Fifteen Colusa County senior football players, perhaps the largest contingent ever, were selected to participate in the 46th annual Lions District 4-C1 All-Star Game, which will be held June 17 at Pleasant Valley High School in Chico.
The longstanding summer tradition provides senior athletes from across the North State the opportunity to represent their respective schools one last time.
Two games are to be played. The first features “small-school” players from Divisions IV, V & VI, while the second highlights primarily “large school” performers from Divisions II and III.
Headlining the locals on the list are Colusa lineman Leo Bedolla, Pierce running back Manuel Lopez, and Williams wide receiver Leo Trujillo, who have been invited to participate in the big school game playing for the South team, alongside fellow seniors from schools such as Sutter, Yuba City, and Chico to name a few.
In the small school contest, both Colusa and Pierce have four players on the South’s roster, while two will represent Maxwell, and one each will come from Williams and Princeton.
For the Division IV champion RedHawks, Hayden McCarty, Dominic Salazar, Niko Silvas, and Julian Velasquez will suit up and be joined by the Bears’ Sebastian Ambriz, Eddie Calderon, Tony Colsa, and Joseph Saavedra.
Maxwell’s Dillon Dry and Cale Kuska are also on board to play, as is Princeton’s Alessandro Sullivan and Williams’ Gustavo Garcia.
In an interesting twist, Colusa coach Mikey Badaluco leads the South’s small-school team against his friend and predecessor, Matt Jessee, the head coach of the Trinity Wolves, who is directing the North squad this year.
The “small school” game kicks off at 5 PM and will be followed by the “large school” game at 7:30 PM.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at gofan.com.lionsallstarfootball or at the gate.■
