CIF Champs Add Lions All-Star Honors
Full story coverage of the North boys' 34-14 win, the first-ever North girls flag football victory, and the Lions All-Star MVP honors earned by Mason Eagal, Cash Byington, and Emma Coronado.
Two players who helped lead their high school teams to CIF state football championships last December added one more honor to their senior seasons on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Wayne Schneider Stadium in Tracy.
Mason Eagal of St. Mary's of Stockton and Cash Byington of Sonora were central figures in the North's 34-14 victory over the South in the 50th Lions All-Star Football Game. The event also made history with the first-ever girls flag football all-star game, where the North rolled to a 44-6 win.
Game replays are available through the NFHS Network: boys tackle football replay and girls flag football replay.
North Stars Shine Again
The North team had championship-level talent all over the field, and two of the biggest names came from programs that finished the 2025 season on top of California. St. Mary's won the CIF Division 2-AA state title, while Sonora captured the CIF Division 2-A state championship.
That versatility carried directly into the Lions Game. Eagal handled kicking duties, returned a punt more than 40 yards, made plays on defense, and then stepped in at quarterback after Brad Blankenheim of Amador went down with an apparent ankle injury. North head coach Andrew Beam of Escalon said after the game that there was concern Blankenheim may have suffered a broken ankle.
Blankenheim's injury was especially difficult after the record-setting spring he had in baseball. He hit .549 with 61 hits and 52 runs scored, with the hit total standing as the best ever for a player from the southern part of the Sac-Joaquin Section and among the top marks in state history.
Eagal Takes Over
Although Eagal had not played quarterback for St. Mary's during the 2025 season, he gave the North exactly what it needed. He threw touchdown passes to Ciah Freeman-White of Stagg and Steven Morfoot of Sonora, ran the offense effectively, continued to take defensive snaps at safety, made both of his field goals, and finished 4-for-4 on PATs.
His complete performance earned him the Wayne Schneider Game MVP Award.
Beam praised how quickly Eagal handled the moment, noting that he had taken only a few quarterback snaps during the week of practice before being asked to run nearly the entire offense on game night.
Eagal said the offensive role was not something he expected, but he wanted to help a team that had come together in just one week. He credited the players around him and called it a great group to play with. His next stop is the University of Arizona, where he will continue in his primary sport, lacrosse.
Byington Adds Another Honor
Cash Byington, the Cal-Hi Sports State Small Schools Player of the Year, also made a major push for overall MVP. He opened the scoring with touchdown runs of more than 20 yards apiece and played the same two-way style that defined Sonora's 15-0 state championship season.
Byington also made key plays on defense, including a fourth-down stop on the South's opening drive at the 11-yard line. He finished with four tackles and was named the Charlie Washington Offensive MVP.
With the win, the North extended its series lead to 26-20-2. It was the North's second straight win after the South had won five of the previous six games.
South Awards
The South found a spark late in the second quarter when a mishandled exchange in the North backfield turned into a defensive touchdown. Laten Butler of Mariposa came away with the ball and returned it 20 yards for the score. Butler was also selected as the South's Most Inspirational Player.
Raul Diaz earned the Bob Mattos Defensive Game MVP Award. Playing deep safety, Diaz showed range and a willingness to come downhill, finishing with eight tackles.
The North defense was balanced throughout the night. Morfoot, who also caught a touchdown pass, forced a fumble that was recovered by Michael Gonzales of Stagg. Beam said afterward that North's defensive line and linebackers had been difficult to handle all week in practice and proved to be a major difference in the game.
50th-Year Celebration
The night also included halftime presentations celebrating the 50th year of the Lions All-Star Football Game. A special No. 99 jersey was presented to Patty Judge of the All Rise Foundation, mother of New York Yankees star and Linden High graduate Aaron Judge. She arrived early enough to watch much of the girls flag game and remained well after halftime.
The game was also dedicated to Wayne Schneider, the legendary former Tracy High head coach and one of the key figures behind the game since its first edition in 1974.
Coronado Leads First Girls Flag Win
The inaugural girls flag football all-star game had a similar storyline to the boys game: quarterback depth mattered. The North had one of California's top passers in Emma Coronado of Kimball, paired again with her head coach, David Rios Jr.. The South, meanwhile, did not have either of the quarterbacks from Merced or Atwater, two programs that had standout seasons in the fall.
The South did have Audrey Pacheco of Gregori, but she left the game after bumping heads with a teammate on a handoff. The North already led 6-0, and by the time the South scored behind second quarterback Olivia Costa of Livingston, the North advantage had grown to 24-0.
The final score was North 44, South 6.
Coronado became the first winner of the Elizabeth Gibbs MVP Award. She threw four touchdown passes, added a rushing touchdown, and finished 13-of-20 for 248 yards. Her mobility helped her escape pressure, and her command of the offense set the tone for the first girls flag all-star showcase.
After the game, Coronado said the experience meant everything to the players. She also noted how unique it felt to play alongside former rivals, with the competition turning into mutual respect by the end of the night.
Girls Flag Award Winners
Serafina Hunkin of St. Mary's earned the Norma and Francis Bognuda Defensive MVP Award. Hunkin, the younger sister of former Lions boys offensive MVP Samson Hunkin, capped the game with an interception return for a touchdown. She also made several flag pulls at the line of scrimmage and caught a touchdown pass on offense.
Izzy Gutierrez of Tracy received the Jane Williford Offensive MVP Award. Kiera McCulley of Manteca was named the North's Most Inspirational Player, while Ivy Butler of Pitman was selected as the South's Most Inspirational Player.
Adapted for the Lions All-Star Football website from a Cal-Hi Sports story by Mark Tennis, published June 21, 2026. Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com and can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Follow Cal-Hi Sports on X at @CalHiSports.