The Mirror Newspapers Reflecting Life Along The Maumee River
BY JEREMY SCHNEIDER | MIRROR SPORTS — For a trio of Maumee football players, it was one final chance to buckle up their chin straps and represent their school and community on the football field.
Last Friday, graduated seniors Aaron Roberts, Caleb Boerst and Ryker Oakman played in the annual NWO Ohio All-Star Game at Steinecker Stadium in Perrysburg. They were among more than 120 players representing 35 schools in Northwest Ohio.
“They’re great kids,” said Maumee football coach Cam Coutcher. “They get to go and compete one more time, unless they’re playing in college.
“Those three are very deserving of that honor. It was really cool to see them get the chance to play one last time.”
In last Friday’s game, Roberts lined up at wide receiver, Boerst played linebacker and Oakman played on the offensive line. The three Panthers on the roster were the most Maumee has sent to the game since 2018.
Other Northern Lakes League schools to participate included Anthony Wayne, Bowling Green and Perrysburg. According to Coutcher, the players nominated for the All-Star game were taken from the list of players who earned all-league honors this year.
Coutcher remembers participating in the game after his senior season. It’s an experience that has stuck with him.
“The coaches are volunteering their time to work with these kids and they get the opportunity to go out and represent their school and community,” he said. “It’s a really good experience.
“I played in it in 1997. You get to meet a lot of guys, you trade helmet stickers. It’s a little bit of a higher level; it’s almost like a taste of what it would be like to go play college football for about a week.”
