Muskingum Valley All-Star team loaded with local talent

DUNCAN FALLS, Ohio – After taking Philo to their first MVL title in over 20 years, Dirk Lincicome is now ready for the challenge of coaching in his first Licking County-Muskingum Valley All Star Game.

Players from 11 high schools in Muskingum, Morgan, and Perry County will try to win the All-Star contest for the third year in a row. Lincicome played in the game as an Electric in 1996 and is excited for his first opportunity to coach in the contest.

“You would think at first it would be tough to coach kids from others schools but once they get here they’re kids just like our kids. Football is football no matter what school you’re at. It’s been a lot of fun for us,” Lincicome said.

The Muskingum team will have a larger roster than Licking County and Lincicome said he didn’t have too hard of a time trying to convince athletes to play in the game. He has two quarterbacks he plans on using but hasn’t decided which one will start. One option is John Glenn’s Matt Stewart and the other is Philo’s Jacob Mohler, who wasn’t Philo starting quarterback this past fall but was as versatile a football player you could find in the MVL.

“We all know each other pretty well and get along. I think we’ve been pretty cohesive. The past few practices have gone a lot better than I thought they would. Our offensive line is talking a lot. Our mesh between the back and wide receivers going across in motion is really good. I think we came together a lot better than I thought we would,” Mohler said.

Mohler and Lincicome will get the benefit of not having to travel far for the 35th Licking County-Muskingum Valley All-Star game. It will be at Philo’s Sam Hatfield Stadium on June 23 at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on Z92 radio.