MHSFCA East-West All-Star Game this Saturday

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

88 of Michigan high school football seniors will take the field at Alma College Saturday afternoon for the 32nd Annual Michigan High School Football Coaches Association East-West All-Star Football Game.

Thursday night, I'll be joined by Gus Kapolka, who has served as director of the game for the last seven years, on the High School Football America radio show to talk about some of the challenges of putting-on a statewide all-star football game with the changes occurring at the NCAA level.

If you can't make it to Saturday's game that kicks-off at 4 P.M. Eastern Time, you can watch it LIVE on Fox Sports Detroit.

Click here to listen to Thursday's show LIVE at 7 P.M. Eastern Time.

After 342 Wins, Menominee's Hofer Retires

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer Ken Hofer of Menominee is retiring after 41 seasons.

Hofer's teams won three state championships in 1998, 2006 and 2007.  The 77-year old's overall record is 342-136-3.

Former Vassar High School Football Player Needs Your Help

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Courtesy: www.travismills.org

This Thursday I'll be talking with former Vassar High School football coach Vince Leveille about the heart wrenching story his former player Travis Mills on High School Football America.

On April 10th, Mills, a Marine who was a three-sport athlete and a high school football star, stepped on a landmine while serving his third tour of duty in Afghanistan.  The ensuing blast resulted in Mills losing all four of his limbs.

Since the news of Mills' injuries reached the town of 2,700, residents have been doing everything they can think of to help the young man, who in 2003 led the school to its first-ever playoff berth, and his young wife.  Travis and his wife Kelsey also have a young daughter named Chloe.

Leveille, who is also the former head coach of the Saginaw Sting, a professional indoor football team, held a fundraiser with the help of his former team that raised over $10,000 for the Mills family.

What type of young man is Travis?  Click here to watch a video that he and his wife posted on Facebook on Tuesday.

To donate to a special fund set-up for the Mills family, please go to his website at www.travismills.org.

The interview with Coach Leveille will air Thursday night at 7pm Eastern Time at www.artistfirst.com/jefffisher.htm.

Escanaba's Dan Flynn Steps Down as Head Coach

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer Dan Flynn is retiring as the head football coach at Escanaba High School.

Flynn, who became head coach in 1985, compiled a 142-113 record at Escanaba.  Flynn took over for Jerry Cvengros, who was the school's head coach from 1962 until he retired in 1984.

National Letter of Intent Signing Day - Michigan High Schools

Kyle Knapp - OL (Portage Central) - Syracuse
Ron Thompson - TE (Southfield) - Syracuse
Eric Wilson - LB (Thurston) - Northwestern

Cass Tech to Face Brother Rice in Champions Showdown in 2012 Detroit Sports Commission Prep Kickoff Classic

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

The name has changed, but the quality of competition hasn't.

The Detroit Sports Commission has announced that its changing the name of the Big Day Prep Showdown to The Detroit Sports Commission Prep Kickoff Classic.  In addition to the name change, event officials are moving the game to Detroit on the campus of Wayne State University.  The first seven Big Day Prep Showdowns were played at Eastern Michigan University.

Highlighting this year's two-day event will be a showdown between defending 2010 Division 1 champ Cass Tech and defending 2010 Division 2 champ Brother Rice.

“The Detroit Sports Commission Prep Kickoff Classic will provide an electric, bowl-game like atmosphere for high school football in the city of Detroit,” said Dave Beachnau, Detroit Sports Commission executive director and organizer and founder of the event. “We believe that the setting in Midtown Detroit at Wayne State will create a unique and memorable experience for the players and fans of high school football and support the mission of Detroit Sports to bring sporting events, and visitors to the area.”

Here are the match-ups that have been confirmed so far.

Southgate Anderson vs. Woodhaven
Dearborn vs. Clinton Twp. Chippewa Valley
Detroit Crockett vs. Oak Park
Port Huron vs. Utica Eisenhower
Southfield vs. Detroit Martin Luther King
Birmingham Brother Rice vs. Detroit Cass Tech

This year's event will be played August 24th and 25th.

Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Announces Rosters for 32nd Annual All-Star Game

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

The Michigan High School Coaches Association has released the names of the 88 players that will take part in the 32nd annual MHSFCA East-West All-Star Game in June.

The West squad will be coached by Jerry Rabideau of Spring Lake, while Mike Giannone of Dakota will lead the East stars.

This year's game will be played June 30th at Kelly-Shorts Stadium at Central Michigan University.

Click here for the East Roster

Click here for the West Roster

High School Football America Names Brother Rice's Fracassa National Coach of the Year

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

With over 50 years coaching experience and 400+ victories, it's hard to say if Brother Rice's Al Fracassa could say one season is better than the other.  But, there's no doubt that 2011 has to rank high on his list.

After a 4-4 start, the state's all-time winningest head coach went on a six-game win streak to capture Michigan's Division 2 state championship.  That championship, his seventh overall, coupled with winning his 400th game led to Coach Fracassa being chosen as High School Football America's 2011 Coach of the Year.

Fracassa is the tenth coach in America to win 400 games.

Fracassa was selected over finalists Bob Beatty of Trinity (Kentucky) and Hank Carter of Lake Travis (Texas)

Before the start of the 2011 season, I spoke with Coach Fracassa on the High School Football America radio show.  Click here to listen to that interview.

Flint Powers Catholic Head Coach Bob Buckel to be a Guest on High School Football America Show

by Jeff Fisher
Michigan High School Football Huddle

The man who turned a 1-8 football team into a state champ, will be a guest on Thursday night's High School Football America radio show at 7 PM Eastern Time.

Bob Buckel brought Flint Powers Catholic back from the brink of a sub-.500 season to win the Michigan Division 5 state football championship Thanksgiving weekend.  After an 0-2 start that moved to a 2-4 beginning, Buckel righted the ship that sent the team on an 8-game win streak that culminated with a 56-26 win over previous #1 Lansing Catholic Central.

The victory avenged a 37-17 loss to Lansing Catholic Central in Week 2 of the regular season.  Powers lost the season opener to Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central that won the state's Division 7 title this year.

Buckel will be the fourth guest from Michigan to appear on High School Football America this year.

Click on the links below to listen to previous interviews:

Gabe Dean, quarterback Lowell & 2011 Division 1/2 Associated Press Player of the Year
Al Fracassa, head coach Brother Rice
John Herrington, head coach Farmington Hills Harrison

Click here to listen to Thursday's show LIVE.