Pork & Pigskins Championship returns to find top pork chop sandwichPork & Pigskins Championship returns to find top pork chop sandwich

Last year's winner, A-Train concession group, honored Adam Denzer, Illinois pork producer who passed away tragically in a farming accident in 2008.

August 11, 2022

2 Min Read
PP Winner_1-1.jpg
IHSA

The Illinois High School Association and the Illinois Pork Producers Association are proud to announce the return of the Pork & Pigskins Championship, as the IHSA and IPPA team-up to find the state's best concession stand pork chop sandwich for the second year in a row.

"Tradition, community and amazing food are the ingredients that make-up the Pork & Pigskins Championship," says IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. "The folks behind these grills volunteer their time and talent to support our high school students and their schools. We appreciate the Illinois Pork Producers Association helping bring their stories to light and providing recognition to these worthy individuals who serve their communities and also cook a mean pork chop sandwich."

A year ago, Normal Community High School’s A-Train concession group had both the heart and the flavor to capture the inaugural state title. The A-Train honors Adam Denzer, a pork producer who worked for the Normal school district after high school but passed away tragically in a farming accident in 2008. The A-Train trailer the group cooks with at NCHS football games was purchased by Denzer's widow Marie.

"We are pleased to be able to partner with the IHSA on this competition again and recognize the volunteers in our communities who work the concession stands and help us to encourage more people to consume these great pork products across the state while supporting our producers," says Illinois Pork Producers Board President Thomas Titus. 

The 2022 competition will follow a similar recipe as a year ago, as the contest will feature a mix of online fan voting and special guest judges. The Savory 16 will be determined via online voting, at which point guest judges will flock to games around the state to sample the fare. The state champion will be announced on Oct. 22 and then recognized at the 2022 IHSA Football State Championships on Nov. 26 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign-Urbana. The state champ will receive a prize package from the IPPA that includes a $500 reimbursement on their pork purchase for next season, a state championship banner and the coveted Golden Spatula.

The 2022 edition of Pork & Pigskins also features an exciting new initiative for pork chop sandwich connoisseurs, as the IHSA is seeking guest judges

Any IHSA schools interested in entering their BBQ boss in the Pork & Pigskins Championship can do so at IHSA.org beginning on Aug.15.

Fans are once again encouraged to post photos and video of their top pork chop sandwich contenders on social media with the hashtag #PorkandPigskins.

Source: IHSA, which is solely responsible for the information provided, and wholly owns the information. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

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