MIDDLETOWN — When Derby’s Dillon McMahon heads off to UConn in the fall, his athletic career will essentially be over.

McMahon, a three-sport standout who played football, basketball and baseball this season for the Red Raiders, will not play an organized sport on the next level.

But McMahon will compete in one final football game before his high school career officially ends. McMahon will be a member of the National Guard, which faces the Marines in the first Hall of Fame Classic Military Bowl high school all-star game on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Rentschler Field.

“It’s just another chance to show what I can do,” McMahon said. “It’s my last go for it all, I guess.”
Since practice started last week, McMahon has made quite the impression.

“Dillon has actually been a pleasant surprise,” National Guard coach Jim Buonocore said. “We’ve been really impressed with him and his ability to pick up the offense, and just the football savvy that he is showing. He’s competing. He’s competing with the best that Connecticut has to offer.”

McMahon will be part of a seven-man wide receiver corps.

“He’ll be in the rotation,” Buonocore said. “Normally our personnel grouping will consist of four on the field the majority of the time, but he’ll rotate with the six others.”

During his senior season at Derby, McMahon caught 30 passes for 542 yards and eight touchdowns and was named a Register All-Area selection. He also rushed for five touchdowns and scored four times on special teams. McMahon finished as a two-time all-Naugatuck Valley League and Class S coaches all-state pick during his football career.

Went up to Xavier High today and talked with Ledyard coach Jim Buonocore, who will be the head coach for the National Guard in the Hall of Fame Classic Military Bowl on Saturday.

He had this to say about the state of high school football in this state:

"It (high school football in CT) has improved tremendously over the last 10, 15 years. When you look at the time commitment and effort from coaches all over the state, which obviously translates down to the student-athletes, kids are getting bigger, faster, stronger."

"The skill level has increased with the onset of winter, spring and summer passing leagues."

"The colleges in our state have supported us well, offering different camps and clinics for the kids to go to to increase their skill set."

"I just think it has improved all around. You're seeing that with the number of kids that are going on and playing college football. That's a tribute to what we have as a state right now, and I think that's only going to continue to get better."

Hall of Fame Classic Military Bowl

2013 CT HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR GAME

Who: Team Marines vs. Team National Guard
When: Saturday, June 29
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Where: Rentschler Field, East Hartford
Tickets: $8
MARINES ROSTER
NATIONAL GUARD ROSTER

Hall of Fame Classic Military Bowl

2013 CT HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR GAME

Who: Team Marines vs. Team National Guard
When: Saturday, June 29
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Where: Rentschler Field, East Hartford
Tickets: $8

NATIONAL GUARD ROSTER
MARINES ROSTER

Event Schedule

Noon: Military Bowl pre-game luncheon, Luxury Suites, Rentschler Field
12:30 p.m.: Youth Experience Clinic Registration, Gate C, Rentschler Field
1:30 p.m.: Youth Experience Clinic, Rentschler Field


To find out more information regarding the events for youths, please check out our website at cthssports.com, for the Youth Experience Clinic.

Admission to the game is still only $8.00 and ADMISSION TO THE YOUTH DAY FOOTBALL CLINIC IS FREE. Please call John Fontana at 860-628-4122 for information on the clinic or the game.

Here is the updated roster for the Marines Team, which will play the National Guard Team in the Military Bowl All-Star Game on Saturday June 29 at 4:30 p.m. at Rentschler Field.

