Adams Will Play In Biggest Game Of His Career Saturday

Ava High School senior Dillon Adams will be a member of the South squad in the all-star Blue-Grey Game this Saturday.

Dillon Adams has achieved some of the highest honors of  high school football during this past  season. He received First Team All-State, First Team All-Conference, and Second Team All-District.
Yet, Adams recently received another honor that is bigger than all of these awards.
The 6-foot-4, 255 lbs. Adams has been selected from a field of over 2,000 football players to play in the High School All-Star Blue vs. Grey game.
The Blue vs. Grey game is held at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium in Clearwater, Fla.
Adams attended two try-outs, the first one in Kansas City, where they cut the field of players to 200. He was next invited to the second try-out in Canton, Ohio where he was selected to play on the South team as an offensive lineman.
Adams and his father flew to Florida on Jan. 11 to be in Clearwater for his practice sessions; however, they will not be the only ones making the long trip to Florida. His mom, siblings, cousins, and four of Dillon’s closest friends are also going to watch him play. Their plan is to rent a van and drive to Florida to watch Adams on his big day.
There are also three teachers who are making the journey to Florida. Brandy Harvill, Charity Bentley, and Laura Walker are all flying out Friday to make it in time for his game. These three English teachers have all had Adams in class, and they know how hard he has worked in school and on the field to get to where he is now.
When asked why they were going, they all agreed on one answer: “Any student who has worked as hard as Dillon has throughout his four years of school, especially in English, should be rewarded.  We feel honored to get to go watch Dillon on this big stage.”
Besides working hard in the classroom and on the field, Adams has been working hard to raise money to pay for his way to the game. He is being sponsored by Springfield business Polar Welding Company; additionally, Adams went out and asked local community members and friends to help sponsor him, and many people came through giving generous donations to help him fulfill his dream.
This game will be nationally televised by ESPN and by Fox Sports Prep Zone. The game is scheduled to air at 7 p.m. Central Standard Time on Saturday, Jan. 14.
(This article was submitted by Ava High School senior Zach Leonard.)