Mew Leads South Victory

Trevor Mew of Central Valley delivered an MVP performance to lead the South to a 19-3 victory over the North in the 36th Lions All-Star Football Game at Stagg Memorial Stadium in Stockton. The win snapped a six-game losing streak for the South in the series and cut the North's all-time edge to 21-14-1.

Mew controlled the game through the air, completing 11 of 16 passes for 177 yards and throwing three touchdowns. His final scoring strike was the decisive play of the night, an 80-yard bomb to Boomer Green of Enochs with 7:23 left. Green had not caught a pass during practice all week, but Mew told him before the play that they were counting on him, and Green turned that trust into a back-breaking score.

The South's efficiency separated the teams all night. It committed no turnovers, while the North gave the ball away four times. Mew also found Hodari Peterson and Ronyea Ellington for touchdowns, giving the South enough balance and composure to stay in control in front of a crowd estimated at around 2,500.

T.J. Belton of Central Catholic was named the game's Defensive MVP. He recovered two fumbles and forced another while helping anchor a South defense that fed off the team's strong chemistry. Belton said the South had spent all week hearing that the North supposedly had the better players, but he believed the stronger bond within the South camp mattered more.

South coach Dennis Stubbs praised Mew's leadership and said the coaching staff believed it could have thrown on almost every down. Stubbs also noted how much work went into the six-day build-up to the game, with nine practices plus a Saturday morning walkthrough required to pull the event together.

The story also reflected on the broader challenge of keeping the Lions Game alive in an era of constant entertainment options, even as the event remained one of the area's most important charity traditions. Game founder Wayne Schneider said the Lions had raised $374,520 over the years for community projects, though he also acknowledged that attendance no longer reached the levels seen in the early decades.

For all the logistical challenges, Stubbs emphasized what kept the event meaningful: a final chance for the region's top seniors to make new friends, form lasting bonds, and put on one more show before moving on.

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