College programs take gleam from Optimist All-Stars
While most of the area’s top graduated seniors are bypassing Saturday’s 55th annual Optimist All-Star Football Game at American River College, there are several intriguing draws that add star power to what has evolved into a showcase of the area’s remarkable depth.
Four-year scholarship recruits quarterback Jimmy Laughrea (Boise State) of Rocklin High School, defensive back James Sample (Washington) of Grant and offensive lineman Nate Falo (San Jose State) of Inderkum are among those who will play for the North All-Stars.
The South All-Stars’ top scholarship recruits include wide receiver Anthony King (Eastern Washington) of Franklin and defensive back Maurice Talley Jr. (Weber State) of Cosumnes Oaks.
Those names are a coup for a charity benefit ravaged by changing times.
High-powered college programs usually won’t let their scholarship recruits play for fear of risking injury only a few weeks before the start of camp. That’s a big reason only five of the 27 players who signed NCAA football scholarship letters of intent on national signing day in February are expected to play Saturday. And it’s a reason the 5-year-old December Holiday Classic at Grant High has become the bigger draw for elite players.
Yet in a testament to the area’s talent pool, Saturday’s game still will include plenty of players heading to small-college and community college teams, and those with walk-on options with Division I programs.
“We may not get the D-I guys as much anymore, but we’re still getting kids who can play,” said Fred Claussen, the game’s player selection chairman.
Although MaxPreps.com National Player of the Year Dano Graves (Air Force Academy) and several other college scholarship-bound Folsom Bulldogs are not playing Saturday, the CIF Division II State Bowl champions will have two players on the South team: linebacker Dan Curry and defensive lineman Trevor Jones.
Grant, which was state-ranked No. 1 most of the season before losing to Folsom in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship game, has six players on the North roster Sample, all-purpose Ference Lang, defensive back Kaiiron Richards, defensive lineman Caleb Cameron, offensive lineman George Folau and tight end Paki Tupai.
Representing Division I section champion Pleasant Grove for the South will be linebacker Kyle Stafford and defensive back Jeff Huston. Division III section titlist Del Oro has defensive backs Max Magleby and Kenny Andri and defensive lineman Dustin Mollard playing for the North.
Bee All-Metro first-team running backs Don Jackson of Laguna Creek and Drake Tofi of Monterey Trail are members of the South team.
Rosemont’s Anthony Enriquez and Sacramento’s Jonathan Kodama will quarterback the South. Laughrea is the only listed quarterback for the North, although Magleby and Natomas’ Jakori Ford (listed as a running back) played the position last fall.
Pleasant Grove’s Joe Cattolico is the coach for the South. Among his assistants will be Burbank’s John Heffernan, last year’s South coach and defensive coordinator.
Del Campo’s Mike Dimino will coach the North for the second time in four years.
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