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.

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.