By Andy Walter

NEWARK — Jonathan Tyndall’s senior season pretty much ended as soon as it started.

In Lake Forest High’s football season opener, the veteran quarterback not only broke the fibula in his right leg but tore ligaments in his ankle.

While Tyndall did see some limited action in the Spartans’ season-ending win over Milford, he was nowhere near his old self.

That’s why Tyndall is excited to get to end his football career at pretty much to full strength in Friday's 68th annual Blue-Gold All-Star Football Game.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Delaware Stadium in a contest that benefits the Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens.

Tyndall said he’s a lot closer to being 100-percent healthy than he was a few months ago.

“I know it’s going to be my last game, my last snaps,” he said. “That’ll be fun. I’m going out on my own terms.”

As a junior, Tyndall was a first-team All-Class 2, District III selection at quarterback. But, given how little he was able to play last fall, he wasn’t sure if he’d get selected for the Blue-Gold game.

Tyndall said he submitted an application for the game “just in case.” He remembers the moment that Lake Forest coach Freddie Johnson told me he’d been selected for the Gold squad.

“I kind of got a little emotional,” said Tyndall. “I love this game and I’m really excited to be playing in it.

“It was tough not knowing the terms I was going to be going out on. Now I get to suit up with these dudes. We’ve got a whole bunch of great players here and great personalities.”

Lake Forest also has Trevon Hodhett in the game.

Friday’s contest might be the end of Tyndall’s competitive football career but he’s planning to keep playing baseball at Hood College.

Tyndall has dealt with injuries before. He said not being able to play in the fall gave him a new appreciation for just being healthy.

“It definitely put some things in perspective and just allowed me to be grateful for the things that I was able to accomplish before the injury,” he said. “It just made me realize how quickly time moves.

“I’m not able to get that (time missed) back but I’m just grateful for the memories and experiences I’ve made along the way.”

Dover QB Nahseem Cosme will be playing safety in college at Lebanon Valley. SPECIAL TO THE DELAWARE STATE NEWS/GARY EMEIGH

Cosme finale at QB
Dover’s Nahseem Cosme knows tonight’s game might be his last as a quarterback, too.

But he’s going to continue his football career in college, at Lebanon Valley, Pa., just as a safety.

Cosme expects to see most of his action today on defense, although there may be some opportunities for him on offense.

“It’s my last chance to touch the rock as a quarterback,” he said. “It’s exciting for me. I’m ready.”

The Senators also have Ja’Khai Tilghman playing in the game. Cosme just wishes that standout running back Jakwon Kilby was part of it, as well.

The Delaware State-bound Kilby had to withdraw from the contest after suffering a knee injury.

“I was hoping we’d have one more game together,” said Cosme. “But things happen for a reason.

“That’s my boy. I feel kind of bad for him but he’s moving on to bigger and better things. That’s all there is to it.”

Cosme said he wants to make the most out of being in the Blue-Gold game. The event has given him the chance to meet a number of new people.

“I’ve been looking forward to it since my freshman year,” said Cosme. “I’m pretty happy to be up here.

“Just interacting with my buddy, the whole community, everything,” he said about what he enjoys. “I want to take all of it in and meet everybody from upstate all the way to Downstate. Make new friends.”

It’s been a memorable couple years for Cosme and the other student-athletes in Dover’s senior class.

In football, the Senators were a combined 17-7, reaching the DIAA Class 3A state finals for the first time in 23 seasons in 2022.

Cosme was also part of the Dover boys’ basketball team that won the program’s first state crown in March.

“Our senior class made history,” he said. “We went out with a bang.”

Lasting friendships

Gold coach Marvin Dooley has coached in the Blue-Gold game seven times, including twice as a head coach.

Of course, the Woodbridge High coach also played in the game himself in 1987 as a William Penn standout.

While there’s usually some great football in the contest, Dooley said what usually lasts the longest are the friendships.

