Last Thursday a group of recent graduates took the field under Nazareth’s stadium lights for one final opportunity to perform at the varsity level. These players came together from all around the Lehigh Valley and Poconos for the annual McDonald’s All-Star Football Classic held.

For the second straight year, the two teams were designated by two primary sponsorships for the event: St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House.

The game itself did not survive four quarters, as a thunderstorm forced an early final in the third with RMH earning a 34-16 win. However, neither the rain nor the score could dampen the mood of all the participating players and coaches who were simply happy to be a part of the experience.

Many players took advantage of the moment to show off their athletic abilities one more time.

For Ronald McDonald House, the quarterback duo of Cole Ordway from Easton and Jack Trickel out of Palisades combined for nine completions, 239 yards, and four touchdowns. Ordway went on an impressive 62-yard run for his first TD and later set up Lehighton’s Caden Meek for a 12-yard TD reception.

“It was a lot of fun (and) a lot of meeting new people,” Meek said. “Most of them are going off to college, so we just talked about stuff like that and compared our colleges.”

Trickel showed impressive chemistry with Northampton’s Noah Kline. The 6-foot-3 wide receiver came down with two TD receptions (both from Trickel) and finished with 161 receiving yards on four catches. Kline also kicked four extra point kicks.

On St. Luke’s side, it was quarterback Wayne King from East Stroudsburg North who shined the most.

The Timberwolves’ southpaw finished with 134 yards of total offense, including a 37-yard TD pass to Emmaus representative Kai Jefferson-Rushing.

St. Luke’s Hospital found the scoreboard one final time in the third when another Hornet, quarterback Peter Sherman, found the end zone before the rain halted action with 6:11 remaining.

The competition may have ended, but the spirits and comradery of meeting new faces and making new connections were still felt even as the rain came down. In addition, players also took pride in representing the schools they came from and the impact they hope to have left behind for new team members.

Ronald McDonald House 34, St. Luke’s Hospital 16

Parkland’s JJ Brader and Juan Bermudez represented the Trojans in the game.

Brader is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound wide receiver/defensive back who had 13 receptions for 117 yards last fall, including one touchdown. Burmudez is a 5-11, 265-poound center and defensive lineman.

Ronald McDonald House 34,

St. Luke’s Hospital 16

St. Luke’s 0 8 8 - 16

McD’s House 14 20 0 - 34

Scoring

R - Steckert 2 run (Kline kick)

R - Ordway 62 run (Kline kick)

R - Meek 12 pass from Ordway (Kline kick)

S - Jefferson-Reading 27 catch from King (Gonnella run)

R - Kline 18 pass from Trickel (kick no good)

R - Kline 40 pass from Trickel (Kline kick)

S - Sherman 1 run (Brader pass from Sherman)

2026 LV McDonald’s

All-Star Classic Rosters

ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL

Adam Kosciolek (Catasauqua), Ajani Wheeler (Pleasant Valley), Akir Dixson (Allen), Alex Ball (Stroudsburg), Alphy Deris (Dieruff), Amari Green (Pocono Mtn. East), Amileo Rivera (Executive), Anthony Rodriguez (Allen), Aren Quintero (Stroudsburg), Bobby Ehrmann (Pocono Mtn. East), Braeden Smith (Catasauqua), Brandon Roca (East Stroudsburg North), Brody McHugh (Emmaus), Bryce Medina (Whitehall), Chris Wellington (Catasauqua), Christopher Antoine (Pocono Mtn. East), Connor Triano (Pocono Mtn. East), Darwin Suero (Dieruff), Elijah Dalrymple (Dieruff), Essam Alrefai (Stroudsburg), Frederick Merklin (Pleasant Valley), Gianna Gonnella (East Stroudsburg North), Grady Newhard (Northern Lehigh), Isaac Glasper (Dieruff), Jason Green-Williams (East Stroudsburg North), Jaxson Haines (Pleasant Valley), Jayden Antonia Garcia (Dieruff), Jaylin Rieara (Stroudsburg), JJ Brader (Parkland), Jonanth Adjuin-Tettey (East Stroudsburg South), Juan Bermudez Delgado (Parkland), Juan Manzano (Dieruff), Juel Pyle (Allen), Justin Williams (Pocono Mtn. East), Kia Jefferson-Rushing (Emmaus), Kendrick Sympson (East Stroudsburg North), Manny Bolmer (Catasauqua), Michael Boring (Northwestern), Nathaniel Kuhns (Northern Lehigh), Nicholas Tuzzio (East Stroudsburg North), Niko Payan (Pleasant Valley), Peter Sherman (Emmaus), Tavarez Velazquez (Executive), Trayshawn Dunn (Catasauqua), Tyler Tehonica (Whitehall), Wayne King (East Stroudsburg North), Yaseen Mizra (Executive), Zion Essington (Stroudsburg), Zion Stokes (Allen).

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

Aedan Hywel (Phillipsburg), Algee Macon (Easton), Andrew Biddle (Easton), Anthony De Pasqua (Pocono Mtn. West), Anthony Diaz (Easton), Austin Casal (Notre Dame), Austin Green (Lehighton), Brady Behr (Pocono Mtn. West), Brian Renshaw. (Freedom), Caden Meek (Lehighton), Caiden Faust (Pen Argyl), Chase Carrow (Northampton), Cody Hartman (Notre Dame), Cole Ordway (Easton), Darius Leightner (Southern Lehigh), Darryle Anderson (Pocono Mtn. West), Elijah Grovesnor (Easton), Gavin Crosson (Easton), Gerald Bretzik (Northampton), Jack Trickel (Palisades), Jake Bendekovitz (Nazareth), Jakob Pietraszkiewicz), James Natiello (Pocono Mtn. West), Jere Sims (Pocono Mtn. West), John Urban (Northampton), Kaiden Buscemi (Nazareth), Kalet Wilson (Notre Dame), Kamal Crockett (Bangor), Kellen Binstead (Freedom), Logan Hancik (Notre Dame), Mason Soos (Pen Argyl), Mason Stout (Easton), Matthew Kirchner (Easton), Nickolas Bracken (Wilson), Noah Kline (Northampton), Riley Montgomery (Northampton), Rocco Lee DeCesare (Pen Argyl), Sam Dech (Phillipsburg), Sean Kilpatrick (Easton), Sean Steckert *(Southern Lehigh) Taki Ballard (Wilson), Thomas Kosiba (Notre Dame), Zachary Metzger (Pen Argyl), Zeke Spencer (Northampton).