Lightning, severe weather delays North-South game
INDIANAPOLIS — The Community Chrysler All-Star Classic’s opening kickoff was delayed due to severe weather Friday night at North Central High School.
With heavy rainfall sweeping the Indianapolis area throughout the day, a strong system developed an hour prior to the game’s original 7 p.m. kickoff.
Subsequently, the game was pushed back to a later start time as of 9:15 p.m. with a postponement to today being considered.
Lightning strikes overhead at 5:30 p.m. and in the distance prompted officials to delay the game in accordance to National Federation of State High School Association Lightning Guidelines.
Friday night’s contest marked the event’s 49th meeting in the series history. The South All-Stars were attempting to stretch their winning streak against the North to five consecutive years.
New Palestine’s Kyle Ralph was named the head coach of the South All-Stars, with former Dragons defensive lineman and incoming Marian University freshman Noah Grable on his roster.
Joining them on the South were Mt. Vernon’s place kicker Logan Justus (Indiana University) and lineman Lucas Rice (University of Indianapolis).
The South won the past four games against the North, holding their foes to seven points or less all four years. The South outscored their intrastate rivals 86-22 in that span.
“When we first got together, we got a speech about how it’s been a tight game, but it’s gone the South’s way every year,” Grable said earlier this week. “It kind of gives us not too much pressure but just enough pressure to want to go out there and keep the run going.”
Ralph is the third New Palestine coach to be selected to lead a team in the All-Star Classic. The first was Marvin Shepler in 1991 for the North. Tim Able was named the head coach of the 2010 South team.
