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Germantown QB Tate named MVP of All-Star Game

Bartlett WR Catron scores in Red Team’s 24-10 victory

Germantown QB Isaiah Tate throws a quick pass during the 2022 AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game on Dec. 10. Tate was named MVP of the game, which his Red Team won 24-10. Photo by Thomas Sellers Jr.

By Thomas Sellers Jr.

West Tenn Media Sports Editor

MEMPHIS — A cloud has been hanging over the future of Germantown High School for several months.

The future of the Shelby County secondary institution has been on a roller coaster as part of the “3G” schools. So the rainy and overcast conditions didn’t phase Germantown senior quarterback Isaiah Tate Saturday evening.

Tate took to the wet turf of MUS Football Stadium with his Red All-Star teammates trying to win the 20th Annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game.

Poised and focused, Tate’s MVP performance led the Red All-Stars to a 24-10 victory over the Blue All-Stars.

“It feels great because in this game we put up a great game. Everybody knew their jobs only after a couple of days. It was really great to play with these guys only for a short amount of time.”

Red Team Head Coach James Thomas (Houston) created a team chemistry that was evident from the opening drive. The sprinkle falling from the sky didn’t interrupt Tate and his offensive unit marching down the field for 9 minutes and 30 seconds.

Houston High coach James Thomas led his Red Team to victory in the All-Star Game. Photo by Thomas Sellers Jr.

The drive concluded with a Tate 24-yard touchdown run up the sideline for a 7-0 advantage in the first quarter with 2 minutes and 30 seconds on the clock.

It took nearly another quarter before the next scoring play. The Red All-Stars jumped ahead 14-0 late in the second quarter when Tate connected with Alex Desarzant (Houston) on a 1-yard pass.

The Blue All-Stars were trailing by two touchdowns with 3:23 left in the first half. The Blue Team started to matriculate the ball down the field leading to the All-Stars first score.

Lausanne ace kicker and Tennessee commitment Max Gilbert calmly drilled a 43-yard field goal in the wet conditions. With 26 seconds left in the half, it appeared the halftime score would be 14-3.

The Red Team had enough time to get the ball in position to give their kicker, Oziel Hernandez, a 40-yard attempt. The 2022 Mr. Football Kicker of Year connected giving the Red All-Stars a 17-3 lead at the break.

Hernandez and special teams were huge factors in the next, historic scoring play. With nearly 7 minutes left in the third quarter, Hernandez lined up for a long field goal more than 50 yards away.

Blue Team Head Coach Tyler Gold (Northpoint) had veteran coach Rodney Saulsberry on his staff. The Whitehaven guru employed Briarcrest’s Reed Linder to stand at the back of the end zone. “Run it back when you catch it.”

Linder positioned himself near the back line and watched Hernandez’s attempt come up short. Linder caught the ball on the fly and took off down the Blue Team sideline.

Catching the Red All-Stars napping, the late reaction gave Linder enough time to reach the end zone from 108 yards away to make the score 17-10.

In need to ice the game, the Red All-Stars trusted Tate once again. With so many weapons at his disposal, Tate selected to hit Bartlett’s Deshaun Catron on a quick slant. Catron did the rest, breaking a tackle and racing to the house from 67 yards away.

Bartlett wide receiver Deshaun Catron (3) runs in a 67-yard TD pass thrown by Isaiah Tate. Photo by Thomas Sellers Jr.

The Red Team held onto the advantage, with its defense getting a couple of interceptions from Jalen Terry (Brighton) and Brayden Chubb (MUS).

Winning 24-10, Tate was named MVP. He proudly accepted the award on behalf of Red Devil Nation.

“It feels good to validate my school,” he said. “Germantown needs all the respect it can get. We’ve been getting disrespected for too long. This is a way for us to prove what our team is all about. I’m blessed to do it.”

Covered in rain but surrounded by his friends and family, Tate said his last game in a Germantown helmet will be a sunny day he’ll never forget.