“I always tell people, it’s a special game,” he said. “The game is the game. But being back at Delaware in the dorms is what makes it.

“There’s not many times you get a chance to just focus on football. All you do is work on football. At night time, we sit around and the coaches try to draw stuff up. It’s really neat.”

Dooley said he and Blue head coach John Reed of Caravel have been good friends since they first met coaching in the game eight years ago.

But Dooley also likes to tell the story of when he was a Blue-Gold player. William Penn’s big rival then was Salesianum.

For Dooley, he had a personal rivalry with the Sals’ Rich Cerniak.

“I won some battles, lost some battles,” said Dooley. “But I couldn’t stand him. I come here (for the Blue-Gold game) and he’s my roommate.

“We’ve been friends ever since. That’s the game. It’s special.”

Extra points

*The parking lots around Delaware Stadium open at 3 p.m. on Friday with the stadium gates opening at 5. The opening ceremonies are slated for 6 p.m.

*Day-of tickets will be available to purchase at the ticket windows located in the Carpenter Center

*The Blue leads the all-time series, 34-30-3, with two wins in a row. The Gold leads 8-4 since 2011.

*The losing team has scored 12 to 14 points for five years in a row and 21 times in the game’s history.

Blue-Gold All-Star Game
Past scores

Blue leads, 34-30-3

2023: Blue 21, Gold 12
2022: Blue 26, Gold 13
2021: Gold 21 , Blue 13
2020: No game due to COVID.
2019: Gold 38, Blue 13
2018: Gold 24 , Blue 14
2017: Gold 44, Blue 0
2016: Blue 31, Gold 20
2015: Blue 8, Gold 6
2014: Gold 28, Blue 21
2013: Gold 22, Blue 19
2012: Gold 37, Blue 19
2011: Gold 39 , Blue 14
2010: Blue 12, Gold 3
2009 Blue 12, Gold 0
2008: Blue 23, Gold 20
2007: Blue 21, Gold 7
2006: Blue 27, Gold 13
2005: Gold 47, Blue 6
2004: Blue 16, Gold 0
2003: Gold 14, Blue 0
2002: Gold 14, Blue 3
2001: Gold 21, Blue 14
2000: Gold 22, Blue 12
1999: Blue 30, Gold 12
1998: Gold 33, Blue 6
1997: Blue 28, Gold 13
1996: Gold 9, Blue 7
1995: Gold 31, Blue 26
1994: Blue 33, Gold 13
1993: Gold 27, Blue 14
1992: Blue 28, Gold 12
1991: Gold 14, Blue 12
1990: Gold 13, Blue 12
1989: Blue 15, Gold 0
1988: Blue 9, Gold 0
1987: Blue 6, Gold 6
1986: Gold 39, Blue 13
1985: Blue 12, Gold 7
1984: Gold 14, Blue 12
1983: Blue 41, Gold 14
1982: Blue 10, Gold 6
1981: Blue 8, Gold 8
1980: Blue 24, Gold 7
1979: Blue 15, Gold 0
1978: Blue 15, Gold 6
1977: Gold 39, Blue 16
1976: Gold 14, Blue 0
1975: Blue 14, Gold 2
1974: Gold 41, Blue 0
1973: Blue 27, Gold 26
1972: Blue 13, Gold 0
1971: Gold 15, Blue 12
1970: Gold 15, Blue 6
1969: Gold 44, Blue 0
1968: Blue 19, Gold 0
1967: Blue 21, Gold 6
1966: Gold 21, Blue 6
1965: Blue 12, Gold 7
1964: Blue 20, Gold 0
1963: Blue 12, Gold 0
1962: Gold 25, Blue 24
1961: Gold 20, Blue 14
1960: Blue 6, Gold 6
1959: Blue 7, Gold 0
1958: Blue 27, Gold 0
1957: Blue 7, Gold 6
1956: Blue 27, Gold 6