The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Bush to coach All-Star squad
By Don Richter, Sports Editor
PUBLISHED: July 17, 2008
There will be a familiar face pacing up and down the sidelines during Saturday's 28th annual Michigan High School Football Coaches Association East-West All-Star Game at Michigan State University's Spartan Stadium.
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Chelsea's Brad Bush will be head coach of the West squad in the latest installment of the prep gridiron summer event. Bulldog defensive coordinator Grant Fanning will be one of Bush's five assistant coaches.
Besides Bush and Fanning, Frankfort head coach Matt Stapleton, Haslett head coach Charlie Otlewski, Cadillac head coach Jim Webb and Frankfort assistant coach Michael Pratley.
All-Star coaches as selected by the MHSFCA Board of Directors.
Kickoff is 2 p.m. Cost to attend the game is $10.
"It's an honor when you're voted in by your peers," said Bush, who last season led Chelsea to an 11-1 overall record, a No. 1 state ranking, a Southeastern Conference White Division championship, a Division 3 playoff district title and a berth in the state regional final before losing to East Lansing 24-16. "It's a chance to work with a lot of great players. You can only do this (coach) once in the All-Star Game. It's exciting."
Bush, who recently completed his 11th season on the Chelsea sideline, said he's looking forward to working with all of the talent at his disposal on the West squad.
"It's been a yearlong process," he said of helping choose the team. "We had a chance to evaluate almost every player on film. This will be a chance to be around a lot of great coaches and a lot of great kids. That part of it is pretty special."
A few of the high-profile players on the West include wide receivers and former Bulldog opponents Marvon Sanders (5-foot-8, 170 pounds), an Eastern Michigan University recruit and Saline's Sam Burchyett (6-2, 187). At tight end, Bush will have Fowlerville's Joe Lane (6-4, 240). Two years ago, Lane caught the game-winning touchdown pass in the waning seconds as the Gladiators beat Chelsea in the state regional championship game.
"We're going to have some two two-back alignments in the game because we have to carry a fullback, but it's (West offense) going to look a lot like what we (Chelsea) do."
The Bulldogs normally run a wide open, spread offense. Bush said with his two All-Star quarterbacks, it should be interesting to see how explosive his squad will be Saturday.
"We have two very good quarterbacks in Adam Follett (6-5, 210) and Kirk Deering (5-11, 180) to run and throw the ball," he said. "Those two guys are very good."
Follett, from Alma, will play next season in the Big Ten at Indiana, while Derring will suit up at Division II powerhouse Saginaw Valley State University.
Bush said the East would have a decided advantage once the game begins.
"They have a unique team because both quarterbacks are sons of (East) staff members," he said. "I'm sure they've been talking about what they're going to do."
Rick Powell (5-9, 165) from Warren Cousino is the son of coach Mike Powell, while Dearborn's Anthony Mifsud (6-4, 195) is the son of coach Dave Mifsud.
East head coach is Warren De La Salle's Paul Verska. Besides Powell and Mifsud, additional East coaches include Lake Orion's Chris Bell, De La Salle's Mike Lewis and Cousino's Brad Nettles.
While the quarterbacks will be a challenge for the West, Bush also said the East has a powerful running game, as well, with Detroit Denby's Glenn Winston (6-0, 215) and Birmingham Brother Rice's Caulton Ray (5-10, 195).
"Both running backs are going to Michigan State," he said. "They're Big Ten players. Our ability to slow them down will be our biggest challenge."
The East owns a 14-13 won/loss advantage in the series, though the West has won three of the last four games, including last year 9-7.
"We want to win," said Bush. "It's still an All-Star Game, so everybody has to play. I want the guys to have some fun this week. But when Saturday comes around, we're going to try to win."
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