Bethel-Tate senior Caleb Bastin hauls in a one-handed catch for 18 yards in the first half of the East's 23-7 win over the west in the SWOFCA All-Star Game, held at Kings High School on Thursday, June 8.

Bethel-Tate senior Caleb Bastin hauls in a one-handed catch for 18 yards in the first half of the East's 23-7 win over the west in the SWOFCA All-Star Game, held at Kings High School on Thursday, June 8.

By Garth Shanklin
Sports Editor

Six Clermont County football players got the chance to return to the gridiron one final time.
Amelia’s Brant Fluher, Batavia’s Stephen Trainor, Bethel-Tate’s Caleb Bastin, Clermont Northeastern’s Luke Newtown and New Richmond’s Corey Bozic and Cory Higgenbotham hit the field for the final time in high school as members of the East squad competing in the 42nd annual SWOFCA Ron Woyan East/West All-Star Game, held at Kings High School.
Thanks to a stingy defense, the East squad ran away with the game, rolling to a 23-7 victory.
Defense put the East on the board in the first quarter. A botched punt by the West deep in their own territory sailed through the back of the end zone, giving the East squad a 2-0 first-quarter lead.
They added to that shortly after, with Riverview East’s Maysico Tribble hauling in a 15-yard touchdown just before the end of the quarter to put the East on top 9-0.
Neither team scored in the second or third period, but the East struck for two more touchdowns in the fourth.
Sycamore’s Khadim Fall snagged a three-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone from Blanchester’s Tristan Greene, and Middletown’s Will Thomas grabbed a 24-yard strike from Summit Country Day’s Zairn Davis to cap off the scoring for the East.
With most of the locals spending the game in the trenches, Bethel-Tate’s Bastin was the only player in the county to record an offensive stat, hauling in an impressive one-handed catch for 18 yards in the first half.
Amelia’s Fluher recovered a fumble on the defensive side of the ball late in the fourth quarter.
T
he West’s lone score came from Aiken’s Dequan Freeman, a 21-yard reception from North College Hill’s Franklin Steward Jr.
The win is the third straight victory for the East squad and the 10th win in the last 11 games since 2006. Last
year’s team, coached by former New Richmond head coach Josh Stratton, defeated the West 21-12.