Europe
For many, all-star game a fitting farewell to football
Stars and Stripes
November 14, 2015
Riley Palmer stiff arms Elijah Stacks during the 2015 DODDS-Europe football all-star game held in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Nov. 14, 2015. Palmer's Team Honor came up short in the contest, losing to Team Glory, 20-14. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Riley Palmer stiff arms Elijah Stacks during the 2015 DODDS-Europe football all-star game held in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Nov. 14, 2015. Palmer's Team Honor came up short in the contest, losing to Team Glory, 20-14. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Keyshawn Green tries to get past Drew Pickney during the 2015 DODDS-Europe football all-star game held in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Kyle Glenn deflects a pass before Keyshawn Green can get a hand on it during the 2015 DODDS-Europe football all-star game held in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Team Honor's Tony Saintmelus returned full-force to the field on Saturday as his squad took on a collective group of some of DODDS-Europe's best football players during the 2015 all-star game held in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Team Glory's Bailey Ward winds up during the 2015 DODDS-Europe football all-star game held in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. Ward's team beat Team Honor 20-14. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – The best players from across DODDS-Europe football converged on the benighted stadium here Saturday evening for the 2015 All-Star game.
They came from all over Germany. They came from Italy, they came from England, and they came from Spain. They came for Honor. They came for Glory.
Most of all, the 64 players that took the field Saturday at the 2015 DODDS-Europe All-Star game came to play high school football in Europe one more time.
In a game that saw emotions run high on both sides of the field, it was Team Glory that came away with the victory, eking out a 20-14 win over Team Honor.
Ryan Rimmler booted two field goals and quarterback Bailey Ward connected with Karrington Evans for a touchdown just before half in a game that was more intense than it had any right in being. The reason for that intensity, players said, was because they knew Saturday could very well have been their last time for many to strap on the helmet and step onto the field.
“Realistically, I may never play again,” said Bitburg’s John Blake. “I’ve loved this game for so long, I really tried to put everything I had into it since it may be the last.”
Both teams were made up of the crème de la crème of DODDS-Europe football. Old rivalries were put aside over the past three days as the intermixed squads practiced for Saturday’s finale. Division foes played on the same side, while former teammates were facing each other on opposing sides for the first time.
Players said it took a little getting used to.
“At first it was a little different,” said Team Honor’s K.J. Watters. “But we got to mesh together and we came together really well.”
This year’s all-star game was a change up from years past. Normally, the teams were split between North and South. This year’s intermixing of squads was an unqualified success, according to one of Team Glory’s coaches. Not just for the giving the outgoing seniors one last chance at high school football glory, but in helping form bonds that will last a lifetime.
“It’s kind of bittersweet, they’re playing their last game but they played well this year,” said coach Jim Hall. “They don’t develop these types of relationships because they go and they play and they leave. They’ve developed relationships here that will last a long time.”