CHaD all-star football players making memories, learning life lessons before charity game
Team East found its punter through a player’s nomination.
After a few errant punts from Pinkerton Academy kicker John Pappas at practice on Tuesday at Salem High School, the Team East coaches asked if any of their other all-star football players had punting experience.
Connor Lazarz nominated his Dover teammate, Jackson Brock.
Brock, a lefty punter when he’s not on the defensive line, won the job instantly after booming the football deep into opposing territory toward the far sideline.
Team East coach Steve Abraham then found out from his other Pinkerton players that Pappas punted only a few times for the Astros last fall.
Moments like those — not the final scores — are why Abraham, Salem’s coach, has participated in six Dartmouth Health Children’s and Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (CHaD) New Hampshire East-West all-star football games.
The 14th edition of the annual exhibition featuring recently graduated players from across the state is on Friday night (6) at Saint Anselm College. Funds raised from the game, presented by Bedford Ambulatory Surgical Centers, benefit programs and services at Dartmouth Heath Children’s and CHaD.
“The other day when we ended practice, we kicked some punts in the air,” Abraham said, “and (Brandon) Dyer from Londonderry — their big tight end and big defensive lineman — we made him catch the punt or we were going to condition. When he caught it, the roar from the kids and the excitement … those types of things are the memories.”
Emmett Hughes, Team East’s lone player from NHIAA Division III champion Gilford, is looking forward to his final football game. The tight end/defensive lineman missed most of the regular season with a Grade 2 PCL tear before returning for the Golden Eagles’ playoff run.
Pinkerton tight end/defensive lineman James Caruso will continue playing at Saint Anselm College, but the game feels like an end of a chapter for him, too.
“It’s the last chance I get to play with kids from my hometown and it means a lot,” said Caruso, a Hampstead resident and one of Team East’s six Pinkerton players. “I’m never going to get this chance again. Win or lose, I’m going to enjoy the game as much as possible.”
But Team East is itching for a win.
Team West has won the last five CHaD games and owns a 10-3-0 lead in the all-time series.
Abraham said Team West is considered the favorite again this year, but Team East, while lacking in size, boasts athleticism.
Portsmouth’s Andy Brown, Pinkerton’s Aiden McDonald, Winnacunnet’s Sean Griffin and Pelham’s Kevin Hardy are Team East’s quarterbacks. Team East also has a deep stable of running backs, including Londonderry’s Adrian Cruz and Salem’s Jordan Zannini.
Windham defensive lineman Robert Durkin, the All-Division I Central Conference Defensive Player of the Year last fall, leads the Team East defense.
“We have a lot of great skill guys and a lot of just good athletes in general,” Caruso said. “We have a lot of depth in our team and we can rotate guys.”
Team West has one of the best quarterbacks in Nashua South’s Cody Jackson. On defense, Team West has a formidable and big line with Manchester Memorial’s Januel Pena Ramirez (6 feet, 275 pounds) and Jack Paradis (6 feet, 250 pounds) and Nashua South’s Trevor Stevens (6-foot-2, 260 pounds).
“I think our defensive line is definitely going to be a strength for the team,” said Team West coach Kip Jackson, who is the head coach at Merrimack High. “We also obviously have Cody Jackson, who’s a very good quarterback, and then we have good wide receivers.”
Abraham and Jackson have enjoyed teaching their players one final life lesson through football: the importance of something bigger than themselves.
Ahead of the game, players raise money for Dartmouth Health Children’s and CHaD. Both football teams and the cheer team had already raised more than $48,000 as of Thursday afternoon.
“Everybody’s focusing on the football game but we’re playing for the kids,” Abraham said. “If it wasn’t for the work that Dartmouth does, there’s a lot of kids who wouldn’t be here today. …Getting them (the players) to understand that value and that purpose for something bigger than themselves, that’s a great part about the game.”
Past CHaD game results
2012: West 44, East 12. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Thaddeus Brown Jr. (Manchester Central)
2013: West 13, East 7. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Rick Holt (Portsmouth)
2014: West 24, East 7. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Marc Gaudet (Concord)
2015: East 29, West 15. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Eric Fairweather (Londonderry)
2016: East 28, West 14. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Jason Hughes (Timberlane)
2017: West 25, East 14. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Justin Grassini (Merrimack)
2018: West 24, East 20. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Moises Celaya (Hanover)
2019: East 17, West 13. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Gannon Fast (Pinkerton)
2021: West 29, East 6. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Jarrett and Jeremy Henault (Goffstown)
2022: West 26, East 0. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Joe Mikol (Bedford)
2023: West 13, East 10. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Toby Brown Jr. (Nashua North)
2024: West 24, East 0. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Kyle Ashley (Newport)
2025: West 13, East 7. Bo Dickson MVP Award: Colby Nyhan (Concord)
