MANSFIELD – Superintendent Teresa Murphy, Principal Russ Booth, Head Football Coach Michael Redding, and Athletic Director Tim Selmon are pleased to recognize three senior football players from Mansfield High School who were recently selected to play in the 47th Annual Shriners All-Star Football Game.
Seniors Sean McCoy, Matt Tourigney, and Chris Holts were each chosen by the South Squad coaching staff.
The Shriners game is a spirited competition between the best football players of Eastern Massachusetts who split up into a South squad and a North squad. More importantly, the game is played to raise funds for the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital in Boston, which provides outstanding medical care to children from all over the world who have suffered injuries from burns.
The Boston hospital is one of 22 facilities located in the U.S., Canada and Mexico dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs. Children up to the age of 18 with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care and receive services in a family-centered environment regardless of the ability to pay.
This year’s game will be played at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 13, at Bentley University in Waltham.
Over the last 46 years of this annual tradition, the Massachusetts State Football Coaches Association has been proud to partner with the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital and donate over $1,000,000 from proceeds from the game.
This year, Mansfield will be represented by Matt Tourigney who was a Hockomock League and Sun Chronicle All-Star as well as being named to the Division 3 State Coaches All-State Team. Matt will attend Mass Maritime Academy in the fall and will continue playing football for the Corsairs.
Mansfield will also be represented by Chris Holts, who was a Hockomock League, Sun Chronicle All-Star, Boston Globe All-Scholastic as well as being named to the Division 3 All-State Team. Chris will be attending American International College in the fall and will continue playing football for the Yellow Jackets.
Finally, Mansfield will also be represented by Sean McCoy who was a Hockomock and Sun Chronicle All-Star, Division 3 All-State selection and a Boston Globe and Herald All-Scholastic. Sean is currently being recruited by many colleges and visiting campuses and will continue his football career at the collegiate level.
The first Shriner’s game was played in 1979 at Boston College and included former Hornet Russell Muise as well as current Mansfield Head Coach Michael Redding, who played for North Attleboro.
Since that time, 60 Mansfield players have been selected to play in this prestigious event, ranking the Hornets in the Top 10 of all high schools in Massachusetts for the number of players who have participated.
Other former players from the game who succeeded in college and the NFL include Doug Flutie, Matt and Tim Hasselbeck, Lofa Tatupu, Anthony Sherman, and Tom Nalen.
Three of the Mansfield players who played in the game also earned MVP honors — Joe Todd in 1997, John Connell in 2002, and Brett McDermott in 2005.
Click here for game and ticket information.
Top photol Seniors Sean McCoy, Matt Tourigney and Chris Holts were selected to play in the Shriner’s All-Star Classic Game. (Photo Courtesy Mansfield Public Schools)