The downstate Gold football team could only muster up 12 points and were defeated by the upstate Blue Team at the 67th annual Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens (DFRC) All-Star football game on Friday evening, June 16 at the University of Delaware Stadium in Newark. The final score was 21-12. It was the second straight victory for the Blue squad and they now lead the series 34-30-3.
The game involved players from all three Delaware counties. Players from Sussex County included: Ci-Atrick Stones and Khelei Tillman, Woodbridge; Zach Holmes, and Sa’Maury Long, Seaford; Kaden Shockley, Kylse Wilson, Evan Collins, and Brayden Hearn, Laurel; Derek Fooks, Delmar; Jaryn Sample, Sussex Tech; Patrick Henry, Kristopher Shields, and Wyatt Hellens, Sussex Central; Thomas Messick and Thomas Gibbs, Cape Henlopen; Ashton Stephens, Indian River, and Ryan Mejia, Milford. Head coaches from Woodbridge, Marvin Dooley, and Seaford, Mark Quillin, served as assistants to head coach Brian Timpson. Gold cheerleaders from Sussex County were Alexis Boyer and Lunise Etienne, Laurel; Jeliah Scott, Woodbridge; Veronica Gaines, Delmar; and Giorgia Bertozzi, Milford. Volunteer game officials were from the Northern Delaware Football Officials Association.
Players from Sussex County get ready to battle against the Blue team in the annual Blue-Gold All Star football game. Photo by Bernard W. Carr
The Blue team scored twice in the first half and went into halftime with a 14-0 lead. Both scores came in the second quarter with Quasim Benson of St. Elizabeth rushing in from 10 yards away at the 9:25 mark, and TJ Martin of Saint Mark’s running for the second touchdown from four yards away with 1:59 remaining in the half.
The Gold team got on the scoreboard with a 23-yard run for a touchdown by Laurel quarterback Kaden Shockley with 7:41 left in the third quarter. The two point conversion was unsuccessful, making the score 14-6.
On the next possession, Lennick Preston, Conrad, caught a short pass from Blue quarterback Chris Albero, Archmere, and raced 62 yards down the sideline untouched for a touchdown, making the score 21-6.
The Gold managed to score again late in the fourth quarter with a three-yard touchdown pass from Smyrna quarterback Brian Wright to Red Lion receiver Seth McGroerty. Shockley, the starting quarterback for the Gold squad, completed seven passes for 84 yards.
