Waller, Smith invited to play in annual All-Star football game
With the St. Joseph-Ogden way up in the fourth quarter of their first-round playoff game against Carlinville, Spartan lineman Braxton Waller (left) and quarterback Logan Smith give thumbs up while chilling on the bench in the fourth quarter. Smith, who received Class 3A All-State honors, and Waller helped lead SJO to an 8-3 finish in 2023.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
BLOOMINGTON - The two teams for the 50th Annual Illinois High School Shrine Game were selected by the ILHSFCA at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Two members from the St. Joseph-Ogden football were among the 126 high school seniors to play in the annual charity event for Shriners Hospitals for Children. Logan Smith and Braxton Waller received invitations to pad up again and play on June 15 at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington. Kickoff is slated for 11am. Instead of being teammates, Waller will be a member of the Blue squad and Smith will play on the Red team. Cully Welter will have one more game to coach his son, Trey, in a prep football game. The Monticello head coach picked by the coaches' association to lead this year's Blue Team. He will go head-to-head with Chicago Hope Academy's Chris Malette. Other players from the 217 that received invitations include: RED TEAM David McGehee, Southeast HS
Drew Paben, Camp Point Central
Kani Carson, Lincoln Community
Jack Gallier, Mahomet-Seymour
Jack Barnhart, Centennial
Brayden Daily, St. Teresa
Parker Lyons, Rochester
Reese Frericks, Quincy Notre Dame
Kameron Beckman, Springfield
Kaiden Maurer, Maroa-Forsyth
Ki'on Carson, Lincoln Community
A.J. Sypherd, Litchfield
Noah Bass, Clinton
Austin Cummings, Tuscola
BLUE TEAM Burke Wilkin, Sacred Heart-Griffin
Jack Dettro, Corner Glenwood
Josh McClain, Sacred Heart-Griffin
Aidan Archibald, Charleston
Chris Flachs, Quincy Senior
Cameron Schroth, Mt. Zion
Connor Sullivan, Casey-Westfield
Cory Craig Jr., Athens
CamRon Mitchell, Jacksonville
Tristin Potts, Clinton
Brady Clodfelder, Villa Grove
Ayden Ingram, BHRA
Trey Welter, Monticello
