David Jacobs

It was a beautiful, sunny day on July 14 at Decatur Central High School who hosted the annual Murat Shrine North/South All Star Game. In front of a nearly sold out crowd, the top seniors from across the state come together to learn, bond and prepare for the next level. In the week leading up to the big game, the two teams spend four days and three nights at the University of Indianapolis getting to know each other on and off the field.

The game itself was controlled by the South team for the majority of the game, pounding the rock and connecting on some big passes on their way to a 21-2 victory. To start the game, the North held onto their slim 2-0 lead for just about the whole opening quarter until Butler commit Deveon Holman intercepted a pass over the middle to stop a North scoring opportunity. This led to Saginaw Valley State commit Nick Patterson driving the South team down the field to give them a 7-2 lead on a beautiful pass to Parker Burk which they never looked back on. After more defensive stops by both sides, Andrew Zellers from Greenfield Central would punch it in from about five yards out to give the South a 14-2 lead. Despite the efforts from North quarterback Max Mullis, the North offense just could not finish drives leaving 6 points on the board due to missed field goals right before half.

To start the second half, Navy commit Lee Alexander came up with a huge sack on Mullis which helped carry the South’s first half energy over to the second. The sharp South defense would continue to hound the North, coming up with its second interception of the day midway through the third quarter that led to a Mason Wunderich back-shoulder touchdown pass to David Ayers to go up 21-2 late in the third. From there on out, the score stayed stagnant as the refs called the game early with just over four minutes to play due to some heated late-game antics. 

Although the game was clouded by the lopsided score and early finish, it is the players in it that will resonate in the record books and memories of friends and family. 

“I am truly blessed to play this game again before college,” says game MVP Nick Patterson. “[And] getting MVP on Decatur’s field is just amazing.” 

Patterson, who quarterbacked Decatur Central’s rival school, Mooresville, to a 2-1 record against the Hawks while he was under center was soaking in every second of the moment and feeling of his accomplishment after the game. 

“My favorite memory is this honestly, this winning moment with a whole new group of guys,” says Patterson. “It was a big confidence booster before going off to college, I definitely needed this.” 

Although Patterson had a phenomenal game, well-deserving of MVP. If there were a defensive player of the game, it might just have gone to Butler commit Deveon Holman who recorded a crucial interception and a handful of tackles throughout the game for the South. 

“It feels amazing,” says Holman. “[Knowing] all my hard work and dedication did not go to waste.”