“It feels wonderful to see all their smiles,” he concluded. “All of them are cheering for me and this team. I’m blessed. That’s all I can say. Sunshine on a rainy day.”

The 2022 Blue Team All Stars were Braxton Sharp (Munford), Truth Taylor (Mitchell), Max Carroll (Briarcrest), Aden Curry (Bolton), Darryon Taylor (Southward) Ellis Tullen (Tipton-Rosemark), Kayvan Henderson (PURE), DeMario Smith (Whitehaven), Noah Flaskamp (Collierville), Reed Linder (Briarcrest), Brock Glenn (Lausanne), Amir Long (Bolton), Konner Mains (Fayette Academy), Dave McVay (Craigmont) Gregory Martin (Oakhaven) Jack McLaughlin (CBHS), Warren Morris Jr. (KIPP), Jayden Brooks (Raleigh-Egypt), Greg Mangle (White Station), Jordan Batts (Arlington), Carter Wood (Arlington), Ahmad Miller (Whitehaven), Jackson Hair (Arlington), Jaavonntaye Jones (Manassas), Joseph Jackson (Kirby), Gyasi Wallace (Collierville), Max Gilbert (Lausanne), Octavius Walker (Middle College), Drew Scott (Lausanne), Zane Beard (CBHS), Luke Wilemon (CBHS), Ian Robinson (Covington), Whitten Epps (Northpoint Christian), Cortland Morris (Craigmont), Dana Williams (Northpoint Christian), Macterrion Morris (Douglass), Taylor Burton (Whitehaven), Jeremiah Temple-Dowdy (Millington Central), Jaden McKinney (Collierville), Martez Curry (Freedom Prep, Tyler Bell (Lausanne), Nate Bledsoe (Briarcrest), Zach Green (Briarcrest), and Sam Hultz (Collierville). The assistant coaches were Rodney Saulsberry (Whitehaven), Joe Rocconi (Collierville), CJ Marshall (Bolton), Tommy Miller (Arlington), and Slade Calhoun (Munford).

The 2022 Red Team All-Stars were QuaTavious Gatewood (Overton), Braylen Ragland (Bartlett), Isaiah Tate (Germantown), Taliko Russell (Bluff City), Gino Segree (Melrose), Braylon Cato (Fayette-Ware), Jake Pennington (FACS), Antonio Adams (St. Benedict), Triston Lurry (Houston), Deshaun Catron (Bartlett), Kyrrae Franklin (Germantown), Halleluyah Williamson (Memphis East), Alex Desarzant (Houston), Clarence Livingston (Fairley), Luke Needham (Houston), Walker Hawkins (St. George’s), Milton Grant (Germantown), Hayden Edge (Bartlett), Nickolas Matthews (MUS), Caleb Powell (Ridgeway), Matthew Parker (Brighton), Kemeron Henson (Fairley), Jacourion Tolbert (Ridgeway), Camillo Wilson (Melrose), Jaquavious Payne (Germantown), Andre Boyce (Hamilton), Kristian Miller (MASE), Marvin Warren (Trezevant), JaCorien Love (Sheffield), Brady Weatherly (Houston), Christopher Westbrook (MLK College Prep), Blake Oswell (Harding Academy), Keshun Parker (Fairley), Mariel Bolden (BTW), Brayden Chubb (MUS), Stryker Aitken (MUS), Xander Carroll (ECS), Devondre Collins (Cordova), Gabriel McKenzie (Memphis Business Academy), Muhammad Sowe (Kingsbury), Nicolas Brooks (Hillcrest), Ricky Isom (Memphis Central), Malcolm Shaw (MUS), Jalen Terry (Brighton), Rahmaan Rinkin (Bartlett), and Oziel Hernandez (Germantown). The assistant coaches were Fred Copeland (Fairley), Mitch McDaniel (FACS), Joey Magnifico (St. Benedict), and Keith Setler (Cordova).

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