Platte County’s Jordan Branson and Jesse Eggers will play one more football game this week, part of the Missouri roster for the 22nd annual Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association All-Star Game.Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m., Thursday at Blue Springs High School. Branson (6-foot, 195 pounds) will be the only local player on the offensive side after a standout senior season as a utility threat. He’s listed at wide receiver after accruing a team-high 44 receptions and 481 yards this past season for the Pirates, who finished 4-6. The Missouri Valley commit added team-highs of 349 yards rushing and 1,219 all-purpose yards, while scoring seven total touchdowns. Eggers will be at defensive line. Signed to play at Central Missouri, the 6-4, 240-pounder played linebacker for Platte County and amassed 80 tackles (nine TFL) and 3½ sacks in 2013. Park Hill’s Gary Wilson (6-4, 260) joins Eggers on the defensive front as a tackle. He notched 43 tackles (15 TFL), a team-high five sacks and two forced fumbles this past season and plans to continue his career at Missouri Valley. At linebacker, a future teammate of Eggers from Park Hill South and a Lindenwood-bound Park Hill graduate will be on display. South’s Austin Miller (6-1, 220) highlights the duo after racking up a team-high 114 tackles (16 TFL), a sack, an interception, two forced fumbles and three fumbles recovered. He’s also on Central Missouri’s recruiting list. Park Hill’s Nate Blanchard (6-0, 200) – signed to Lindenwood – played in only five games due to injury in 2013 but still managed 32 tackles (six TFL), one sack and two blocked punts for the 3-7 Trojans. South’s Bryan Robinson gives each district school a pair of participants. Bound for Division II perennial national title contender Grand Valley (Mich.) State, Robinson notched 36 tackles, three interceptions and nine passes defensed as a senior defensive back for the 6-5 Panthers. Both of South’s all-stars also scored touchdown on an interception return in 2013 – Robinson on a 55-yarder in a season-opening loss to Fort Osage and Miller on a 65-yarder in a shutout victory vs. Liberty North. The players began practices for the all-star game last week. Tickets are currently on sale at www.kcprepfootball.org and will also be available at the gate. Kansas currently holds an 11-10 all-time advantage in the showcase exhibition.

The Platte County Citizen