By Greg Bates
Correspondent
OSHKOSH – The bitter rivalry between the West De Pere and Notre Dame Academy football teams was recently pushed to the side – at least for one week.
West De Pere’s Garrett Kempen and Notre Dame’s Mitch Chosa became teammates, better friends and key cogs in the North squad’s defense leading up to the annual Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Large School All-Star Game.
Kempen and Chosa – the pair even roomed together for the week – teamed up to help the North beat the South 19-11 in late July at Titan Stadium on the campus of UW-Oshkosh.
“It was one of the coolest experiences of my life,” Chosa said. “Being able to play the game I love for a week with guys I used to be enemies with – it was cool seeing us come together and play for such a great cause.”
Chosa played against Kempen this past high school season in the WIAA Division 3 playoffs, a game West De Pere won, 17-3.
Kempen and Chosa didn’t exchange any friendly trash talk during the week about the West De Pere-Notre Dame rivalry.
The guys were friends before the all-star festivities, but that bond grew even tighter.
“I went to grade school with a bunch of kids from Notre Dame, so I’ve always been close with Notre Dame kids,” Kempen said. “Our teams definitely clash quite a bit, but certain players like each other, so that’s good.”
The game wasn’t the most important part of the event.
The top seniors in the state and the coaches raised over $370,000 to benefit Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
Five children who are going through treatments at Children’s Hospital made their way to Oshkosh a few days before the all-star game to talk to the players and play around.
“It was definitely one of the best weeks of my life,” Kempen said. “We got a lot of bonding with each other, and I think that was very important. When the children shared their stories with us, it was heartbreaking knowing what we take for granted each day. They have to go through struggles every day. It was fun seeing them have fun with us on the field – it was definitely memorable.”
Kempen – who tied with the team lead in tackles with four – played significant minutes at cornerback.
Chosa – who corralled two tackles – was an important member of the linebacker corps.
With the North clinging to an eight-point lead and the South on the doorstep in the red zone with two minutes remaining in the game, Kempen and Chosa were in on the biggest series of the game.
La Crosse Central defensive back David Hayden wrestled the ball away from the receiver on a fourth-down pass for his fourth interception of the game.
“It was crazy to be in on such a big series and watch it unfold,” Chosa said. “It’s something I’ll never forget. It was to seal the deal and was really cool to be out there with all the guys I’ve grown so close with.”
It was more fun to pull out a victory after the South had beaten the North eight straight years.
“Personally, I’m really competitive, so I was ecstatic we won,” Kempen said. “At the end of the day, it was about the children and how much money we raised for them.”
Chosa will try to carry over his success in the all-star game to the next level.
He’ll play at Division II Michigan Tech in the fall.
“There’s a lot of different ways to teach linebackers, but the ways the coaches taught it here are the ways I’ve been learning it and the way Tech runs it,” said Chosa, who was recruited by Michigan Tech as an athlete, but he’ll most likely play linebacker. “I’m going to Tech, will bust my butt and hopefully get on the field.”
Kempen is becoming an electrician and won’t be playing college football.
Getting a chance to compete one last time in an all-star setting was extra special.
“I never thought I’d be playing in the all-star game, so being on the team was something very special,” Kempen said. “I got to represent my family and my community, and it went past my expectations. It’s something I’ll never forget and always look back on.”
Getting one more shot to strap on his West De Pere helmet made it all worthwhile.
“It meant a lot,” Kempen said. “I have a lot of respect for our head coach [Jack Batten]. He’s a great guy. The West De Pere program is known as a football school and always grinding hard, even in the offseason. It felt great having the pads on one more time for my team.”
It was also an honor for Chosa to don the Notre Dame helmet and play well for his former school.
“Notre Dame football gets in your blood,” Chosa said. “It’s one of those things, once you’re a Triton, you’re always a Triton. Even though we were the North all-stars, we are all individuals, too. It was cool to represent the school.”