Hayes and Huskies staff to lead OVAC Ohio All-Stars
Harrison Central football had a season to remember in 2023, and it appears other area coaches and OVAC officials would agree. Coming off the heels of the school’s first ever appearance in week 12 of the state playoffs, Harrison Central Head Coach Anthony Hayes and his staff have been tabbed with the coaching responsibilities for the Ohio All-Stars in the Valley’s premier summer high school football event. The Rudy Mumley OVAC All-Star Football Game that lines up Ohio’s best versus West Virginia’s best will kick off the 78th version of the event in July, and Hayes is excited for the opportunity to lead the Buckeye State’s team into action.
“We are extremely humbled and honored to be selected as the Ohio All-Star coaching staff. I am so proud that my coaches have this opportunity because they have certainly earned it. These guys are outstanding representatives of our school and ambassadors for the great game of football,” Hayes commented.
In conversation with Hayes, it is believed that the only other time a Harrison County coaching staff has coached in the event was in 1992, when the Cadiz Cardinals staff was selected to lead the Buckeye unit. The head coach of that staff was Chuck Bizzari, who also served as Hayes’ head coach during his playing career at Cadiz. In a strange twist of irony and coincidence, in the fall of 1991, the Cadiz Cardinals had also won the school’s first ever playoff game (pre-consolidation). Initial playoff success, albeit 32-years apart, now adds to the bond that brought both respective staffs to the forefront of the OVAC coaching scene.
Two current Harrison assistant coaches have suited up in the All-Star game. David Nameth (1992) and Mark Smith (1994) both donned Ohio’s colors in the event. Hayes acknowledged that the pair is excited to coach in the game they once participated in as players.
“To be able to coach in the same game that so many legendary coaches have coached in is pretty surreal and is definitely appreciated,” Hayes added.
The All-Star Game has long served as the unofficial start to high school football season, as most schools are reporting for camp come the end of July and early August. So, on top of preparing the 2024 Huskies, Hayes will be tasked with fielding a team made up of the best of Ohio’s 2023 OVAC senior class.
“We are excited to get to work on watching film of all the players that were nominated to play in the game. We know it is going to be a difficult process selecting players because there are so many who are deserving of this honor. However, we can only select 32 guys, plus one kicker. Certain criteria must be met as well. We must fulfill a percentage of 30 Ohio schools to be represented in the game. It will be good to coach our own players one last time, as well as coach some different players that we have coached against through the years. Additionally, it is exciting to take a more in-depth look at those who we haven’t had the chance to coach against,” Hayes stated.
Hayes, his staff, and the 33 selected players will report to the campus of Wheeling University on July 15 to begin game prep. The game will be held on Saturday, July 20, at Wheeling Island Stadium with a kickoff time of 7:15 p.m.
“Our staff will do our best to assemble a team that represents Ohio in the best possible way. We also want to be sure that we represent Harrison Central and our community in a manner that makes Huskies Nation proud,” Hayes concluded.
