Top Virginia High School Football Coach Retires

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Phoebus (Hampton, VA) High School head football coach Bill Dee is stepping down from the job that he has held since 1985. Dee, who has led the Phantoms to four state titles (2001, '02, '06, '08), announced his resignation on Wednesday. He is leaving to become an assistant coach at Christopher Newport University. Dee leaves Phoebus with an all-time record of 216-64.

Click here to read more about Dee's career at Phoebus.

Madison's (TX) Ray Seals Named High School Coach of the Year by NFL

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

The National Football League has named Ray Seals of Madison (Houston, TX) High School 2008 High School Football Coach of the Year. Seals, who was one of five finalist for the honor, was nominated by two of his former players, Detroit Lions running back Moran Norris and Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young.

More than 60 players recognized the coaches who helped shape them during their high school years. In his essay, Young called a great coach who truly has a passion not only for the sport, but for the community he coaches in, the school and the players Norris praised Seals as a “father figure.”

“Our players come from different backgrounds, regions and life experiences,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “The one thing they all have in common is that they received guidance and learned important life lessons from their high school coaches. The five finalists dedicated their lives to teaching young players how to become leaders both on and off the field, and we congratulate them and all high school coaches for the roles they play in helping develop the leaders of our game.”

The other finalists were Danny Cronic of East Coweta (Newnan, GA), who was nominated by Keith Brookings of the Atlanta Falcons and Chris Hanson of the New England Patriots; Rob MacLachlan of Wallaceburg District Secondary School (Ontario, Canada) nominated by Shaun Suisham of the Washington Redskins; Ken Ozee of Sam Houston High School (Arlington, TX) nominated by Mark Clayton of the Baltimore Ravens and Tom Padjen of Thornton Fractional South (Lansing, IL) nominated by Pierre Thomas of the New Orleans Saints.

Each finalist received a $2,500 cash award and a $5,000 grant for their high school football programs. Seals will attend Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay as a guest of the NFL and receive a $5,000 cash award and a $10,000 grant for his high school football program. All grants are awarded by the NFL Youth Football Fund.

Big 33 Classic Coaches and Rosters Announced

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

When it comes to high school football all-star game tradition, it's hard to ignore the PNC Big 33 Football Classic played in Hershey, Pennsylvania pitting Pennsylvania stars against the best from Ohio.

How good is the talent at the Big 33 game? The Classic has provided at least one former player in every Super Bowl ever played including this year's.

Last week, Big 33 officials announced that Tim Janocko of Clearfield will be the head coach of PA squad, and Mike Fell of Ada will lead the Ohio All-Stars.

Here are the rosters for each state...

Pennsylvania

QUARTERBACKS — Curtis Drake, West Catholic ~ Tom Savage, Cardinal O’Hara.

RUNNING BACKS– Rob Holloman, West Catholic ~ Lyle Marsh, Bethel Park.

WIDE RECEIVERS– Jaleel Clark, Parkland ~ Malik Generett, William Penn ~ John Schademan, Bethel Park ~ Devin Street, Bethlehem Liberty.

TIGHT ENDS– Brock DeCicco, Thomas Jefferson ~ Garry Gilliam, Milton Hershey.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN– Mark Arcidiacono, St. Joseph’s Prep ~ Steve Greene, Bishop Carroll ~ Brandon Heath, West Chester Henderson ~ Dave Osei, Abington ~ Justin Pugh, Council Rock South ~ Dan Shirey, Neshaminy ~ Eric Shrive, West Scranton.

DEFENSIVE BACKS– Chris Houston, Bishop McDevitt ~ Ronnie Akins, North Penn ~ Anthony Holmes, Harrisburg ~ JermelLee, Bethlehem Freedom ~ Billy Morgan, Cardinal O’Hara ~ Jordan Smith, Steelton-Highspire.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN– Jay Colbert, Neshaminy ~ A.J. Fenton, Erie McDowell ~Rob Stupar, State College; Dana Brown, McKeesport ~ Jordan Hill, Steelton-Highspire ~ Jack Lippert, Central Dauphin ~ Mike Pinciotti, St. Joseph’s Prep.

LINEBACKERS– Horvin Latimer, Bethlehem Liberty ~ Dan Mason, Penn Hills ~ Carson Sharbaugh, Wilmington.

KICKER– Brandon McManus, North Penn.

