Is it an All-Star game or a bowl extravaganza? How about a little bit of both?
Before a collection of Oklahoma’s best eight-man football players hits the field for the Eight-man All-Star Game Saturday, the chosen players and coaches are treated to a week that rivals a vacation to a Bowl Championship Series game or the Super Bowl.
Coaches arrived at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Monday and were treated to a day of golf and great meals courtesy of the school, but Tuesday was all about the players.
“They make it like a bowl game with a week of activities,” said Bubba Tamez, assistant to Thackerville coach Cody McCage, who will oversee the Green All-Stars. “It’s really a neat venue for these guys. So far it’s been an awesome experience.”
Thackerville is among the leaders in players and coaches. In all, the Wildcats have six representatives in McCage and Tamez and players Hunter McCage, Tague Hinkley, Justin Voyles and Colton Hackler.
“It’s been going good. They’ve got a lot of entertainment for us, but they keep us focused on the game,” Voyles said. “They’ve got a really good staff. They make it more about the kids than anything.”
With the addition of Hacker as an alternate, the Wildcats are tied with Welch with four players on the Green team roster, comprised of the even districts from Classes B and C (B-2, C-4). The Gold team is made up of the odd districts (B-1, C-3).
“It was an honor to be one of the select few who get to come up here,” Voyles said. “Considering we only started four years ago, I’m pretty proud of it.”
Fox is also well represented with three selections (Quaton Winslett, Deitrick Spigner and Timmy Swindell), two of whom made the trip in Winslett and Spigner.
“It was my senior year so I wanted to make sure I got it,” Spigner said of the All-Star nod.
Spigner (6-foot-7, 350 pounds) was a state-runner up in the shot put for the Foxes this spring, and will attend Oklahoma Baptist University on a track and field scholarship. If a college football coach comes calling, however. ...
“I’m waiting ‘til after this game to see if the offers come in,” he said.
Former Fox coach Jimmy Dushane has worked the All-Star game five years — three as a coach and two as a counselor.
