South Loup’s AJ Starr has been selected to represent the West team in the 48th annual Sertoma 8-man football All-Star Classic. Joining Starr on the field that day will be Bobcats’ Coach Mat Jageler, who is one of three assistant coaches for the West team.

Played each summer, the game allows newly graduated high school seniors to represent their schools one final time on the gridiron.

Nebraska Highway 14 serves as the dividing line between East and West in determining teams, with the West holding a slight advantage over the East, having won 24 of the 46 games that have been played.

The All-Star game will be played at Lloyd Wilson Field on the Hastings College campus on Saturday, June 21. During halftime of the game, 14 former players and coaches will be inducted into the 8-Man Hall of Fame.

A former Bobcat will also be recognized during halftime of this year’s contest. Trey Connell was named offensive MVP of the 2024 All-Star Classic and will be recognized with that award on June 21.

Also competing for the West team will be Caden Zutavern of Sandhills-Thedford.

Kickoff for the All-Star Classic is set for 6 p.m. The 47th Annual West All-Star football game was played at Bearcat Stadium in Scottsbluff on Saturday, June 7. Jayce Dueland of Cozad was named one of the East team’s assistant coaches.

AJ Starr and Jamie Tickle were selected to represent South Loup on the East squad for the West Nebraska All-Star game. Other area athletes named to the East team include: Josiah Griffith of Anselmo-Merna, Tyson Hickman of Sandhills-Thedford, Maddox Jones and Cohen Rohde of S-E-M, Jayden Smith and Lane Wright of Cozad, and Jackson Daum, Zander Hruza, Jackson Schwanz, and Maxwell Wyatt of Gothenburg.

The East team won the game 21-7.