GHV’s Umbarger to play in All-American Bowl

(Above) Gabe Umbarger, 67, brings down an opponent during a GHV home football game this season.  Umbarger played on the offensive and defensive lines for the Cardinals.  -Reporter photo

[caption id="attachment_14636" align="alignleft" width="270"] GABE UMBARGER[/caption]

By Michelle Watson

Gabe Umbarger, a senior at Garner-Hayfield-Ventura High School, proved that hard work and dedication to a sport he loves can have huge paybacks.  Umbarger has been chosen to play football in the North South Blue Grey All-American Bowl to be held on Jan. 9 at Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in Tampa, Fla.  The game will begin at 8 p.m.  The contest between the North and South will be streamed live and also taped delayed by Impact Football Network to the entire country.

Umbarger was nominated by Augustana University to attend the Regional Combine held in Sioux Falls, S.D.  From the results of the Regional Combine, he was chosen to participate in the Super Combine at The Pro Football Hall of Fame, in Canton, Ohio.  A combine is an event where athletes are put through tests to showcase their athletic ability.  Combines are used for college recruiters to provide coaches with player information.

Umbarger was among 6,750 young men who were invited to one of the initial 24 combines. From the initial combine, he was invited to one of five Super Combines.  His scores were impressive enough for him to be chosen to play on the defensive line for the North Team in the North South Blue Grey All-American Bowl.

“I wanted to do the combine because I thought it was a great opportunity,” said Umbarger.

At the combine, Umbarger ran the 40-yard dash in 5.01 seconds.  His broad jump was 8’4” and his pro-agility test was completed in 4.76 seconds.

“I am most looking forward to playing with all of the great competitors during the bowl game,” said Umbarger.

In high school, Umbarger, a 6’2”, 230-pound offensive and defensive lineman, was a three-year letter winner on the Cardinal football team.  As a sophomore he was named to the All-District Honorable Mention Offensive Line.  He was named First Team All-District as an offensive lineman both his junior and senior years.  His senior year he also earned Second Team All-State Offensive Lineman honors.

Umbarger was  on the “A” Honor Roll all four years of high school. When he’s not playing football or working out in the weight room, he races and maintains a Dirt Late Model race car as a hobby.  He began racing in 2014 and he finished fourth in points nationally in his first year as IMCA Rookie Of The Year.

Colleges still have an opportunity to snag Umbarger to play on their team, as he is undecided on where he will play next year.

“I am just waiting to see where I will get the best opportunity,” he said.