Standing Out Among All-Stars

Reuben Lee of Brookside Christian and Oyebolaji Akinyemi of Tracy were highlighted as two of the most intriguing players on the North roster heading into the 45th annual Lions All-Star Football Classic in Tracy. Even without Division I-bound stars in the summer all-star circuit, the game still offered a higher level of competition and a chance for players to raise their profiles for the next level.

At practice, Lee stood out with his ability to create plays in space, including a juggling catch in the end zone and another reception in which he made a defender miss. After transferring from Lincoln of Stockton to Brookside Christian, he had already shown big-play potential during Brookside’s run to the 2016 NorCal Division 6AA title game. He later used events such as The Opening Oakland Regional to reinforce the idea that his future could be as a dynamic slot receiver.

Lee said the Lions game gave him a chance to show what he could do alongside stronger overall talent after a difficult final high school season. Brookside finished just 3-7 in 2017 amid heavy roster turnover following a coaching change, and he felt the all-star setting was the right place to remind people of his ability. His next stop was set to be Sacramento City College, where he planned to continue developing as a spread-offense slot receiver while still doing whatever was needed in the short term.

Akinyemi entered the week from a different path. Rather than heading the junior-college route, he was preparing to become a gray-shirt at Oregon State, joining the program without an initial scholarship while working alongside the rest of the roster. At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, after posting 80 tackles, seven sacks, and 21 tackles for loss during Tracy’s 9-3 season, he had already attracted attention for his first-step quickness and was expected to transition to outside linebacker.

Both players emphasized how valuable the full Lions week experience could be. Beyond the game itself, they talked about bonding with players they had competed against during the season and living together in a college-dorm training-camp environment. For Akinyemi, especially with Oregon State still ahead, getting comfortable in a new football setting and connecting with unfamiliar teammates was part of the benefit.

The game notes from midweek were also encouraging for both teams. Anthony Martinez of Lincoln, coaching the North, reported that James McClain of Tokay had dislocated a finger but was expected to be fine after treatment. Martinez said the group had been smooth to work with and had responded well through the first few days of practice. Frank Marques of Hilmar, the South head coach, echoed that positivity and said his players were already starting to jell with no injuries.

Entering Saturday, the recent series trend still favored the South, which had gone 4-0-1 over the previous five games, while the North still held the overall series lead at 24-18-1. The article framed Lee and Akinyemi as two North players with the chance to shift that balance, gain useful next-level experience, and stand out among the best seniors from around the area.

View 2018 North Roster View 2018 South Roster