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Brandon Johnson Rich Desrosiers  

Great American Rivalry Series Pro Football Hall of Fame             

859-225-4488    330-588-3622 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

December 17, 2020
 

Great American Rivalry Series®, Pro Football Hall of Fame Announce Inaugural 

Scholar Athlete Hall of Fame Team 

  

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Great American Rivalry Series® (GARS) along with the Pro Football Hall of Fame (PFHOF) are proud to announce the inaugural Great American Rivalry Series Scholar Athlete Hall of Fame Team.  

The team is comprised of total of 25 outstanding student-athletes from across the country who were part of 144 GARS Scholar Athletes selected from across the country. 

“We are proud to announce the first ever Great American Rivalry Series Scholar Athlete Hall of Fame Team,” GARS founder Rick Ford said. “The dedication and commitment to success these student athletes showcase each day is exemplary, especially facing the challenges presented this year.” 

The Great American Rivalry Series, now in its 17th year, recognizes Scholar Athletes for their “on the field” and “in the classroom” success.  Each of the GARS Scholar Athletes were awarded a college scholarship and commemorative plaque recognizing their placement on the team. The 25 members of the first-ever Great American Rivalry Series Scholar Athlete Hall of Fame Team were selected from the 144 GARS Scholar Athletes for 2020 through a nationwide voting process. 

“The 25 players named to this inaugural Scholar-Athlete team are shining examples of what’s possible when the Values of the Pro Football Hall of Fame are demonstrated on the field and in the classroom,” said Pat Lindesmith, Chief Partnership Officer and Senior Vice President of Gold Jacket Relations. “Leading others by showing that level of Commitment, Integrity, Courage, Respect and Excellence every day will result in many successes for the rest of their lives.”  

The voting process ran October 19th through December 13th and allowed students, parents, fans and community members to vote and show support for their GARS Scholar Athlete. The 25 GARS Scholar Athletes with the most votes earned their spot on the prestigious Scholar Athlete Hall of Fame Team along with an additional scholarship.   

Below is the list of the inaugural Great American Rivalry Series Scholar Athlete Hall of Fame Team:  

Caleb Shawen   RB  Mead High School   Spokane, WA 
Jimmy Rolder   LB  Marist High School   Chicago, IL 
Thomas “Mack” West   K/P  Richmond Senior High School  Rockingham, NC 
Tommy Dunn  OL  Rome Free Academy  Rome, NY 
Logan Schwartz  OT  Depew High School  Depew, NY 
James John  DB  Hamilton High School  Chandler, AZ 
Dylan Chaney  LB  Piqua High School   Piqua, OH 
Conner Alford  OL/DL  FJ Reitz High School  Evansville, IN 
Quinton Martin  LT  Gardiner Area High School  Gardiner, ME 
Austin Garrison  CB/WR  Hillcrest High School   Simpsonville, SC 
Braden McGowan  LS/RB  Ben Davis High School   Indianapolis, IN 
Liam Mitchell  OL  Saint Joseph Regional High School  Montvale, NJ 
Aidan Swanner  DT/OG  West Monroe High School  West Monroe, LA 
Samuel Cochran  LB  Concord High School  Concord, NC 
Cooper Miethe  MLB  Mt. Spokane High School  Mead, WA 
Ethan Kowalski  OL  Lancaster High School  Lancaster, NY 
Jordan Calvin  OLB  DeSmet Jesuit High School  St. Louis, MO 
Braxton Baumann  DE  Alcoa High School  Alcoa, TN 
Patrick Maloney  QB  Blue Springs High School  Blue Springs, MO 
Alex Bennett  WR/DB  Martins Ferry High School  Martins Ferry, OH 
Dalton Schellhammer  OL  Lakeland High School  Lakeland, FL 
Jake Kazanowsky  QB  Toms River High School North   Toms River, NJ 
Ian Paul  LB  Shamokin Area High School  Coal Township, PA 
Michael Zeszutek  C  Middletown High School  Middletown, NY 
Nick Paradise  OL  Hoover High School  Hoover, AL 

 

The United States Marine Corps continued its long-standing association with the Great American Rivalry Series.  

“The elite status of the Rivalry Series and Hall of Fame fits perfectly with the Fighting Spirit of the Marine Corps and these fine young athletes,” said Leroy Pennington, Marine Corps Marketing Specialist. “They have earned their status as a member of the first-ever Great American Rivalry Series Scholar Athlete Hall of Fame Team and we’re honored to recognize their accomplishments.” 

The team will be announced live today at Noon EST on the Great American Rivalry Series Facebook Page.  To view the full list of 144 GARS Scholar Athletes or for more information on the Great American Rivalry Series, visit greatamericanrivlary.com.  

ABOUT BRAINBOX IMMERSIVE MARKETING 

BRAINBOX Immersive Marketing, founder of Great American Rivalry Series®, is a leader in activating digital and social media marketing as well as planning, conducting, and executing events for major brands since 1999. The Rivalry Series is celebrating its 17th year and will activate its 1000th game in 2021. The company has activated over 7000 successful marketing events during its 21-year history, while donating more than $15 million to high school athletics.  

ABOUT THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME 

Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the National Football League, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution with the Mission to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values, & Celebrate Excellence Everywhere. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. AAM accreditation is national recognition for the museum’s commitment to excellence and the highest professional standards of museum operation and public service. 

Hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe travel to Canton annually to experience “The Most Inspiring Place on Earth!”  that chronicles America’s most popular sport. Fans can also enjoy the Hall of Fame Store at the Hall, and online at www.profootballhof.com/store, for merchandise from all 32 NFL clubs plus the Hall of Fame. Proceeds from the Store support the Hall’s Mission.  

Construction on Hall of Fame Village Powered by Johnson Controls, a mixed-use development project, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame’s campus. 

 

 

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