Harris, Crawford named as All-Stars

Washington's outstanding football season has resulted in coach James Harris and player Jadon Crawford being named to participate in the 2020 Iowa Shrine All-Star Football Classic.

'I am looking forward to seeing how Jadon Crawford prepares and performs for this opportunity,” Harris said.

The game will be played Saturday July 18, 2020 at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls starting at 4 p.m.

'I'm excited for the opportunity,” Harris said. 'My goal is to be a sponge soaking up the moment and experience and learn from talented people. Honestly I am taken aback by the honor and feel unworthy because I know how many talented coaches there are in (Class) 3A and in the state in general. I am very humbled.”

The Iowa High School Football Coaches Association has selected the head coach for the South as Rob Luther (Baxter) and assistant coaches Ryan Pezzetti (Ankeny Centennial), James Harris (Washington), Matt Kovacevich (Centerville), Nate Mechaelsen (Underwood), and Derek Wharton (Martensdale-St. Mary's).

'I was contacted by Coach Luther of Baxter but I am not sure how that process goes (in being selected),” Harris said. 'This a tremendous opportunity for me to network with and learn from talented coaches in the state. It also is a great opportunity to coach very talented players, which I also think will teach me a lot. Then having to coach against a talented North team with great coaches and players will be a great challenge that will stretch and challenge me, which will be a great opportunity to learn.”

The North head coach is Paul James (Linn Mar, Marion) with assistant coaches Brad Remmert (Cedar Falls), Justin Putz (Independence), Mike Swieter (Southeast Valley, Gowrie), Larry Allen (OABCIG), and John Olson (Gladbrook-Reinbeck).

'I think this happened because Washington is good football program,” Harris said. 'It happened because I coach talented kids that buy into community and team and it happens because I have tremendous coaching staff that prepares our team to play at a high level.”

The 2020 game will be the 48th Annual All-Star game which has raised over $2,760,000 for the Shrine Hospitals for Children. There are 17 orthopedic hospitals in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Hawaii, three burn centers in the United States and one unit in the United States that treats all types of cases.

The game has been privileged to have some of the finest football players participate in this prestigious game, of whom many have gone on to excel at the college and professional level.

Regardless of the score, everyone is a winner in the All-Star game, especially the children treated at the hospitals.