By Dave Krider
MaxPreps.com
The most outstanding series of high school football games ever put together - Ohio vs. USA Challenge - is all about a love for the game, according to originator Kirk Herbstreit, the well known college football analyst for ESPN and ABC.
The third annual Challenge will feature 11 games over Labor Day weekend. There will be four games each on Saturday, Sept. 1, at the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium and Fawcett Stadium in Canton. The final three games will be held Sunday, Sept. 2, at Nippert.
A standout quarterback at Centerville (Ohio) High School and Ohio State, Herbstreit told MaxPreps, "I'm just a huge high school football fan. Football meant a lot to me in high school and it never left my blood. I travel around the country and noticed a lot of other people have the same passion. I thought it would be neat to put some of Ohio's best teams against the nation's best.
"The first couple of years it was a little more `ready, aim, fire.' We had `mom and pop' teams - a lot of family and friends - and it was pretty overwhelming (to deal with travel, hotels and food, in particular). There was a lot of growing animosity between people making the decisions. I learned a lot. It was too much of a challenge to do financially"
Herbstreit thought it was over after two years - even though the on-field product was praised by all and last year's games drew 60,000. Then Intersport, a Chicago-based firm, bought majority ownership, paid off all debts and enabled Herbstreit to start over with a clean slate. Burger King added great strength by signing on as a sponsor for at least three years. Herbstreit called it "a match made in Heaven" and stressed, "I'm still involved and feel really good about it."
All four games from Canton will be televised by the NFL Network. ESPN will televise Sunday's big matchup between St. Xavier (Cincinnati) and DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.). ESPNU will televise the following game between Northmont (Clayton, Ohio) and Central Catholic (Pittsburgh).
Two of Saturday's games should have special significance. At Canton, California powerhouse Long Beach Poly will take on Ohio's Cleveland Glenville. Both teams long have been noted for speed and this could be the biggest crowd-pleaser of the weekend. The eyes of the nation also will be on Independence (Charlotte, N.C.), which hopes to extend its incredible 108-game winning streak against Cincinnati Elder at UC.
Herbstreit, who always works college football games on the weekend, says he plans to take the redeye flight after working Saturday's Tennessee-Cal game and hopes to see all three of Sunday's contests.
His greatest satisfaction comes from "hearing stories from players and coaches. A lot of these kids haven't been on a plane. It's almost like a bowl game. A lot of coaches talk about the atmosphere helping them prepare for their post season. Not only the players and coaches, but fans and parents kind of pat me on the back and thank me for bringing these games to the state of Ohio."
Burger King Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge - 2007 Lineup
Sept. 1: Pro Football Hall of Fame Field - Canton, Ohio
11:30 a.m. Grove City vs. Buford, Ga.
2:15 p.m. Cleveland Glenville vs. Long Beach Poly, Calif.
5 p.m. Youngstown Cardinal Mooney vs. Gateway, Pa.
7:45 p.m. Canton McKinley vs. Tulsa Union, Okla.
Sept. 1: Nippert Stadium - Cincinnati, Ohio
11:30 a.m. Cincinnati LaSalle vs. Indianapolis Cathedral, Ind.
2:15 p.m. Cincinnati Colerain vs. Hoover, Ala.
5 p.m. Cincinnati Moeller vs. Mission Viejo, Calif.
7:45 p.m. Cincinnati Elder vs. Independence, N.C.
Sept. 2: Nippert Stadium - Cincinnati, Ohio
Noon Cincinnati St. Xavier vs. DeMatha Catholic, Md.
3 p.m. Clayton-Northmont vs. Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Pa.
6 p.m. Trotwood-Madison vs. Highlands, Ky.
