Simms' Presence Remains Vital
For North-South All-Star Classic

The New Jersey North-South All-Star Classic has evolved, adjusted to the times, survived through a few challenging years and is has continued to thrive as the 47th game will be held this Sunday with a 2:30 p.m. kickoff at Kean University’s Alumni Field while also marking the 10th contest with Phil Simms’ name and energy attached to it.

 

Ken Trimmer, the former Caldwell High School coach plus the all-star game’s director from 2002-2018, hit a proverbial touchdown post pattern in 2014 when he was able to bring Simms on board with the North-South Classic.

 

The former Giants star quarterback and well-known NFL TV studio analyst has been ever-present and then some in terms of diving headfirst into the very essence of what the North-South Classic represents for those who enjoy New Jersey high school football.     

 

“For me this was an easy decision and is just tremendous to be a part of, plus the amount of talent on hand for both teams is always outstanding,” said Simms, who is ever-present for pre-game events and practices leading up to the actual playing of the North-South Classic on Kean’s state-of-the-art Alumni Field.  “The North-South Classic has tremendous history and the list of players who have been in this game is really amazing.”

 

The Simms Classic continues to move seamlessly forward with the year-round endeavor now overseen by Game Director George DiGrande who took over the top position for Trimmer, who now in his early 80s still remains very active behind the scenes, and doing his part and more to help everything run smoothly on Game Day.

 

Bringing Simms aboard 11 years ago has been huge for the success of a game that appeared to perhaps be headaing to be a second-class citizen of sorts not that many years back when the since ill-fated Governor’s Bowl and its successor, New Jersey vs. the Northeast, were spawned, thrived for a few years, and then petered out and dissolved for various off-the-field reasons.

 

The Governor’s Bowl, in its ‘salad days,’ had a strong contingent of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS, formerly known as Division 1-A) players; and, the fact that it was played earlier in June, some two or three weeks before North-South, made the contest fit in better timewise with major FBS college reporting dates, which generally include having incoming freshmen being summoned to campus in late June or perhaps earlier.

 

Back in the day, the North-South Classic had its share of FBS players. As an example, a school such as Montclair, produced major college players such as linebackers Quintus McDonald (Penn State, Indianapolis Colts) and Jeff Mills (Nebraska, Denver Broncos), fullback Nikki Kemp (Wisconsin) and defensive back Erwin Sampson (Duke), all of whom participated in the North-South Classic in the 1980s. However, moving into the late 1990s and early 2000’s, other Mounties such as wide receiver David Tyree (Syracuse, NFL’s Giants) and running back Rikki Cook (Rutgers) chose instead to play in the Governor’s Bowl in 1998 and 2002, respectively.

 

And, when both the Governor’s Bowl and N.J. vs. the Northeast did dissolve, the route of North-South to attract predominantly FCS (Division 1-AA), Division III, Division II and JUCO players continued, and that has actually been a plus as the game serves a great venue for the college recruit who perhaps has not yet made a firm commitment for the fall as new summer gets underway.

 

“I would like to think that you might one day still get a couple of pros out of this game,” said Simms. “I came from a school in Morehead State (Ky.) where there haven’t been too many guys who’ve made the NFL.

 

“You just never know which players will eventually play at an elite level, and just because you don’t come out of a major college football program does not mean you can’t achieve the ultimate in this great game.”

 

Simms is at all of the practices as well the night-before-dinner and -of course- the North-South All-Star game.

 

For Trimmer, who coached for 50 years at Group 2 Caldwell where Division III college aspirations are more typical than an FBS or even the FCS level for most Chiefs, the North-South Classic remains a terrific gathering for one more high school football game in early June where graduating scholastic seniors can enjoy camaraderie among players and be coached-up while competing in one more high school football game before moving on to the dreams and possibilities beyond that might also include college football.

 

“This game simply works, and it’s better than ever now that we have Phil on board each year,” said Trimmer. “When he joined our effort, he indicated that if he committed to this, that he would be all-in, and that’s exactly what he has been, ‘all-in’

 

“Having Phil and the other former NFL players involved has really been a great plus.

 

“Our four MVP (North and South offensive and defensive most valuable player) awards are named after four of the most prominent former NFL players, three of whom hail from New Jersey: Joe Theismann (South River), Dave Szott (Clifton), Jim Burt and Jim Jeffcoat (Matawan).”

 

And now the Simms-led group of overseers, headed by current game director George DiGrande, look forward to Sunday’s 2025 game back at the terrific Kean complex which includes the right-size stadium and first-rate smaller college facilities to fill all the needs of the game.    

 

“It’s really a win-win for all involved at Kean,” said Trimmer. “Rutgers and the Meadowlands (former sites for the game) were both just way too big and Kean is much better for all that’s involved plus the people at Kean, from the school president and the vice-president down to the food and housing staff members have been wonderful to us…absolutely wonderful.

 

“And, also, I think that people are really very pleasantly surprised when they get here and see all the improvements, both across the entire campus and in terms of the athletic facilities in particular.

 

“Having the game at this great campus, in this wonderful stadium, is a terrific selling point for potential students.”

