By John Counts
Review Editor
It was deep talent that got the Lake Orion boys? football squad to the state championship game last season.
But only one player could represent the team at the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association All Star game.
When it came down to it, Coach Chris Bell nominated Tyler Benson.
Benson, who played center on the team that almost went all the way, will join 44 other players on the East All-Star team at the game, which will be played at 2 p.m. at Michigan State University’s Spartan Stadium on July 11.
Tickets are available at the gate.
Benson was humbled by the choice.
‘It was pretty special,? he said. ‘We had a lot of good players on the team.?
The game will give Benson a chance to get back into football before heading off to play college ball in the fall.
‘It’s another chance to get me back into football before college,? he said.
The 2009 Lake Orion High School graduate will be attending Oberlin College in Ohio.
During the summer, the 6?1, 235-pound Benson works a factory job loading pallets, but tries to get to the old high school gym to lift and workout to stay in shape for Oberlin.
He hopes to major in bio-chemistry and maybe pre-med.
College football will be a big step for a Lake Orion kid who started playing football at Waldon Middle School, but who went through one of the football programs that is becoming one of the most-recognized in the state.
But, most of all, Benson’s looking forward to having a little fun at the All-Star game.
‘It’s going to be a good time, a good atmosphere,? he said.
The game pits the East All-Stars–players selected from schools in Wayne, Oakland, Monroe, St. Clair, Lapeer, Sanilac, Macomb, Huron and Tuscola counties–against the West All-Stars–players from the rest of the counties in the state.