A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Most valuable player in high school football all-star game motivated by memories of his father


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Jordan Fann was named his team’s most valuable player after the St. Elizabeth Healthcare East-West All-Star Football Game on Thursday at Scott High School. The talented quarterback received a handsome plaque during post-game ceremonies, but he had a more personal reason to be proud of his performance.

“My dad passed away going into my freshman year,” said the recent Lloyd graduate. “Tomorrow is the day he passed away and I said I’m going to do this for him.”

West quarterback Jordan Fann of Lloyd tries to break a tackle during the East-West All-Star Game. (Photo by Dale Dawn)

Fann’s rushing and passing generated the offense the West needed to come away with a 20-13 win in the annual senior all-star game that raises money for the Northern Kentucky Football Coaches Association’s scholarship program.

The Thomas More College recruit scored the game’s first touchdown on a 4-yard run late in the second quarter. In the final minutes of the third quarter, he rushed for 30 yards and passed for 42 during a drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by West running back Justin Schlarman of Cooper.

“They were expecting me to be an athlete and do what I did (at Lloyd) to get here, and that’s what I did,” Fann said. “I passed for over 1,000 (yards) and rushed for over 1,000 (last season), so it was nothing new.”

Fann’s rushing touchdown gave the West a 7-0 halftime lead. In the opening seconds of the third quarter, however, East quarterback Matt Shearer of Simon Kenton launched a long pass to wide receiver Nick Veneman of Highlands that resulted in an 85-yard scoring strike.

“We jumped off-sides right before that and the head coach saw Veneman pointing at himself coming back to the huddle,” Shearrer said. “So (coach) just told me to take a shot downfield and he had his defender beat by a lot.”

The extra-point kick clanked off the goal post so the West remained on top, 7-6. After Fann engineered the third-quarter scoring drive that extended the lead to 13-6, neither team was able to get a first down on their next offensive possession and had to punt.

West running back Justin Blackburn of Ludlow is brought down by East linebacker Jason Decker of NewCath. (Photo by Dale Dawn)

The East team fumbled the ball on the second punt and Schlarman recovered it for the West at the 15-yard line. On the next play, Justin Blackburn of Ludlow zig-zagged his way into the end zone and Daniel Mescher of Beechwood kicked the extra-point to put the West ahead, 20-6, with 9:10 left on the clock.

Late in the fourth quarter, Mescher came on to punt for the West team, but he couldn’t handle a bad snap from center and was tackled on the 20-yard line.

Three plays later, the East team scored on a 3-yard pass from Shearer to Fisher Hayden of Simon Kenton and the extra-point kick by Grant Dyer of Covington Catholic cut the West lead to 20-13 with 3:26 remaining. But Blackburn picked up a crucial first-down for the West in the closing minutes and his team was able to run out the clock.

Shearer was named most valuable player on the East team for throwing a pair of touchdown passes. But Fann was the game’s offensive standout, and he did it to honor his dad, Garrett, who will always be in his heart.

“He was my super hero,” Fann said. “He was a guy I looked up to all the time, and I still look up to him. He’s my drive and my motivation.”

Fann was one of 20 players who received $500 to be used for their college education during halftime of Thursday’s game. The coaches association also presented this year’s Chris Vier Courage Award to Holmes lineman Stanley Niceley.

EAST     0   0   6   7 — 13
WEST    0   7   6   7  — 20

W – Jordan Fann 4 yard run (Daniel Mescher kick)
E – Nick Veneman 85 yard pass from Matt Shearer (kick failed)
W – Justin Schlarmann 2 yard run (kick blocked)
W – Justin Blackburn 15 yard run (Daniel Mescher kick)
E – Fisher Hayden 3 pass from Matt Shearer (Grant Dyer kick)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS
West — Jordan Fann (Lloyd)
East — Matt Shearer (Simon Kenton)

PLAYERS AWARDED $500 SCHOLARSHIPS
Beechwood — Daniel Mescher (Mount Union). Bellevue — Austin Balch (Northern Kentucky). Boone County — Dylan Ward (Union). Brossart — Bryce Donnelly (Kentucky). Campbell County — Jack Comer (Northern Kentucky). Conner — Trevor Courts (Thomas More). Cooper — Justin Schlarman (Cincinnati State).
CovCath — Grant Dyer (Dayton). Dayton — Colin Fiedler (Northern Kentucky). Dixie Heights — Garrett Vallandingham (Thomas More). Highlands — Michael Dunn (Butler). Holmes — Stanley Niceley (Louisville). Holy Cross — Dylan Couch (Northern Kentucky). Lloyd — Jordan Fann (Thomas More).
Ludlow — Justin Blackburn (Mount St. Joseph). NewCath — Jason Decker (Northern Kentucky). Newport — William Beamon (Louisville). Ryle — Jake Chisholm (Dayton). Scott — Nelson Perrin (Thomas More). Simon Kenton — Sam Holt (Eastern Kentucky)


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One Comment

  1. Jaxon fann says:

    I’m Jordan fanns brother are dad’s name is Garrett Edward fann my brothers are Jordan Fann Joseph bias Marcelous fann Garrett Edward Fann jr and Micheal

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