 

The 2025 Simms Classic will follow the second annual girls flag football all-star game on Alumni Field which is set to begin at noon.    

 

 The North, which is on a first-time, 4-game winning streak, leads the series for the initial time at 21-20-2. And, it took the North some 45 years to accomplish its slight lead vs. the South. The first New Jersey North-South all-star game was played back in 1979.

 

 The North also hopes – if necessary- to continue a trend of winning by close margins having won the last four Simms Classic all-star games by one point, then by five, four and two points.

 

 The South last won in 2018 by the score of 38-16, also at Kean.

 

NFL PLAYERS FROM NORTH-SOUTH CLASSIC:
1979 South: Kelly Konstantinos, Highland Regional
1979: South: Jim Jeffcoat, Matawan
1980 South: Irving Fryar, Rancocas Valley
1980 South: Jon Williams, Somerville
1980: South: Robert Turner, Piscataway
1982: North: Troy Stradford, Linden
1983: South: Mike Alexander, Piscataway
1983: South: Dan Zakashefski, Middlesex
1984: North: Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, Passaic
1985: North: Quintus McDonald, Montclair
1985: South Stefan Padfield, Bishop Ahr
1985: South: Horacio Morenta, Pemberton
1985: Tony Siragusa, Brearley
1986: North: Jeff Mills, Montclair
1986: South: Andre Collins, Cinnaminson
1986: South: Ricky Proehl, Hillsborough
1987: South: Vincenzo Inguaggiato, Madison Central
1988: South: Tony Sacca, Delran
1988: South: Mike Devlin, Cherokee
1988: South: Kerry Ferrell, Piscataway
1988: North: Dave Brown, Westfield
1989: South: Alonzo Spellman, Rancocas Valley
1990: South: Keith Elias, Lacey
1990: South: Jay Bellamy, Matawan
1991: South: Bruce Presley, Highland Park
1992: South: Kevin Foley, Cherry Hill East
1993: South: Derek Ward, Kingsway
1993: South: Larry Watkins, Lenape
1994: North: Michael Pringley, Linden
1994: North: Kendall Ogle, Hillside
1995: South: Eric Jones, Hillsborough
1995: North: Roger Chanoine, Linden
1996: South: Robert Sack, Brick Township
1997: South: James Lewis, Piscataway
1997: South: Kareem McKenzie, Willingboro
1998: South: L.J. Smith, Highland Park
1999: South: William Green, Holy Spirit
1999: South: Dan Klecko, Marlboro
2000: South: John Zuidema, Long Branch 

 

        NORTH-SOUTH SCOREBOARD
NORTH LEADS FOR FIRST TIME AT 21-20-2
2024: North 20, South 18 – at Kean University
2023: North 10, South 6 – at Kean University
2022: North 21, South 16 – at Kean University
2021: No game because of the COVID-19 pandemic
2020: No game because of the COVID-19 pandemic
2019: North 24, South 23 – at Kean University
2018: South 38, North 16 - at Kean University
2017: South 30, North 22 - at Kean University
2016: North 7, South 0 - at Kean University
2015: South 23, North 21 - at Kean University
2014: South 20, North 14 - at Piscataway High School
2013: North 54, South 8 - at Kean University
2012: North 14, South 7 - at Kean University
2011: South 21, North 14 - at Kean University
2010: North 17, South 3 - at Kean University
2009: South 7, North 0 - at Kean University
2008: North 31, South 25 - at Rutgers Stadium
2007: South 14, North 7 - at Rutgers Stadium
2006: North 31, South 16 - at Rutgers Stadium
2005: North 9, South 7 - at Rutgers Stadium
2004: North 26, South 21 - at Rutgers Stadium
2003: South 3, North 0 - at Rutgers Stadium
2002: No game was played at Rutgers
because of inclement weather before kickoff.
2001: North 24, South 0 - at Rutgers Stadium
2000: South 20, North 5 - at Rutgers Stadium
1999: South 22, North 19 - at Rutgers Stadium
1998: North 33, South 31 - at Rutgers Stadium
1997: South 28, North 24 - at The College of New Jersey
1996: South 32, North 23 - at Rutgers Stadium
1995: North 37, South 15 - at Rutgers Stadium
1994: South 21, North 16 - at Trenton State College
1993: South 9, North 8 - at Giants Stadium
1992: North 7, South 7 (tie) - at Giants Stadium
1991: North 26, South 12 - at Giants Stadium
1990: North 14, South 10 - at Rutgers Stadium
1989: South 24, North 0 - at Rutgers Stadium
1988: South 12, North 9 - at Rutgers Stadium
1987: North 21, South 10 - at Rutgers Stadium
1986: North 20, South 17 - at Rutgers Stadium
1985: North 10, South 10 (tie) - at Rutgers Stadium
1984: North 7, South 0 - at Rutgers Stadium
1983: South 41, North 7 - at Rutgers Stadium
1982: South 16, North 7 - at Rutgers Stadium
1981: South 32, North 0 - at Rutgers Stadium
1980: North 13, South 6 - at Rutgers Stadium
1979: South 34, North 13 - at Rutgers Stadium

 

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