Ohio

QUARTERBACKS - Patrick Nicely, Willoughby South ~ Austin Boucher, Kettering Alter

RUNNING BACKS - Fitzgerald Toussaint, Youngstown Liberty ~ Jeffvon Gill, Euclid

WIDE RECEIVERS - Chris Fields, Painesville Harvey ~ Perez Ashford, Shaker Heights ~ Micah Hyde, Fostoria ~ Shaun Joplin, Sylvania Southview ~ Connor Ryan, Cleveland St. Ignatius

TIGHT END - Brian Slack, Akron Hoban

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN - Nate Klatt, Canal Fulton Northwest ~ Ryan Spiker, Dresden Tri-Valley ~ Corey Linsley, Youngstown Boardman ~ John Prior, Portsmouth ~ Marcus Hall, Cleveland Glenville ~ Sam Longo, Bellbrook ~ Jake Smith, Columbus DeSales

DEFENSIVE BACKS - Michael Edwards, Cleveland Glenville ~ J.T. Turner, Massillon Washington ~ Chris Williams, Cincinnati Winton Woods ~ Tim Moore, Mentor ~ DeeJay Hunter, Middletown ~ Isaiah Bell, Youngstown Liberty

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN - Jonathan Newsome, Cleveland Glenville ~ Adam Replogle, Centerville ~ Adam Bellamy, Aurora ~ Donovan Jarrett, Hamilton ~ Cody Petit, Patrick Henry ~ Denicos Allen, Hamilton ~ Melvin Fellows, Garfield Heights

LINEBACKERS - Will Studlien, Sunbury Big Walnut ~ Chris Snook, Medina Highland ~ Darrell Mason, Youngstown Ursuline

KICKER/PUNTER - Nate Freese, Strongsville

Texas High School Football Hall of Fame Announces 2009 Inductees

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

The Texas High School Football Hall of Fame will grow by eight new members during a May 2nd induction ceremony in Waco. The 2009 class includes "T" Jones of Childress High School, Johnny Roland of Roy Miller HS, Bob Goodrich of Dallas Woodrow Wilson, Ernest "Bubba" Bean of Kirbyville, Kenneth Davis of Temple HS, Shaud Williams of Andrews and coach Pat Shannon of San Antonio Jefferson HS and Dr. Newt Hasson as a special contributor to Texas high school football.

The banquet to honor the 2009 class will also include presentations to the 2008 state championship coaches along with the 2009 Tom Landry Award to the state's outstanding coach and the 2008 Gordon Wood Award, which is given to the state's outstanding high school.

Click here to go to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame website.

Snowstorm Postpones Naming of Maine's Top High School Football Player

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

The three finalists for Maine's James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy, which is awarded to the state's top senior high school football player, will have to wait a little longer to find-out who is the 2008 winner. A snowstorm in Portland postponed Sunday's banquet.

The finalists for this year's Fitzy are Billy Clark of Skowhegan, Nate Doehler of Bonny Eagle and Justin Staires of Mountain Valley. Click here for a great story from the Morning Sentinel on the award that some call Maine's Heisman Trophy.

Click here to learn more about the man the trophy is named after.

Dade Beats Broward in South Florida All-Star Football Game

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

They're still playing high school football in South Florida. Friday, the Dade County defeated the Broward County 16-14 in the 14th Annual South Florida Dade vs. Broward All-Star Game. Booker T. Washington quarterback Torrance Moise was named the game's MVP for the Dade squad.

Other honors handed-out at the game...

Coach-of-the-Year - Christ Merritt (Christopher Columbus)
Player-of-the-Year - Lamar Miller, RB (Killian) & Eugene Smith, QB (Miramar)
Lifetime Achievement - Walt Frazier (Carol City)

Click here for a game story from the Miami Herald.

Ohio Decides Not To Expand Classifications

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Ohio's high school football playoffs won't be expanding. The Ohio High School Athletic Association has rejected a proposal that would have split Division I in two. The proposal was advanced to address what some considered a disparity in enrollments within Ohio's largest classification. Enrollment in Division I can vary between 528 boys in a school and 1,246 boys. The proposal was only aimed at Division I, not the state's other five classifications.

Click here to read a story from the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Easton (PA) and Phillipsburg (NJ) 1993 Part Deux!!

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Gatorade is hoping to break a 15-year old tie between Easton (PA) and Phillipsburg (NJ). According to a report in the Express-Times, Gatorade has asked the schools if they can find 25-to-30 alumni players each from the November 25, 1993 game that ended in a 7-7 tie. According to the report, Gatorade wants the two schools to put the 30-something players on the field to "play it again Sam" and break the tie as part of Gatorade's program highlighting great American high school rivalries.

The Easton-Phillipsburg rivalry is one of the best in the country. The two schools are separated by the Delaware River, and this past year played their 102nd game on Thanksgiving morning at Lafayette College. Phillipsburg is New Jersey's winningest high school football program, while Easton is #2 in Pennsylvania.

The game is big enough that it's been aired live on ESPN twice.

Click here for the story from the Express-Times.