MACJC Football All-Star game set for Thursday, Dec. 4; Koonz will coach the North squad

BOONEVILLE--- The Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) All-Star Football Classic will feature a slight alteration for the second straight year. Holmes Community College Head Coach Jeff Koonz will coach the North squad.

The 41st edition of the event returns to the Northeast Mississippi Community College campus on Thursday, December 4. A 1 p.m. kickoff is scheduled at Tiger Stadium.

Northeast has welcomed the MACJC's top pigskin stars for the past 28 years dating back to the mid-1980s. This is the second consecutive season during that span in which the contest has been moved from its usual Saturday afternoon slot.

"We are extremely honored and proud to once again serve as the host for this annual game," said Northeast athletic director David Robbins. "It is something that we look forward because we feel it is a fantastic way to recognize a special group of student-athletes from all over the state."

Sophomores from each of the MACJC's 14 football playing institutions are eligible to participate in this yearly tradition. Thirty-three men comprise both the North and South rosters with each college contributing three athletes. 

The all-star coaches select the remainder of the roster, but no more than eight players from one school are allowed.

Both units are slated to report to Booneville on Tuesday, December 2 at noon. The gridiron standouts will have three practices before the contest, one session on Tuesday while teams double up on Wednesday.

Southwest Mississippi Community College's Tucker Peavey will direct the South squad while Jeff Koonz of Holmes Community College is in charge of the North. However, the remaining head coaches from every two-year establishment in the Magnolia State will serve as their assistants for the first time in the rich history of this game.

The MACJC All-Star Football Classic has been a springboard to the next level since its inception. Numerous athletes from previous matchups have signed scholarships at four-year universities in NCAA Divisions I, II and NAIA.

The practice sessions allow coaches from across the nation to visit one location and scout the best talent that each MACJC member has to offer.

A full roster for the 2014 MACJC All-Star Football Classic has not been set and will be released at a later date. The South leads the all-time series 20-18-1 following a tight 6-3 decision last season.

The game will also be televised live for the first time in its history on NEMCCTV. The pregame show starts at approximately 12:45 p.m. with The Voice of the Tigers Jeremy Kennedy on the call.