BEDFORD – The 2018 CHaD NH East-West High School All-Star Football Game, powered by Bedford and Nashua Ambulatory Surgical Centers, is proving to be a record year. With final numbers still trickling in, this year’s football fundraiser has raised a record $275,000 for the kids and programs at Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.
It’s only fitting that the banner fundraising year was matched by the drama on the field as Team West rallied late to secure a 24-20 victory over Team East at the University of New Hampshire’s Wildcat Stadium.
The funds were generated in myriad ways, including sponsorships; ticket, merchandise, and raffle sales; and player fundraising. While not a requirement for participation for the players, this year’s group of 86 All-Stars followed this year’s theme of smashing records. They collectively generated over $93,000, a total surpassing the previous high of $72,000 set by the 2016 stars. Team West won the team fundraising battle by raising over record $52,000, led by Milford High School’s Michael Boucher as the top individual fundraiser at $8,751. Team East’s total was also a new high of almost $42,000. In total, 33 players topped $1,000 in individual fundraising for the cause.
Proceeds from the game will provide support for programs that normally wouldn’t exist without philanthropy. This includes Kristen’s Gift Endowment Fund, which supports kids and families fighting pediatric cancer at CHaD. Additional programs include:
· Molly’s Place and CHaD Family Center – a playroom, resource center, and resting place for families before, between, and after appointments at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon.
· Child Advocacy and Protection Program – advocates for abused and neglected children, teaming with social workers, law enforcement, and other agencies to protect the most vulnerable population.
· Child Life Program – provides a wide array of services for kids at CHaD, helping them prepare and relax for treatments and offering toys, games, and other activities while they are in the hospital.
On the field, Team West built an early lead before their Eastern counterparts rallied for a pair of second-quarter touchdowns for a 14-7 lead at half-time. East carried a three-point lead into the final frame before an Andrew Duval (Goffstown High School) touchdown run put West ahead with 4:28 to go in the game.
Hanover High School’s Moises Celaya earned Bo Dickson MVP honors by kicking a key field goal in the third quarter and routinely pinning Team East deep in its own end with several excellent punts. He bested East quarterback Cody Graham (Portsmouth High School) who became just the second player to throw three touchdown passes in the event. Team East RB Josh Sibanda (Salem) set a new record with 220 all-purpose yards, just ahead of Duval’s 181 yards for West. Defensively, Kyle Gleason (Timberlane) led East with five tackles and a forced fumble. West’s Colby Moore (Plymouth) and Peter Thibault (Newport) combined for 12.5 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss of yardage by Thibault.
Eric Brown (Concord High School) earned the win in his debut as Team West’s head coach. Craig Kozens (Laconia High School) saw his East team come a few plays short from giving him a third CHaD victory.
Fans can still donate to the game by visiting CHaDAllStarFootball.org. Photos of the game are available atFacebook.com/CHaDAllStarFootball. For photos of individual players, please email [email protected].
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