Gold earns first win in four games, Laurel’s Burton records late game interception

As a selected player to participate in the 70th annual Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens with intellectual disabilities Blue-Gold All Star game on Thursday, June 18, Laurel’s Khalid Burton had a wish to sprint down the field and catch a 70-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Vince Evans, III to win the game. When asked about his wish, Burton stated, “Man, because of my speed, I wish the coaches will send me on a go route straight down the field, and I catch it for a 70-yard winning touchdown from Vince.”

Burton ran track for the Bulldogs in several of the sprint events. “The Gold Team hasn’t won this game in four straight tries, so I’m going to do all I can do to help us win,” he said.

The sprinter, defensive back, and wide receiver was especially proud to be selected to this year’s all-star game since he only started playing in the eighth grade. The wish to score the game-winning touchdown didn’t come to fruition, however, Burton intercepted a pass in the end zone late in the game at the 1:23 mark, which prevented the Blue Team from tying the score, and allowed the Gold team to win for the first time in four attempts. The final score was 16-14.

The Gold team scored the first touchdown of the game on a four yard run from Smyrna running back Kahmaj Kearney at the 2:10 mark in the second quarter. Kearney then scored the two-point conversion from the earthquake formation, making the score 8-0. 

The Blue Team responded with a kick-off return for a touchdown at the 2:05 mark from Delaware Military’s Dante Brooks. Brooks picked the ball up on the 21-yard line, reversed field and ran untouched to the end zone. Archmere’s Ryan Hagenberg converted the two-point conversion and the score was all tied up at 8-8 going into the half-time break. 

With 57 seconds left in the third quarter, Caesar Rodney’s Jayden Minor caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Middletown quarterback Derian Cunningham. Kearney converted his second two-point conversion and the Gold team took the lead, 16-8. 

The Blue team scored at the 1:34 mark in the fourth quarter on a pass from Archmere’s quarterback Johnny Orsini to his teammate Hagenberg, making the score 16-14. The Blue Team failed to convert on the two-point conversion.

The game, which kicked off at 7 p.m., was held at the University of Delaware Football Stadium. 

Twenty players from the Henlopen Conference Southern Division were selected, to include: Dason Baine, Delmar; Brendon West and Vince Evans, III, Seaford; Braydon Hazzard, Sussex Tech; Michael Peranteau, and Jacb Killen, Indian River; Emmanuel Manu-Gyamfi, Early College; Malachi Hayes, Woodbridge, Burton, Laurel; and Michael Toomey, Sussex Central. The Gold Coaches with local ties were: Phillip Townsend, head coach, Indian River and assistant coaches Joey Venezia, Indian River and Eston Ennis, Sussex Tech.