Photo: Northpoint Christian School offensive lineman Quinn Cascio. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — For Northpoint Christian School senior Quinn Cascio, Saturday’s kickoff is not just a ceremonial end to his high school career; it is a final opportunity to prove that his program belongs on the field with the heavyweights of Memphis high school football.
Cascio, a standout offensive lineman, has been selected to compete in the 23rd Annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game, set for Saturday at Memphis University School. Cascio, his all-star teammates and opponents received their jerseys during a luncheon ahead of the game in Germantown Friday noon.
The showcase brings together the top seniors from across the Memphis metropolitan area.
For Cascio, the selection validates four years of varsity dedication.
“It means a lot. I put a lot of work in the past four years of varsity football,” Cascio said. “There’s been ups and downs, but I’m glad to come out here and play one more game in my high school career.”
Representing the Trojans
Coming from a Division II-AA private school, Cascio views the All-Star game as a platform to demonstrate that Northpoint Christian athletes can hold their own against the region’s largest programs.
“I just want to represent [Northpoint] and show that schools like ours, private schools, can come and compete with bigger schools,” Cascio said. “I’m just blessed that I’m able to represent them.”
Northpoint head coach Tyler Gold echoes that sentiment. Having watched Cascio develop into an All-Region caliber player, Gold sees this as a crucial moment for his program’s visibility.
“It’s huge for our guys to get around some of the best athletes in the area and just prove that they’re just as good and on par with everybody in this area,” Gold said. “Quinn is a heck of a player that I’m sad to see go, but I’m excited to watch him play.”
Building Chemistry in the Trenches
One of the unique challenges of all-star games is forming a cohesive offensive line with players who may have been opponents just weeks ago. However, Cascio says the transition has been seamless, describing the line as a “unit” that bonded quickly during the week’s practices.
“It’s not very difficult. As a lineman, you understand the fundamentals,” Cascio explained. “The plays are very simple… they dumb it down for us this week, and we all just talk through it with each other and communicate.”
Gold, who has experience coaching in this event, noted that while the offense often faces an uphill battle due to limited practice time, the environment creates a special camaraderie.
“Sometimes it’s a struggle for the offense to get going… so you’re probably watching the defense shine a little bit tomorrow,” Gold admitted. “But it’s awesome. It’s what high school football is all about. They all come from different areas and different schools, but for a couple of days, they get to all be together and play the game one more time.”
Kickoff for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game is scheduled for 2:30 PM Saturday at Memphis University School. Television coverage of the game will be on WMC-TV Channel 5 and radio coverage on a delayed basis on Sports 56, WHBQ-AM.
Northpoint Christian offensive lineman Quinn Cascio.
Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.
