All-Star Game Snub, A New Element: What To Know For The 50th Lions Football Game
Summary of the Modesto Bee story on Andrew Beam's long-awaited Lions All-Star opportunity, Frank Marques' connection to the game, the 2026 game-day schedule, and the debut of girls flag football.
The 50th Lions All-Star Football Game arrives with a pair of head coaches carrying very different connections to the event: Andrew Beam of Escalon, who was not selected to play in the game after his senior year, and Frank Marques of Hilmar, who played in the game in 1981 and has coached in it multiple times.
Beam Gets His Lions Moment
Beam was an Escalon High School quarterback in 2006, but he was left off the Lions All-Star roster. That snub stayed with him and became extra motivation when the quarterbacks selected ahead of him later competed with him for the starting job at San Joaquin Delta College.
Beam eventually won that job and became a 2007 All-Valley Conference first-team selection. Now, after building a standout coaching resume at his alma mater, he finally gets to be part of the Lions Game as the North head coach.
Since taking over for legendary Escalon coach Mark Loureiro, Beam has led the Cougars to four straight Sac-Joaquin Section titles in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023, plus state championships in 2019 and 2022. He was also named The Bee's 2023 Coach of the Year.
The North roster includes two of Beam's former Escalon players: quarterback Logan Huebner and lineman Lorenzo Teixeira. Many members of Beam's staff also played in the Lions Game, making this 50th edition a full-circle moment for the North sideline.
Marques Returns To A Game That Means A Lot
For Frank Marques, the Lions All-Star Game is part of his personal football history. He played in the 1981 game, remembers the week of practices and team bonding, and has stayed connected to players from that experience decades later.
Marques recently wrapped up a decorated coaching career at Hilmar, finishing with 23 seasons, 199 wins, four Sac-Joaquin Section championships, and one state title. He retired after the 2025 season just one win shy of 200 career victories.
This Lions Game will be his second all-star coaching assignment in two weeks after leading the North team in the Merced County All-Star Football Classic at Golden Valley High School.
Game Logistics
- Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026
- Location: Tracy High School's Wayne Schneider Stadium
- Girls Flag Football: 5 p.m.
- Boys Tackle Football: Scheduled for 7 p.m.
- Admission: $15 general admission through GoFan
Girls Flag Adds A New Element
The 2026 event introduces girls flag football to Lions All-Star Saturday. The format mirrors the boys game, with a North team and a South team made up of more than 30 top flag football players from across the region.
The North girls flag team is coached by David Rios of Kimball High. The South girls flag team is led by Nathan Ramirez and Capri Abbasi of Atwater.
The addition comes as girls flag football continues to surge in California. According to the CIF participation numbers cited by The Bee, girls flag football had an 84 percent increase in 2024-25, with 19,921 participants, making it the fastest-growing sport statewide and ranking seventh in girls sports participation.
All-Star Week
Players from all teams gather throughout game week for practices, basic play installation, and team building. The North football team practices at Escalon, while the South football team practices at Hilmar. For coaches, the goal is to give the players enough structure to shine while letting the region's top talent make plays on Saturday night.
Adapted for the Lions All-Star Football website from a Modesto Bee story by Quinton Hamilton, updated June 16, 2026.