Journal-World (Lawrence, KS)
July 13, 1994

DREAM CLASSIC
Author: Andrew Hartsock, Journal-World Sports Writer

Jim Myers well could feel a twinge of deja vu in the midst of Thursday's Metro Dream Classic all-star high school football game.
Myers, a May Lawrence High grad, spent last fall -- all 12 games of it -- as the Lions' center. He blocked for all-state running back Jason Thoren, and fellow lineman Jason Stoffer was never far away.

Come Thursday night, Thoren once again will be following Myers' lead, and Stoffer will be just two players to Myers' right. But Myers will be sandwiched between two unknown guards, and the quarterback will be a stranger.

"Yeah, that will be a little weird," Myers said. "But it'll be nice having them there."

There is Blue Valley District Stadium, site of the third annual Metro Dream Classic. Myers will be one of five LHS grads participating in the all-star game matching just-graduated seniors from the Kansas side of the KC metropolitan area against their Missouri counterparts. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Three former Lions -- Myers, tackle Stoffer and fullback Thoren -- are slated for offensive duty. Cornerback Wayne Martin and linebacker Charles Graham will play defense.

"I haven't gotten to be with them," Kansas and Shawnee Mission Miege head coach Paul Brown said. "But the Lawrence High guys (on offense) are doing well. Martin and Graham have done an outstanding job. And the guys on the offensive side ... Thoren, he's just a fine player. So are Stoffer and Myers. They've come through a great program."

The Kansas team has won the last two MD Classics, even though Brown picked Missouri as the favorite both years.

"The past two years, they had more guys committed to Division One schools," he said. "Last year's Missouri team was stacked well ahead of the Kansas team. This year, they're pretty even."

Brown knows a thing or two about high school all-star games. He coached in one Kansas Shrine Bowl and two Big Brothers' benefits, the precursor to the MD Classic. True to form, this year's Kansas team offense lagged far behind its defense.

"I don't think there's any way around that," Brown said. "Defense is so much lining up and reacting. It'd be real scary if it didn't happen that way. You'd be real worried about the defense if that didn't happen.

"But we know have everything in. One time tonight, I was looking around and they were milling around. They're ready to play a game."
Count Myers in. Voted the best lineman in the KC metro area last fall, Myers is headed to Baker.

"They say the offense is always sluggish at first," he said. "But a couple of days before the game, the offense clicks. We're coming together really nice. It's starting to look like it's going to be fun."

Copyright (c) 1994 Journal-World