coached the Vikings to a state title in 1982, will serve as honorary coach while former Borah coach De Pankratz will serve as honorary coach for Team Treasure Valley. Pankratz coached Borah to the first 5A state title in 1979, followed by a second two years later. He sustained the powerful Borah program established in the 1950s and ‘60s by Troxel’s late father, Ed.

Assisting Van Troxel will be Roy Albertson of Timberlake, Tobe Smith of State 5A champ Twin Falls and Mitch Buck of Madison.

Here are the other players who round out the Team Idaho roster: Mitch Smith (qb), Twin Falls; Zach Buck (qb), Madison; Todd Sessions (qb), Salmon; Kyle Moore (rb), Hillcrest; Andy Correll (rb), Marsh Valley; Colby Robison (wr), Madison; Ryan Grinnell (wr), Skyline; Mitch Smith (wr), Twin Falls; Jared Henesh (ol), Soda Springs; L.T. Brown (ol), Idaho Falls; Tanner Lamprecht (ol), Snake River; Alex Wilson (ol), Shelley; David Van Epps (ol), Twin Falls; Jordan Nelson (ol), Idaho Falls; Kimball Arritt (dl), Madison; Geoff Wisdom (dl), Idaho Falls; Cody Bogar (dl), Deary; Martin Pothier (lb), Twin Falls; Donnie Hawley (lb), Salmon; Tyson Reynoso (lb), Wood River; Jake Hayes (lb), Soda Springs; Byron Hunt (lb), Highland; Zach Schall (db), Twin Falls; and Zach Yates (kicker), Skyline.

Here is the Team Treasure Valley roster, including the coaches who will assist Brennan: Russel Hill (qb), Timberline; Jeff Van Ness (qb), Meridian; Brett Davis (wr), Capital; Torry McAlvain (wr), Mountain View; Nick Williams (wr), Homedale; John Young (wr), Boise; Andy Silsby (rb), Bishop Kelly; Pete Richter (rb), Timberline; Cooper Blanc (rb), Borah; Freddie Chavez (rb), Caldwell; Toby Moore (rb), Greenleaf; Mike Sladich (ol), Bishop Kelly; Kevin Crumley (ol), Meridian; Jake Cronin (ol), Boise; Mike Ames (ol), Centennial; Chris Mackrill (ol), Meridian; Joe Prengaman (ol), Bishop Kelly; Nick McBride (ol), Nampa; Aaron Hayden (punter), Weiser; Troy Mazzan (dl), Capital; Nick Wilson (dl), Mountain View; Hanner Hart (dl), Mountain View; Vann Dunn (dl), Nampa; Dan Peterson (dl), Centennial; Terry Belco (dl), McCall-Donnelly; Austin Clift (dl), Caldwell; Brandon Rule (dl), Centennial; Steve Allison (lb), Centennial; Lester Gray (lb), Meridian; Dane Edmuson (lb), New Plymouth; Chris Shirts (lb), Weiser; Justin Hurd (db), Centennial; Brent Ruzicka (db), Caldwell; Andy Wagnor (db), Garden Valley; Scott Jossis (db), Mountain View; Seth Anderson (db), Bishop Kelly; Jesse Childs (db), Borah; and Kyle Brotzman (k), Meridian. Coaches assisting Brennan are: Matt Strong of Caldwell; Mike Virden of Meridian; Nate Borchert of Mountain View; John Schrolec of Weiser; and Josh White of New Plymouth.