FORMER GRID STARS GO TO LIONS GAME

A Tiger and an Indian will be playing in a Lions game.

Former Cape Central standout quarterback Frank McGinty and St. Vincent linebacker Aaron Unterreiner, will be participating in the 23rd Annual Missouri Lions All-Star East vs. West game on Saturday, July 31 at Lincoln University in Jefferson City.

The teams are composed of a conglomerate of some of the best graduated players across the state.

McGinty (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) posted a brilliant season last year, throwing for a school-record 2,099 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also rushed for four touchdowns. The 1999 graduate completed 151 of 263 passes for 57 percent. He also won the Carr Trophy for the most outstanding football player in Southeast Missouri.

Unterreiner is a 1999 graduate of St. Vincent and was captain of the Class 1A runner-up team. He was also a first-team all-state linebacker. He will be attending Southeast Missouri State University this fall.

Unterreiner, who played middle linebacker at 5-10, 180 pounds, recorded 141 solo tackles, five quarterback sacks and three fumbles during his senior campaign.

He returned one of his fumble recoveries for a 76-yard touchdown against Herculanium.

Other area players to be competing from the Southeast Missouri region are Travis Huffman, a tight end from Poplar Bluff; Mack Skelton, an offensive guard from Kennett; Ben Barbour, an offensive guard from Poplar Bluff; Justin Henson, a linebacker from Farmington; John Brown from Sikeston; and Michael Lee Thebeau, a quarterback from Farmington.

"It was a big honor to know it was a state-wide game and I've been picked from all of the great players across the state," said McGinty, who will be a walk-on at Southwest Missouri State this upcoming season. "I'm excited about playing in it. It should be a lot of fun. It'll be competitive, but it'll be fun."

Unterreiner shared similar sentiments.

"I think it's a great honor. Any time you get nominated for an all-star game it's a great honor," said Unterreiner. "Any time you get all-stars together, it will be a competitive game. You get a bunch of guys together who know how to win and want to win."

All of the members of each team will arrive at Jefferson City on Friday to practice for one week.

McGinty sees that as a challenge, particularly for a quarterback, but Unterreiner, as a linebacker, wasn't as concerned.

"I'm more worried about everybody being on the same page (than learning schemes). Usually a lot of defense is reaction, so I'm not too worried about it."

"You have to learn the offense in a week," McGinty said. "You have to learn what everybody is like -- receivers you're running backs and coaches. It will be interesting."

What will also be interesting is to see how Southeast Missouri's football players stack up against the rest of the state's best.

"I don't know if I'll start and I don't know how much playing time I'll get," McGinty said. "I guess it'll depend on the practices and what type of guy they're looking for."

McGinty is hoping conditioning won't be a big problem.

"I've been working out all summer, lifting and doing sprints," the quarterback said. "It'll be tough putting pads on in this heat, but hopefully, I'll be in good shape."

Unterreiner, likewise, has been working out.

"I've been keeping up (with workouts) and I'm in pretty good shape. I haven't had a player run straight at me in awhile, but I'll get over that after the first day of practice."