FeedsNorthville gridder readies for All Star game, WSU
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Recent Northville graduate Greg Hasse, a linebacker, looks over Canton’s offense in a regular season game during the 2007 season. Hasse will play in the East-West All Star game this weekend at Michigan State University.It is safe to say that Greg Hasse’s senior year was good to him.
The recently graduated Northville scholar athlete was a standout on both the gridiron and the hardwood for the Mustangs. This week, he is getting ready to play in one of the biggest games on one of the biggest stages he will ever see.
Hasse, a three-year varsity linebacker, was nominated and chosen to represent Northville—and the entire East side of the state—in the classic 28th Annual East-West All Star Football Game played at Michigan State University Spartan Stadium at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 19.
“It is real humbling experience and I’m honored to be chosen to play on the team,” Hasse said. “It’s nice to know that all the hard work over the years paid off.”
Hasse is only the second Northville player to make the all-star team. Mark Yassay, now at Hillsdale College, was the first in 2005.
Nominating Hasse was a no-brainer for former Northville Coach Ryan Hockman, who retired after the 2007 season—Hasse’s senior year.
“How could you not nominate him? I think he led the state in tackles,” he said. “He was a quiet leader on the team and he always did everything we asked him to.”
Hasse arrived at MSU on Saturday for a week of practice with players he’s never played with and a coach he never played for before. To make things more difficult, he has to play side by side with some of the athletes that he tried—and in most cases succeeded in—crushing during his senior season. That includes his roommate Pat Cecile from Livonia Franklin and Matt Broome from Livonia Stevenson.
“It will be weird at first,” Hasse said, “but I’ll probably get used to it as the week goes on, bonding with them through practice.”
Hasse needs to get use to Cecil since they both are off to play at Wayne State University in the fall.
Northville finished 1-8 last season but Hasse made the most of it. He moved to the top of the Northville High record books for career tackles with 388 and second for tackles in a single season with 184. He is also second on the ledger for assists in a single game with 19 against South Lyon.
The team’s only win against Walled Lake Northern was a highlight reel for Hasse. For a kid that would rather tackle than block he did just that in the victory. He racked up 27 tackles (10 solo and 17 assists), ranking him third in the school’s history for most tackles in a single game. His most solo-tackle effort was against Canton with 11 and added 12 assists.
“It is always tough when you don’t have that great of a record—a 1-8 record kind of speaks for itself,” he said. “But you just try to work hard and get through it. You want to do your best and you want to win every game. Against Northern, I just tried to make my read every time and tried to get to the ball and tried to do what is best for the team and it kind of fell into place.”
Hasse finished out his senior stats with two sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and blocked one extra point attempt.
“Greg is the kind of player that shows up and plays every snap,” Hockman said. “He’s not a vocal player or demonstrative in any way and doesn’t grandstand. He just gets up and plays the next play. That’s a reflection of his father and mother and how they raised him. It’s rare to find an athlete that is as talented as Greg and is as humble.”
Although the All-Star game is meant as a fun farewell to the best high school seniors in the state, Hasse is looking forward to the competition and contact.
“I can’t wait to get up there and play football for the first time in a long time—I’m looking forward to the first contact in a while,” he said. “I’m a little nervous stepping on to a big stage like that. But I’m sure it won’t be any difference; I kind of tune everything out anyway.”
The Hasses’ home is located right next to the Northville Football field—a constant reminder of Greg’s high school years.
“I’m definitely going to miss playing at Northville,” he said. “I’ve played a lot of games on that field and I will miss it. Although we didn’t have the best varsity record I definitely had fun playing with my friends. It’s definitely something to remember.”