MARINES

Jesse Adelberg, Greenwich, K
Mike Alexander, Bulkeley, S
Ian Auger, Coginchaug, LB
William Barrett, West Haven, OL
Nathan Bonafonte, Southington; S
Caleb Camacho, New London, WR
Andrew Campbell, Middletown, LB
David Campbell, Bloomfield, RB/CB
Akeino Chamberlain, Middletown, LB
Jeremy Clarke, Woodland, OL
Kevin Dean, Xavier, OL
Brennan Diaz, Oxford, QB
Devonte Dillion, Windsor, RB
Donery Evans, Hyde, DL
Raeshaun Finney, Ansonia, WR
Dennis Flanagan, Amity, OL
Quinn Fleeting, Windsor, QB
Andre Gee West Haven, S
Nygel Gladney, Crosby, LB
Cam Gravina, Hand, OL
Spencer Hill, Windham, FB
Rakim Jordan, Prince Tech, LB
Mike LaSala, Wilton, OL
Jevon Lawrence, Manchester, DL
Brandon Marquis, Manchester, DL
Sean Merrill, Sheehan, OL
Ryheime Moore, Windsor, WR
Denzel Moscova, St. Joseph, WR
Terrance N'Dabian, Bunnell, CB
Cole Ormsby, Windsor, DE
Lance Ormsby, Windsor, LB
Christian Outlaw, Middletown, OL
Joe Pacheco, New Fairfield, RB 
Rashad Ramsey, Windsor, WR
Roy Ricahards, Manchester, RB
Rahmi Rountree, Woodland, WR
Miguel Santos, Xavier, DL
Mike Semacik, Fitch, OL
Teno Simpson, Hillhouse, LB 
O'Brien Sinclair, Middletown, WR
Nick Spitz, Southington, LB
Carlton Steer, East Hartford, TE
Isiah Swain, Middletown, LB
Jh'mel Trammell, Ansonia, LB
Chris Traore, Windsor, LB
Lamont Waites, New London, LB
David Wilcox, Waterford, DL
Eddy Williams, West Haven, LB
Chuck Wooding, Glastonbury, RB 

Here is the updated roster for the National Guard Team, which will play the Marines in the Military Bowl All-Star Game on Saturday June 29 at 4:30 p.m. at Rentschler Field.

NATIONAL GUARD

Mitch Blanchette, Berlin, OL
Alex Borkowski, Branford, LB
Tim Boyle, Xavier, QB
Bobby Bozym, Ledyard, OL
Antoine Byrd, Capital Prep, WR
Daequone Clark, New Britain, WR
Christian Clarke, Windham, DB
Eric Collodel, Woodland, DL
Zach Creeron, Xavier, DL
Johan Dorsey, Xavier, OL
Abdulahi Dukalay, Hartford Public, DB
Terrell Fairweather, Hillhouse, LB
Nick Gaynor, Northwest Catholic, DB
Chris Golger, Fairfield Prep, LB
Ed Groth, Shelton, K/P
Austin Harris, Windsor, DL
Dan Hebert, Newtown, WR
Terrell Huff, Windsor, DB
Cal Karpi, Ledyard, LB
Austin Kingsbury, Windsor Locks, FB
Andrew Klarman, Branford, DL
Alex Kyprianou, New Milford, LB
Kris Luster, Xavier, WR
Kevin Main, Berlin, DB
Dillon McMahon, Derby, WR
Sam Miranda, New London, DB
Bryan Monaco, Masuk, DL
Je'Vaughn Moore, Hillhouse, DB
Ben Morales, Ledyard, OL
Ryan Murtha, Montville, OL
Mike Nicol, Wolcott, QB
Mustaphe Noibi, Fitch, DB
Justin Pelazza, Branford, OL
Jake Pelletier, St. Joseph, WR
Mick Pernell, Naugatuck, DB
Miles Pompeii-Grove, Holy Cross, LB
Justin Potts, Platt, RB
Mike Pulaski, St. Joseph, LB
Brandon Robertson, Montville, TE
Robert Roehrich, St. Joseph, OL
Jelani Roman, ND-Fairfield, LB
Colton Schilling, Guilford, DL
Max Schumann, Xavier, OL
John Shannon, Bullard-Havens, RB
Lester Smith, Fitch, DL
Devin Stewart, NW Catholic, LB
Kadialy Toure, West Haven, LB
Max Tylki, Xavier, LB
Derrick Villard, Cromwell, RB
Max Wildman, Housatonic, DL
Kyle Wilson, Ledyard, OL