By Tim Mastro

CAMDEN — Teyvion McCoy was always aware there would be people who would consider him undersized to play football.

But the recent Dover High graduate loved the game too much to listen to all that. And he knew his work ethic would make up for whatever perception people had of his stature.

When the 65th annual Blue-Gold senior all-star kicks off Friday at 7 p.m., McCoy might be the smallest man on the roster at 5-foot-7, but he’ll be out on that field.

“I was always smaller than, well everybody,” McCoy said. “I just had to work, had to grind. I’m glad I got myself here. I wanted to go harder than everybody else. Nobody really gives 5-foot-7 guys a shot, but I love to play the game. I never took ‘No’ as an answer.”

Opening ceremonies for the contest, hosted at the University of Delaware, begin at 6 p.m. The all-star game is hosted by the Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens with intellectual disABILITIES and all proceeds go toward the organization.

Each player is paired with a buddy through the DFRC’s hand-in-hand program. The players and buddies will meet on the field as part of the opening ceremonies.

McCoy is one of two Dover players selected for the Gold team. The other is Qualeak Bumbrey, who won this year’s Buddy Hurlock Unsung Hero award presented by the Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Associated.

Both players split time in the Dover backfield this year, with McCoy recording 475 yards and four touchdowns in six games while Bumbrey had 433 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

McCoy’s high school career got started way earlier than he was anticipating.

His first game was at quarterback as a freshman in the 2017 season opener. Dover star quarterback Jordan Magee was injured during the preseason, which meant McCoy was being thrust into the spotlight.

The first series was an eye-opening experience, McCoy said. Dover lost the game 36-30 against Archmere, but it helped McCoy grow into the player he is today.

“Under the lights, I was stuck like a deer in the headlights,” McCoy said. “But you get used to it. It’s just knowing what you’re doing out there. Take the previous knowledge that you have, learn and then the more reps you get, the better.”

The switch to running back soon followed and McCoy ended his career by leading the Senators in rushing as a senior.

“It was a great experience for my senior year, starting at running back” McCoy said. “Then being out here is just a different atmosphere, meeting all these guys from different schools, coming together and playing as one team. It’s great.”