Hinkle makes key play in game

EAST LANSING — The best part was jumping up and down on the sidelines.

Along the way, there were plenty of other highlights for Kyle Hinkle, too.

Hinkle, a recent Cadillac High School graduate, competed in the 26th annual Michigan High School East-West All-Star Football Game at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

Hinkle was a member of the winning team, as the West edged the East, 9-7.

“I saw quite a bit of action in the game,” Hinkle said. “It was go two series, sit one with the defensive backs.”

Hinkle played all over the defensive secondary — at corner, safety and free safety — while also playing on the kickoff team, punt team, punt return team and field goal block team.

As a defensive back, he made two tackles, including one for a loss, where he caught the East running back in the backfield.

“It wasn’t a blitz because you can’t blitz in this game and they are pretty strict about that,” Hinkle said.

“I read the run and coach had been stressing all week about how you’ve got to get in there and make a hit. That’s what I did.”

The best part of the game, though, for Hinkle came in the fourth quarter.

On a pass pattern, “my guy beat me to the inside so I had to make up ground. The pass was thrown a bit behind him and so I dove and broke it up,” Hinkle said.

“It was actually an important point in the game and I am happy I didn’t let my team down.”

That came on a third-and-long, forcing the East team to punt. When the West got the ball back, it scored a touchdown for a 9-7 lead that held up.

“With that touchdown play, I just remember everybody on the sidelines jumping up and down,” Hinkle added.

“The game was just so different because everyone that played was the best player where they are from.It was so much faster and there was a lot of speed out there.”

Hinkle is headed to Hope College this fall where he will be a member of the Flying Dutchmen’s football team.