Seymour’s Cory Robinson never thought he’d get to play in the Indiana Football Coaches Association Murat Shrine North/South All-Star game.
But through hard work and a successful senior season, Robinson was one of the All-Stars out on the field at Decatur Central High School last Friday.
Robinson was a team captain for the Owls last fall when they went 6-4 and claimed a share of the Hoosier Hills Conference title for the first time since 2001.
“I absolutely did not think that would ever be something I did,” Robinson said. “I thought it was an extreme privilege and honor just to get all-conference. I don’t know many people who thought they would get an all-star, but I was shocked that I got it, and it’s an honor that I got it after all the work I put in.”
Robinson played on the South team on Friday, which was the winning team as they won 21-2.
There were 10 offensive lineman on the South team, and Robinson started the game at right tackle. Five offensive lineman played one drive, and the other five came in for another drive, and they alternated each drive after that.
“We kind of controlled the entire game,” Robinson said. “It was super cool to see the intensity. It was an All-Star game, so it wasn’t the same passion as it is playing for your home school, but you’re playing with the best against the best, and there’s a bunch of people watching you, so you want to play your best.”
The only points the South team gave up were off a safety.
Robinson was on the field when it happened.
“I can’t see what actually happened, but from what I heard our center snapped the ball kind of high and the quarterback dropped it,” he said. “But yeah, our defense didn’t give up any points the whole game.”
One of the cooler experiences for Robinson was getting to meet all the different players from around the state.
“I would say the best part about it was getting to know everybody,” he said. “Hearing about their success, downfalls in high school football and how their teams did. I met players from really all the state championship teams and then I met players who had a worse record than us, so it was cool hearing stories from both worlds of high school football.”
Perhaps the best part for Robinson was that Seymour head coach Tyson Moore was one of the coaches on the team.
“The best part about that was once we lost in sectionals, you think that’s your last time ever playing for him,” Robinson said. “But I got that one more opportunity, so that was the coolest part.”
Moore also coached alongside his dad, Eric Moore, who has led Center Grove to three straight state championships.
“This has been a special week capped by a great All-Star banquet,” Tyson said. “It’s been an honor to coach one of my own guys one last time and to also coach along side my father in the North/South All-Star Classic.”
Robinson graduated from Seymour High School this past spring, and he will now head to Purdue University in about a month.
“I always say I think I’m excited,” he said. “I’ve been waiting to go to Purdue all my life, but I’ve never lived by myself and done all that, so I think I’m excited, but I’d be a liar if I told you I wasn’t a little nervous for it.”
Robinson plans to major in education, where he will study to become a history teacher with plans to eventually become a school administrator.