MHS, HHS on board for first alumni football game

C161QP24010CMaybe it’s rekindling the dream of former gridiron glory, or reliving the camaraderie of competition, or it may turn out to be a wakeup call about physical deterioration as years go by.

At any rate, 70 alums from Hillsboro and Marion high schools, ranging in age from 19 to 44, have literally paid their dues to compete in the first alumni football game ever between the Tro­jans and Warriors plan­ned for June 17 at Joel Wiens Stadium in Hillsboro.

The game will serve as a fundraiser for Hillsboro High School, with the possibility of a rematch a year or two down the road to benefit Marion High School.

“We’ll leave it up to Marion,” said Scott Moshier, who is organizing the game on behalf of Alumni Football USA, a company that organizes similar games among high schools around the country.

“We told Marion, OK guys, whenever you’re ready for the return favor, we’ll put it together so they can have a home game and have the concessions and raffles and whatever else they want,” Moshier said.

Kansas connections

Moshier, principal and head football coach at Meade High School, became involved with Alumni Foot­ball USA when the company organized a Meade vs. Meade alumni game a few years ago.

“I got a flyer that talked about using alumni football as a fund­raiser for our school,” he said. “After looking at it, I ran it up the flagpole and before you knew it, we had 50 guys signed up. We divided the guys up and we made around $5,500 with program sales, concessions and ticket sales. It was just a huge hit.”

Moshier was so impressed with the experience that he works part-time with company to organize more alumni games in Kansas.

The most memorable game for him was the 2014 Meade alumni game.

“What was neat was that I got to play football with my son (Tyler),” Moshier said. “He had just graduated from Tabor College, played linebacker there. I was 27 years out of pads and I didn’t think I would ever get a chance to play football with my son. That was the really, really neat emotional thing. That happens to a lot of our guys.

“The money part for the school was really neat, but it was the relationships,” he added. “Every game we’ve done, the guys have said, ‘I’m glad we had a game, but one of the most fun things was getting to know these other guys I never knew before, and getting to play with them.”

Growing popularity

The alumni game movement has spread in Kansas. Moshier said he has 10 to 12 games in the works for this summer.

Moshier’s Marion County connection began with Grant Thierolf, MHS activities director and head football coach. The two worked together on the Kansas Shrine Bowl committee.

“I talked to Grant a little bit about it, and he showed some interest,” Moshier said. “But basically we had a couple of good connections with guys from Hillsboro and Marion. They started making their way to the website and started signing up.”

Signing up to play in the game is free. But players aren’t officially on the playing roster until they pay a $100 fee. The company uses that revenue to provide all the football gear, uniforms and related supplies.

“We order the tickets, we supply everything for the guys,” Moshier said. “The way the schools make money is they get to keep 50 percent of all the pre-sell adult tickets. Of course, they get all the concessions and everything else they want to do. Some schools do raffles.”

Injury safeguards

Given the nature of the game, not to mention the effect of passing years, each player is required to sign an injury waiver.

“Our owner, Bob Cazet, started doing this back in 1984 in California,” Moshier said. “He’s been through a lot of different legal-type things, I’m sure, to make sure he has the wording right. The players are responsible for their own insurance. They sign an extensive waiver, and that’s something we keep on file.”

Besides the waiver, Moshier said the rules of the game are modified to help avoid injuries. For example, “live” kickoffs and punts are not permitted.

“We’re going to start the ball at the 20-yard line coming out,” Moshier said. “If it’s fourth-and-too-long, and they say they want to punt, we’re going to move the ball 40 yards (up the field) and switch sides.”

Teams can kick extra points if they so choose, but the defending team cannot charge the guard-center gap.

Also, blitzing is outlawed on standard pass plays.

“You have to have four down linemen with their hands on the ground, and they’re the only ones that can rush—if the quarterback stays in the pocket,” Moshier said. “But if it’s a toss sweep or option, or he scrambles, then it’s just football.”

Crackback blocks are another no-no.

“You can crackback, but you have to lead with your hands,” Moshier said. “No one can make contact with their helmet or shoulder pads on a crackback block.

“These guys have to go to work on Mondays,” he added with a chuckle. “They’re going to be sore enough as it is.”

Another rule: No fighting on the field. “This is a Christian business and Bob (Cazet) doesn’t put up with it—there’s no fighting,” Moshier said. “We just tell the guys, if you throw a punch, that’s a fight, and you’re dismissed.”

A ton of memories

In addition to securing the right to play in the game, the players’ $100 fee pays for pulling the equipment trailer with the equipment to the game site. Players also receive an alumni football T-shirt and as well access to a digital recording of the game that they can burn to a DVD.

“It’s a really neat deal,” Moshier said. “It’s a chance to get back on the field, get themselves a free T-shirt and a copy of the game and tons of memories,” Moshier said.

Len Coryea, former assistant and head football coach at HHS, will coordinate the Trojans, while Shaun Craft will do the same for the Warrior alumni.

Tickets for the game are $10 for adults prior to the game and $5 for children age 7-11 at the gate only. Children age 6 and under get in free.

In Hillsboro, tickets are available at Central National Bank, Emprise Bank, Great Plains Federal Credit Union, Hillsboro State Bank and the USD 410 district office.

In Marion, tickets can be purchased at Lanning Phar­macy, Subway, Carlson’s Grocery and Marion City Hall.

Current Rosters for First MHS/HHS Alumni Game

HILLSBORO ROSTER (33)

Class of 1995: Jason Hamm

Class of 2005: Ryan Kaiser.

Class of 2006: Matthew Brown, Adam Scheele

Class of 2007: Lucas Hamm, Alex Nuss, Josh Kenney, Adam Dirks, Michael Suderman, Tyler Kaufman

Class of 2008: Spencer Brown, Daniel Roble, Jacob Yoder, Michael Scheele, Zach Jost

Class of 2009: Tyler Jones, Tyler Lofton, Ishmael Morris, Andy Klassen, Jacob Kenney

Class of 2010: Jacob Fish, Daniel Dick

Class of 2011: Dylan Delk, Daniel Kenney, Matt Martin

Class of 2013: Tanner Jones, Dylan Jirak, Shaq Thiessen, Tyrell Thiessen

Class of 2014: Jesse Brown, Chase Meisinger, Evan Ollenburger

Class of 2015: David Dick

* Additional players can still join the alumni teams by signing up and paying the $100 fee prior to the June 17 game.

MARION ROSTER (37)

Class of 1990: Alan Kruse

Class of 1992: Jeff Soyez

Class of 1993: Jason May, Theron Nienstedt

Class of 1995: Ben Bowers, Brendan Kraus

Class of 1996: Jamie Minier

Class of 1997: Burt Harshman

Class of 1998: Shaun Craft

Class of 1999: Justin Whiteman

Class of 2001: Jess Whiteman, Joel Thomas

Class of 2002: Robert Verbic

Class of 2003: Jason Matz, Thad Looper

Class of 2005: Drew Looper, Tyson Heidebrecht

Class of 2007: Dustin Britton

Class of 2008: Chase Carlson

Class of 2010: Sheldon Boone, Mitch Cady, Randy Carlson

Class of 2011: Connor Thierolf, Timothy Costello, Cory Hiebert

Class of 2012: Cole Lewman, Dakin Ledford, Mikael Antoszyk

Class of 2013: Evan Slater, Brody Carroll, Lance Knolla, Spencer Fugitt

Class of 2014: Zac Lewman

Class of 2015: Adam Janzen, Seth Snelling, Trevor Kruse, Kyle Palic

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