The AFE (American Football Events) All-American Bowl will be played at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex at 6 p.m. Saturday.
This year’s game will be different from other ones played by the AFE All-Stars. For this contest, 100 players were selected in a two-step process. First, the AFE coaches held a live draft where the top 50 veterans were selected and split into groups of 25 between the American and National teams. Afterward, 25 new players were selected by each team.
The game will be played as part of AFE’s Military Appreciation celebration in connection with all armed forces stationed in the Hampton Roads region. This game will also be used to determine the best 50 players to be invited to play for the AFE All-Stars against the Mexico Borregos in San Antonio, Texas, in August.
Prior to the game, the AFE Team USA players will host a free kids football camp from 9-11 a.m. at the Sportsplex.
Game tickets are $10 at the gate or $5 with discount vouchers at several local businesses in the area. All military (active and veterans), first responders (with ID), and youth football players (with team jersey) will receive free admission.
For more information, contact AFE coach Dale Glossenger (336-460-4344) or Virginia Crusaders coach Larry Stith (vacrusadersfootball@gmail.com). Information can also be found on the AFE website (www.afeteamusa.com).
Running
Although it took decades to come to fruition, the inaugural Duke of Gloucester Street Mile race will finally take place Saturday in Colonial Williamsburg.
According to Colonial Road Runners president Rick Platt, the DOG Street concept is the brainchild of former William & Mary graduate student John Bysiewicz, who, 30 years ago while attending W&M, envisioned a race similar to the famous Fifth Avenue Mile in New York City.
However, Colonial Williamsburg turned down many requests for sporting events such as his, and it took more than two decades for the powers that be to approve the first Duke of Gloucester Street Challenge 5K, which began in 2010.
A Williamsburg resident, Jack Wickens, continued to build on Bysiewicz’s efforts. Working through the LEAD program of the Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, Wickens was able to join forces with more than two dozen members of the Williamsburg community to champion a Kindness movement that will culminate with the mile races Saturday.
The road miles, which will cover eight divisions, are the featured events of an all-day celebration, one which will begin with the races from 7:30-10:30 a.m. and follow with a Community Kindness celebration from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Colonial Williamsburg Art Museum lawn.
All finishers will receive a Kindness medal, along with a race T-shirt, and there are age-group awards. For more information or to register online for any of the events, go to www.WMBGKind.org or www.RunSignUp.com/MilesofKindness.
Basketball
The Dozier boys and Gildersleeve girls captured city titles in the Newport News Middle School basketball championships, held last Wednesday at Warwick High.
The two schools were represented in both of the final games. In the opening contest, the Dragons’ girls jumped to a quick lead and ran away from Gildersleeve for a 59-33 victory.
However, the Seahawks evened the score in the boys’ game, with Gildersleeve defeating Dozier 63-52.
