Darren Kinnard
Section618.com
CARBONDALE — Many of the area’s top graduated seniors got together for one final high school football game, the Southern Illinois All-Star game played at Bleyer Field in Carbondale.
Benton’s Keegan Glover and Marion’s Venson Newsom hooked up for a pair of touchdown passes, and Newsom’s Wildcat teammate Lukas Shrum scored the go ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter to give the Blue team an 18-16 win.
Newsom, who took home game MVP honors, added a one-handed interception in the end zone late in the half. His 103-yard return for a touchdown was negated due to a penalty.
Nashville’s Isaac Turner hauled in two touchdown passes for the Red team, one from Chester’s Ethan Stumpe and the other from Johnston City’s Heath Neibch.
As far as the individual team awards, Turner was named the Red team’s Offensive Player of the Game, with Carbondale’s Demarcus Funchess the Defensive Player of the Game. Glover was named the Blue team’s Offensive Player of the Game, with Massac County’s Carter Searles the Defensive Player of the Game. Massac County’s Reed McCuan (Blue) and Nashville’s Connor Gladson (Red) won the Sportsmanship Awards.