Lions All-Star Football Game turned with 2 words out of the mouth of MVP: 'Shut up'
Danny Velasquez of Turlock delivered the message that defined the South's 2017 Lions All-Star comeback at halftime: stop complaining, stop talking, and simply play football. After trailing 17-0 at the break, the South answered with 30 straight points to beat the North 30-17 in the 44th annual Central California Lions All-Star Football Game at Tracy's Wayne Schneider Stadium.
The comeback leaned on the same formula that had fueled an earlier South rally in the series: trust a dynamic quarterback, tighten the defense, and let the trailing-team 10-point rule help keep momentum alive. This time, the South put the ball in the hands of Velasquez, a two-time Central California Conference MVP, and he responded with one of the strongest second halves in recent Lions Game history.
Velasquez finished 9 of 16 passing for 136 yards and added a game-high 122 rushing yards on 10 carries. He accounted for four second-half touchdowns, throwing a 26-yard score to Chris Brown of Modesto Christian and a 39-yard touchdown to Cadrian McDaniels of Golden Valley in a five-play burst early in the third quarter. He then put the South ahead for good with a 35-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter and later added another rushing score in the fourth.
South coach Dustin Caropreso of Los Banos praised the way his players responded at halftime and said they represented themselves and their communities the right way after settling down. Velasquez said he simply needed to get used to the pace of the game and welcomed the pressure moments, making it clear he wanted the ball when everything was on the line.
The South defense supplied the rest of the spark. Cullen Bearden of Oakdale was named both the game's Best Defensive Player and the South's Most Inspirational Player after collecting five sacks, forcing a fumble, and helping finish the game with a safety. He credited Oakdale coach Trent Merzon for teaching him to give everything on every snap and also pointed to camp roommate Jon Becerra of Merced for drawing attention up front and helping create pass-rush chances.
The South turned up that pressure in the fourth quarter, especially against Jake Dunniway of St. Mary's, who had looked sharp in the first half while connecting on touchdown passes to Cutrell Haywood of Stagg. After starting the game 4-for-4, Dunniway completed just 4 of 11 passes in the second half. Devan Bass of Pitman intercepted him twice, while the South forced four turnovers overall with fumble recoveries by Jesse Flores of Delhi and Joseph Yanez of Modesto Christian.
By the time the South closed out the game, the comeback had become about more than points. It was about composure. As Bearden put it after the win, the South stopped buying into the chatter, played hard, and let the big plays come from effort instead of words.
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