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All 84 players were selected for one reason, and they came to play for something entirely different. Labeled the best of the best in the state, the 2004 Minnesota football All-Stars put relationships first last week, setting their competitiveness, past success, and egos aside for exactly one week.

Oh sure, when the Outstate All-Stars clashed with the Metro All-Stars last Saturday, the teams wanted to win. But, for the week leading up to the big game, the experience was more about building friendships than building a game-plan. After all, that’s the type of atmosphere the coaches try to create from minute one.

“It’s a great experience. To have a group of guys come in for a week, turn down their egos, and come together, there is something special about something like that,” commented Joel Swanson, North Branch head football coach and running back coach for the Outstate team. “It was great, all of these kids hardly knew each other going into to this thing, and now you look around, and they’re hugging each other.”

Chisago Lakes star, Aaron James, agreed.

“It was just awesome,” smiled James, a fullback for the Outstate team. “Getting to know a lot of the guys, that’s what I’m going to remember most. The relationships were a lot more important than the game.”

That was after the game.

Both teams charged onto the field before the contest with a different mind-set. Early on, the Metro All-Stars showed the most emotion, grabbing a quick lead thanks to an interception on Outstate’s second possession of the game, converting on a 28-yard field goal. That score set the tone in the first half as team Metro began to dominate the Outstate team, particularly on defense, holding team Outstate to two first downs in the entire first quarter of play.

Team Metro’s offensive weapons weren’t bad either. Leading 3-0, team Metro pushed their lead to 9-0 a few minutes later on an 82 yard touchdown strike from Ryan Parsons to Matt Simon. Simon, a wide receiver from Farmington, was one of 12 Division One athletes playing for the metro, including five future Minnesota Gophers. Far from finished, on the heels of a two-point conversion, Darrel Davenport of Henry Sibley scampered in from 13 yards late in the first quarter, running the Metro lead to 17-0 after one.

The Metro leveled off in the second as team Outstate began to fight back with their defense. The only scoring of the second quarter came on a 36 yard field goal from Paul Fortman of Stillwater. As for James, the Wildcat weapon finished the first half with one carry for one yard.

In the second half, things began to turn around for James and the Outstate. Team Outstate, who had five Division One players on the field, including four future Minnesota Gophers, went to the power game to begin the third, driving 55 yards in their first possession of the second half to score on a quarterback sneak, trimming the Metro lead to 13, 20-7.

Because of the All-Star game 10 point rule, the Outstate All-Stars got the ball right back, putting the ball in the hands of Aaron James. After seeing it just once in the first half, James carried three times in the Outstate’s ensuing drive, including a run of seven yards, giving the Outstate All-Stars a first down. However, the Metro All-Stars came up with a stop at midfield, forcing the Outstate team to punt, keeping the score 20-7.

The score would stay that way until the fourth. After the Metro increased their lead less than five minutes into the fourth, jumping in front 26-7, team Outstate charged back with a scoring drive off their own, rolling 65 yards for a score, making the score 26-13 with eight minutes left.

There was still a chance, but the Outstate All-Stars had to make their move. For James, he did his part. Back in the game after sitting out the last two possessions (three fullbacks were on the squad and each one rotated every possession), James sparked the Outstate, breaking free for runs of 12 and two yards. His scamper of 12 was a tackle away from six points.

He never got another shot at running the ball as team Metro picked off the very next pass after his 12 yard run, putting an end to team Outstate’s comeback hopes. Both teams played to a standstill the rest of the way, ending in a 26-13 Metro win. The victory avenged a 34-13 loss to team Outstate in 2003.

As for James, his final line read six carries for 26 yards. Since James has decided to go into the Army with an emphasis on Special Forces instead of playing football at Rochester Community College, the game could’ve been his last in pads. If so, not a bad way to end it.

“I had a couple of disappointing plays, but overall I thought I played okay,” remarked James. “We had three fullbacks so they got their time and I got mine. It was just really fun to be apart of. I’ll remember this experience for the rest of my life.”

Swanson, who worked with James the entire week leading up to game, echoed his sentiments.

“He played well. In something like this, you’re doing things that don’t necessarily fit everyone’s system. For Aaron, he’s a power back and we didn’t do a whole lot of that,” replied Swanson. “I was telling the other coaches, I wish we could’ve turned him loose in that secondary, he was a shoelace away a couple of times. I told the guys that if that happened, they were going to see a whole new level.

“That’s the great thing about something like this, working with players like Aaron and Ben (Bradley of Cambridge),” continued Swanson. “You just feel so privileged to work with some of the kids and coaches I’ve coached against. It was just a great group of young men.”

Metro 26, Outstate 13

Metro 17 3 0 6 26

Outstate 0 0 7 6 13

Scoring:

First Quarter-

M- 28 yrd. FG

M- Simon 82 yrd. pass from Parsons (2 pt. conversion good)

M- Davenport 13 yrd. Run

(Kick failed)

Second Quarter-

M- 36 yrd. FG

Third Quarter-

O- Hart 1 yrd. run (Kick good)

Fourth Quarter-

M- Cadwell 4 yrd. pass from Otto (Kick no good)

O- Dickinson 10 yrd. run

(2 pt. conversion failed)

Stats:

James- 6 carries, 26 yrds.

(long of 12 yards)

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