Football

Rosters released for East-West All-Star Football Game in December

For the first time, the East-West All-Star Football Game will be played in December. The players who will represent both teams have been picked.

Posted 2023-10-18T21:10:45+00:00 - Updated 2023-10-18T21:14:28+00:00

Zay Jones of Scotland County. Pinecrest remained unbeaten with a statement victory on the road at Scotland on October 13, 2023 (Photo: Evan Moesta/HighSchoolOT)

Nick Stevens

, HighSchoolOT managing editor

Dozens of senior high school football players in North Carolina high schools were named to the rosters for the East-West All-Star Football Game on Wednesday.

For the first time, the N.C. Coaches Association will play the all-star game in December, the weekend following the N.C. High School Athletic Association state championships. The game is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. It will be played at Grimsley High School's Jamieson Stadium in Greensboro.

In past years, the all-star game has been played in July, along with all-star games in basketball and soccer, and aligned with the NCCA's coaches clinic at the Greensboro Coliseum. However, the NCCA decided to move the game to December in hopes of attracting more of the top players from across the state — many of whom are already in college by July — and to allow for Division I college football coaches to attend the coaches clinic.

NCAA rules prohibit Division I coaches from attending coaches clinics that are tied to all-star games.

READ: Coaches named for future East-West All-Star Games, Carolinas Basketball Classic

The all-star games for soccer and basketball will still be played in July during the coaches clinic.

To be eligible for the East-West All-Star Football Game, players must be nominated by their coaches. The teams are then selected by the coaching staff selected for the all-star game. Players must be graduating seniors at NCHSAA member schools.

Here are the rosters for the 2023 NCCA East-West All-Star Football Game:

East All-Star Football Game Roster

Head Coach: Bill Sochovka (Pine Forest)

Assistant Coaches: Steve Burdeau (Lee County), Nate Conner (D.H. Conley), Cory Johnson (Clinton), Jeff Morehead (Terry Sanford), Scott Riley (Cleveland)

Jaquan Bowen (Laney)
BJ Brown (Lee County)
Chris Bryant (St. Pauls)
Tavares Carter (Heritage)
Tyjhere Crudup (Laney)
Isaiah Crumpler (D.H. Conley)
Brandon Crutchfield (Heritage)
Jordan Davis (South Brunswick)
Malaki Dobbins (Southern Nash)
Alex Evans (Clinton)
Mason Fortune (Millbrook)
Jodi Freeman (Purnell Swett)
Juan Hernandez (Pine Forest)
Gates Hinton (Fuquay-Varina)
Carter Jacobs (Middle Creek)
Zay Jones (Scotland)
Randall King (Northern Nash)
Rodney Lacewell (East Bladen)
Braxton Lassiter (Leesville Road)
Preston Lilley (Leesville Road)
Robert Magwood (New Bern)
Jacoby Martin (Richmond)
Rico McDonald (Cape Fear)
Edward Padgette (Havelock)
Josiah Peters (Cleveland)
Reagan Printy (Hoggard)
Keveon Rodgers (Hertford County)
Jymiek Sampson (Clinton)
Landon Sargent (Cape Fear)
Joel Sheehan (Holly Springs)
Matthew Smith (Hillside)
Russell Sykes IV (Rolesville)
Kamal Thames (Terry Sanford)
Gage Tremaine (Cleveland)
Thaddeus Tucker (Hunt)
Malakahi West (Hoggard)

West All-Star Football Game Roster

Head Coach: Butch Carter (Alexander Central)

Assistant Coaches: Derek Anderson (Southwest Guilford), Adam Hodge (South Point), Sam Mackey (Hibriten), James Phillips (Andrews), Jeff Snuffer (Western Alamance)