MERRILLVILLE | Demarrio Richardson is a standout football player, with unique athletic abilities. He owns something that likely no other player on the North All-Stars has.

No, it's not the 5-foot-10, 176-pound defensive back's 4.5 40 speed.

Nor is it great hands and vision, which allowed him to intercept 15 passes, which is second on the Merrillville career records sheet.

When the IFCA's North-South All-Star game is played on Friday night at Indianapolis North Central High School, Richardson is surely the only Indiana All-Star who was kicked off his team during his junior year.

"Making the All-Stars means a lot, coming from the situation I was in," he said. "There were misunderstandings from last year. Me and the coaching staff had some disagreements. I got kicked off."

Neither Pirates coach Zac Wells nor Richardson wanted to talk about what it was that caused the latter's name to be left off the roster. But Wells, who was a North All-Star in 1993, is the offensive coordinator for this year's North squad and he gets the special opportunity of watching the full-circle change every day at practice.

He's had a hard time trying to get receivers open with Richardson all over them, just like he'll do at Saint Joseph's College this fall.

"We do not nominate kids who are not high-character kids," Wells said. "Demarrio was kicked off, but he's done everything we've asked of him to show how far he's come. Some think this game is just about talent, but it's not. He came back and proved each and every day that what happened was a one-time mistake.

"He is still showing how far he's come."

Richardson moved to Merrillville in the eighth grade from Greenville, Miss. Called "Bo-Bo" by his teammates, Richardson shared one feat with his Pirates teammates. They beat two No. 1-ranked teams last fall on their way to the Class 5A semistate. Against Warren Central in the season opener, Richardson had a fumble recovery and knocked down the final pass in the Pirates' end zone to seal the 17-10 win.

Against Penn in the regional, Richardson scored the game-winning TD on a 64-yard pass from Dolapo Macarthy that gave Merrillville a 21-14 victory.

"That's what I'm most proud of, beating two No. 1s in the same season," Richardson said. "It almost didn't happen. But coach (Wells) was mature about it and he let me come back out for the team. I've learned from it. Now I don't let things get to me. People talk. I used to let the coaches get to me.

"That makes me better. I started listening."

Richardson is enjoying the time getting to know the other 10 Region football players who are now teammates, including six from the Duneland Athletic Conference. The week of preparation at the University of Indianapolis has been intense and tough. But it's also been fun for Richardson, who plans to study criminal justice in Rensselaer.

"That's something I've always wanted to be," said Richardson, who is also an amateur boxer. "I'd like to be a state trooper, or some CSI type of guy. If football doesn't make it, I'll have a nice career ahead of me."