Football: Players embrace annual tradition with Lions All Star game
Conner Johnson of Tracy said playing in the 2016 Lions All-Star Football Game was something he had pictured for years, and he entered the week seeing the event as a chance to follow the same path as standout players he had once watched from the stands as a younger fan.
Johnson joined fellow local selections Nate Turner of Tracy and Francisco Jimenez of West on the North, one of 30 players from 17 schools chosen from leagues across the Stockton area, Mother Lode, and beyond. The group spent the week at Stagg High in Stockton, learning a new playbook and preparing for the 43rd annual Central California Lions All-Star Football Game at Wayne Schneider Stadium in Tracy.
North head coach Don Norton of Stagg, who had previously led the North to a one-point win in 2010, said the all-star environment makes it easier for a team to come together quickly because the roster is made up of players already used to competing at a high level. He pointed to the arm of Calaveras quarterback Dylan Byrd and a talented linebacker group as strengths that could help define the North team.
Turner, one of those linebackers, said the old rivalries faded fast once camp began because everyone came in with the same goal of winning the game. He also noted that the players had to adjust quickly to a different coaching staff, tempo, and system, something that became part of the challenge and appeal of the all-star week.
Jimenez, meanwhile, said being selected as the North's left guard and kicker was a major honor because it meant representing West High and showing that he belonged among the top linemen in the region. Another familiar face for local football followers was Brandon Zaunbrecher of St. Mary's, a former Tracy Raiders teammate of Johnson and Turner, who brought another shared connection into the North offense.
The article also noted that the roster had changed since the spring banquet. Two North players, including West running back Marcel Dancy, had opted out, while Tracy lineman Haiden Hall was added on Wednesday. The South likewise saw multiple players dropped and four more added during the week leading into the game.
For organizer Wayne Schneider, the real reward remained seeing players close out their high school careers on a positive note. The week included the spring banquet where players first met their teams, a Linden Lions dinner for the North, a trip to a Stockton Ports game, and support from several Lions clubs around the region. Schneider said the committee would begin preparations for the 2017 game almost immediately after this one ended.
View 2016 North Roster View 2016 South Roster
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