Salem quarterback Cletis Monroy (left) and West Branch receiver Jeremiah Thomas expect to be the No. 1 options for the Ohio All-Stars in the Penn-Ohio Stateline Classic on Thursday. (Photo by Ron Firth)

COLUMBIANA — Crestview head coach Dom Perry says it’s easy to coach an Ohio All-Star team made up of three dozen of the top senior football players in the area.

“They’re going well,” Perry said. “It’s easy to coach a team like this. They are knowledgeable and coachable and they’re all good athletes.”

They will get a chance to show it at the 47th annual Penn-Ohio Stateline Classic at 7 p.m. Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pa.

“Offensively, we’re going to spread the ball around,” Perry said. “We have a really good skill set and quarterbacks who can run and throw. I think we have some explosive athletes.”

The backfield is filled with All-Ohioans, including Salem’s Cletis Monroy and Indian Creek’s Ian Starkey at quarterback.

All-Ohioans Ashton Hinchliffe of Lisbon and Landen Heffner of Southern Local are the running backs along with Boardman’s Ryan Smith.

West Branch’s Jeremiah Thomas headlines the receiving corps. He was a first-team All-Ohio quarterback as a junior and first-team All-Ohio receiver as a senior.

Other receivers include Will Harmon of Salem, Nate Alexander of Western Reserve and Brady Fair of Toronto.

West Branch’s Zach Coffee and Edison’s Matt Evans will play tight end.

The offensive line is anchored by Indian Creek’s 6-foot-7 tackle Nishon White, who has signed to play for Robert Morris University.

Crestview’s Brody Hoon is the center and South Range’s Cody Ewert, Leetonia’s Jaden Rivers and Beaver Local’s Nate Stull are the guards. Joining White at tackle are East Palestine’s Ayvre Klingensmith and Salem’s Matthew Austin.

Perry isn’t as sure about what the defense will bring.

“It’s tough when you’re trying to mesh kids together in the same scheme,” he said.

Leading the way up front on the defensive line are United’s Tyler Wood, South Range’s Kellen Pitzer, Indian Creek’s Lucas McMillion and Western Reserve’s Dylan Krut. Coffee also is expected to see action at defensive end.

The linebackers include East Palestine’s Zach Schnelle, Crestview’s Mikey Proctor, Columbiana’s Lucas Barber, United’s Quentin Taylor, Edison’s Matt Evans, Springfield’s Eli Wonner and Beaver Local’s Lane Jones.

The secondary includes Salem’s Lucas Adams, West Branch’s Grady Close and Crestview’s Ethan Kane at cornerbacks and Crestview’s Caidyn McElhaney, Boardman’s Vince Butto and Monroy at safeties.

Perry said the players from West Branch and Indian Creek have stood out along with Monroy.

“We don’t get to see them, but they are really good,” he said. “We’re all enjoying it.”

Ohio has won five of the last eight games with players like that.

“Jeremiah Thomas is a heck of an athlete and Monroy is a tough son of a gun,” Perry said. “I have a feeling he’s going to run the ball a lot because he wants the ball in his hands. You want players like that.”

Perry said he doesn’t know anything about the Pennsylvania All-Stars, but heard they have a full roster this year.

This is Perry’s second time coaching in the Penn-Ohio game. He was an assistant in 2006.

“It’s a different and unique group of kids,” he said.