This Saturday, July 23, the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association will put on the 25th version of their East-West All-Star game. The event, which will kick off at 2:00 p.m. in Ann Arbor at Michigan Stadium, is a celebration of high school football in the state of Michigan and features some of the top performers from across the state who are heading into their freshman years of college.

Each and every year, players from this game go on to Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3 levels of college to continue their football careers and this year is no different. West head coach Fred Davis of Johannesburg Lewiston will try to capitalize on the West's recent momentum, coming off a 45-14 victory in last year's contest. East head coach Bob Czarnecki of Trenton will try to maintain the overall advantage his team has in the series, which now stands at 13-11.

All-star game chairman Larry Rueger has been running the event since its inception, but will step down after this year to let someone else take over. Since the first game in 1981, Rueger says he has seen some things change, but many things stay the same.

"The kids are all the same, they're just bigger and faster and stronger," he commented. "I am still amazed every year at Michigan State we come in and they literally turn everything over to us. They trust us because we've been there so long. It's great working with all these people."

This year will be only the fourth time, although the third in four years, that Spartan Stadium will not be the host venue for the event. The players still practice in Lansing, but due to construction on the Michigan State University facility, the game will be played in Ann Arbor.

"One year we had it at Sexton, so there have been four games that haven't been played at Spartan Stadium. We will be back next year," said Rueger. "At Michigan Stadium it's fine. They've been great to us also. Of course the kids are in awe and it's great down there, but it's just the idea of breaking their routine and putting them on a bus to take them down there."

The All-star contest is not just a football game, however. Along with the all-star football selections, there is an all-star band made up of musicians selected by their high school band directors. There will also be 100 cheerleaders made up of the top performers out of a camp. And on Saturday morning before the game begins, there is a leadership conference for all high school students whom their coaches, teachers or administrators choose to send.

The MHSFCA and their partners are also about giving back to the community and one of the staples of the all-star game is awarding scholarships. This year, ten students selected based on their grade point average, will each receive $500 scholarships. A golf tournament associated with the event also took place and benefited reading programs across the state. Rueger says the more communities that are involved, the better.

"That's why [the all-star game] was started was for scholarships and to expose the athletes here in the state of Michigan," said Rueger. "Back in the Brother Rice hay days, there were a couple years where they had three kids on the team. After about five years we stopped that and said there can only be one kid from each community, that way we get 88 communities involved. It's still the top kids, but we only take one per school."

The players, all 88 of them, have been in Lansing practicing as a team since this last Saturday. Admission for tomorrow's game is $10 at the gates.

The following is an updated list of players who will be participating as of Friday, July 22.

EAST ALL-STARS

Center Sean Matela Grosse Ile

Center Jamal Hamid Fordson

Guard Kyle Eurick Pont. Notre Dame

Guard Ronnell Hodges Troy Athens

Guard Mike Manoogian Livonia Churchill

Tackle Jacob Meissnest Clarkston

Tackle Mark Yassay Northville

Tackle Jordan Kwiatkowski Chippewa Valley

Tight End Connor Barwin U of D. Jesuit

Tight End Brett Harris New Haven

Tight End Jake Powers Plymouth Canton

WR Dontayo Gage Pontiac Northern

WR Anthony Wilson Detroit Douglass

WR Ryan Allison Lake Orion

WR Steve Menoian Walled Lake Western

WR Frank Zombo Sterling Heights Stevenson

WR Terrance Turner West Bloomfield

Quarterback Aaron Roelfs Mason

Quarterback Ted Tackett Riverview

Fullback Chad Schoen Gibraltar Carlson

Fullback Lance Travis Unionville-Sebewaing

Fullback Brian Rilley Cabrini

Tailback Ryan Richardville Monroe Jefferson

Tailback Terrence Blevins Denby Tech

Tailback Cameron Cecchini Grosse Pt. North

Kicker Brett Meldrum Eisenhower

Defensive Line Bahar Faik Rochester Adams

Defensive Line Dirk Watters Det. Country Day

Defensive Line Andrew Brown Royal Oak Kimball

Defensive Line Bryan Thomas South Lyon

Defensive Line Tim Kratz Macomb Lutheran No.

ILB Adam Decker Brother Rice

ILB Tyre Glasper Detroit King

ILB Ryan Stokes Center Line

ILB Chuck Bowman Monroe

OLB Nathan Roelant Monroe St. Mary's

OLB Malcolm Arrington St. Marys Prep

OLB Michael MacPherson Detroit Crockett

Defensive Back Chris Faison Bloomfield Hills Lahser

Defensive Back Lance Caldwell Trinity Catholic

Defensive Back Norm Yono Groves

Defensive Back Alex Grignon Dearborn

WEST ALL-STARS

Center Scott Pohl Howell

Center Joel Nitchman Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Central

Guard Chris Ostosh Grand Rapids Christian

Guard Tim North Linden

Guard Frazer Burton Brighton

Tackle Darrell Kuzma GR West Catholic

Tackle David Wetoskey Leslie

Tackle Nick Toth Chelsea

Tight End Matt Hooks DeWitt

Tight End Nathaniel Woodson Battle Creek Lakeview

Tight End Andy Motz Mendon

Wide Receiver Tony Awrey Nouvel Catholic

Wide Receiver Chad Richardson Charlotte

Wide Receiver Michael Stevenson Lansing Everett

Quarterback Andy Schmitt St. Johns

Quarterback Zach Gentile Sturgis

Fullback Ben Vanzale TC West

Fullback Mike Wiltsie Mt. Pleasant

Fullback Tom Korte Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Tailback Andrew Hawken Grandville

Tailback Greg Walton Frankfort

Tailback Erik Westdorp McBain

Kicker Ben Vroegop Kalamazoo Christian

Punter Sean Brown Saline

Defensive Line Tyler Holtz Holt

Defensive Line Terrance Taylor Muskegon

Defensive Line Adam Taylor Paw Paw

Defensive Line Matt Kitler Rockford

Defensive Line Ben Schley Cheboygan

ILB Cody Basler Bay City Western

ILB Kyle Myczkowiak Saginaw Heritage

ILB Adam Beerling Ishpeming

ILB Justin Lyons Jenison

OLB Greg Marshall Portage Northern

OLB Scott Hekstra GR South Christian

OLB Jon Foco Pinconning

OLB Bryce Rucker Battle Creek Central

Defensive Back Otis Wiley Carman-Ainsworth

Defensive Back Aubrey Pleasant Montrose

Defensive Back Jacob Wyatt Sexton

Defensive Back Caleb Donnell Battle Creek Pennfield

Defensive Back Matt McPhee Bay City Central

Defensive Back Shane Powell Mattawan