Lions All-Star Football Hits 50th Year

By Mark Tennis • Published June 18, 2026

Summary of the Cal-Hi Sports story on the 50th annual Central California Lions All-Star Football Game, the first girls flag all-star matchup, ALLRISE Foundation support, and top players to watch.

Bryan Pascual of the North makes an interception in the 2014 Lions All-Star Football Game — Perhaps one of the best photos from 50 years of the Lions All-Star Game: **Bryan Pascual** of the **North** came up with this interception on the first pass of the night in **2014**. Photo: Stu Jossey Photography.

The 50th annual Central California Lions All-Star Football Game will be played on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Wayne Schneider Stadium on the campus of Tracy High School. This year also marks a new chapter for the event, with the first-ever girls flag football all-star game scheduled before the boys game.

Game Day Highlights

Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026
Location: Wayne Schneider Stadium, Tracy High School
Girls Flag Game: 5:00 p.m.
Boys All-Star Game: Immediately following the girls game
Tickets: $15 through GoFan; one ticket covers both games
Series: The North leads the boys series 27-19-2 after last year's 42-37 win

The boys game continues a tradition that began in 1974. It would have reached its 50th year earlier if not for the COVID-19 pandemic pause. Since returning, the game has remained close and dramatic, including last year's North 42-37 win and the South's 18-15 victory two years ago on a touchdown pass with four seconds left.

Coaches & Practices

The North football team is led by Andrew Beam of Escalon, while the South football team is coached by Frank Marques of Hilmar, who retired after last season as one of the winningest coaches in CIF Sac-Joaquin Section history.

The North girls flag team is coached by David Rios Jr. of Kimball. The South girls flag team is led by Nathan Ramirez and Capri Abbasi of Atwater. Practices for all four teams began on Monday of game week, and local Lions Clubs have provided dinners for players and coaches after practices.

ALLRISE Foundation Support

The ALLRISE Foundation, funded by New York Yankees star and Linden High graduate Aaron Judge, is serving as presenting sponsor. The foundation's support is helping pay for jerseys for all boys and girls players. A commemorative jersey was also prepared for Judge, who had been selected for the Lions game after his senior year before choosing to prepare for college baseball at Fresno State.

North Players To Watch

The North roster includes players from three teams that won CIF state championships in the 2025 season: St. Mary's of Stockton, Sonora, and Calaveras of San Andreas.

Cash Byington (Sonora): Sonora's leading rusher and the State Small Schools Player of the Year.
Diego Hernandez (St. Mary's): Rushed for 1,423 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Enrique Hernandez (Calaveras): Rushed for 1,134 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Brad Blankenheim (Amador): A football standout who also had a record-breaking baseball season with a .535 average, 61 hits, and 52 runs.
Emma Coronado (Kimball): One of California's most prolific flag football quarterbacks with 8,079 passing yards and 93 touchdown passes.

South Players To Watch

The South roster includes standout players from the Modesto, Merced, Oakdale, Los Banos, Patterson, and Turlock areas. Central Catholic of Modesto, one of the state's notable championship programs, is represented by Isaiah Faagata and Leo Morfin.

Richard Flores (Oakdale): Rushed for 1,155 yards and 20 touchdowns last season.
Isaiah Faagata (Central Catholic): One of the Raiders' representatives in the boys all-star game.
Leo Morfin (Central Catholic): Adds another Central Catholic presence to the South roster.
Saige Harcksen (Atwater): One of the South girls flag players to watch at receiver.
Riley Leonardo (Atwater): Another key Atwater receiver for the South girls flag team.
Amiya Brown (Merced): Represents a Merced program that finished 25-4 last season.

Awards & History

The boys game MVP awards honor three of the event's founders: the Wayne Schneider MVP Award, the Bob Mattos Defensive MVP Award, and the Les Ratzlaff Offensive MVP Award. The new girls flag awards also honor longtime Lions game contributors, including the Elizabeth Gibbs MVP Award, the Jane Williford Offensive MVP Award, and the Francis and Norma Bognuda Defensive MVP Award.

Across 50 years, the Lions All-Star Game has included future college and professional standouts from both sides of the region, including names such as Webster Slaughter, Derek Kennard, Trumaine Johnson, Logan Mankins, Tony Graziani, and Tony Slaton.

Adapted for the Lions All-Star Football website from a Cal-Hi Sports story by Mark Tennis, published June 18, 2026.