Last Chance for Stars to Shine

The third High Desert Football Coaches’ Assn. all-star game, a.k.a. the Cal State Northridge recruiting showcase, will be played tonight at 7 at Antelope Valley College.

Five future Matadors will play in the game, which features the top seniors from Antelope Valley-area high schools.

Running back Brandon McElvaine and lineman Edwin Reed of Highland High and lineman Nick Koufos of Lancaster will be key players for the West team, coached by Ray DeShane of Lancaster.

Running backs Bruce Molock of Antelope Valley and Marquis Murray of Palmdale will be featured in the backfield for the East, coached by Vince Lipari, offensive coordinator at Littlerock.

The five players are part of a recruiting class Coach Ron Ponciano of Northridge considers one of the Division I-AA school’s best ever.

“I firmly believe that this group of freshmen will be playing for a national championship before they’re done,” Ponciano said. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm right now at Northridge and they are a big part of it.”

Mining the Antelope Valley is nothing new for the Matadors, whose 1998 roster included kicker Derek Brown of Highland, safety Corey Oggs of Antelope Valley High, linebacker Shane Blakey of Antelope Valley College and linemen John Degata of Paraclete and Nick Carrillo of Palmdale.

“We’ve always felt strong about the talent level of that area,” Ponciano said. “It’s almost like finding a great fishing spot. You go back there as often as you can.”

The game tonight will feature more than 60 players from 14 schools in the High Desert. Organizers used a North-South format in previous years but have switched to East-West, with Highway 14 serving as the dividing line.

The West is comprised of players from Highland, Lancaster, Quartz Hill, Antelope Valley Christian, Paraclete and Rosamond.

The East includes Antelope Valley, Littlerock, Palmdale, Boron, Desert, Mojave and Vasquez.

“I’ve been waiting all year for this,” said McElvaine (6 feet 1, 210 pounds), who had 1,162 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior. “It’s going to be a show.”

Northridge will have plenty of potential in its backfield next season.

Molock (5-10, 195) rushed for 1,275 yards and 12 touchdowns, Murray (6-1, 190) had 974 yards and 11 touchdowns and Maquis Brignac of Taft, another Northridge recruit, ran for 1,855 yards and 18 touchdowns.

“I like the competition,” Molock said of the potential four-year logjam for playing time at Northridge. “Northridge is an on-the-rise program and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Reed (6-3, 235) and Koufos (6-3, 270) might be best suited to come in and contribute right away.

Reed was a force on the line as a senior, but often overlooked as Highland struggled to a 3-8 record.

Koufos attracted attention from Division I coaches last summer with an impressive showing at an area combine, but battled injuries this season.

The West will feature offensive threats such as running backs Daniel Pagnella of Lancaster and McElvaine, quarterbacks Jason Jacobs of Lancaster and Clifton Herbert of Quartz Hill and receiver Tommy Breech of Paraclete.

The East defense includes linebackers Adam Fabela and Michael Arvizo of Littlerock, and defensive backs Shane Johnson and Mark Hendricks of Palmdale and Richie Sheasley of Boron, the state leader in interceptions.

The game could develop into a matchup of the East’s speed on offense against the West’s defensive size and strength.

Lipari will go with a four-receiver set to open things for elusive quarterback Johnathan Thompson of Palmdale, as well as Molock and Murray.

The West will answer with a defensive line that includes Jason Carlton of Quartz Hill, DenisSabalvarro of Lancaster, Koufos and Reed, as well as linebacker Donald Forshee of Lancaster.

Running back Shaun Perez, who represented Palmdale in the game last season, will be remembered during a pregame ceremony.

Perez was killed in an automobile accident on April 8. His mother and stepfather, Veane and Curtis Jones, will participate in the coin toss.

HIGH DESERT ALL-STARS

EAST

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Player School Pos. Justin Arola Desert RB/DE Mike Arvizo Littlerock LB Mike Blua Littlerock WR Gary Brown Palmdale LB Brandon Davies Boron DE Daniel Dibene Littlerock WR/QB Jason Dion Desert TE/DE Adam Fabela Littlerock LB Jacob Fowler Littlerock OL Jesus Garcia Mojave LB/OG Nate Girardin Mojave DL/C Jonathan Hogstad Palmdale OL Shane Johnson Palmdale WR/S Jason King Mojave LB/WB Billie Lawrence Littlerock SS Anthony Lopez Antelope Vly LB/DE Anthony Lopez Boron LB/OG James Matthews Vasquez DB/WR Bruce Molock Antelope Vly RB Tim Moore Antelope Vly OL Darrell Murphy Palmdale DB Marquis Murray Palmdale RB Brian Nunez Littlerock OL/DL Jared O’Reilly Vasquez QB Merv Prendergast Palmdale DL Andre Ramos Littlerock K Richie Sheasley Boron WR/DB Ben Smith Littlerock OL/DL Charles Socci Antelope Vly LB/WR Eugene Sudell Vasquez K/WR John Thompson Palmdale QB Ronnell Tyars Antelope Vly DB/WR Billy White Mojave LB/OL Steve Young Vasquez DE

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WEST

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Player School Pos. Percy Abrams Lancaster RB Jordan Aquino Paraclete S/WR Darsay Barnwell Lancaster RB/DB Tommy Breech Paraclete WR/DB Chris Borquez Paraclete LB/OL Mauricio Bowsa Highland DE/OL Mike Brown Lancaster DB/WR Jason Carlton Quartz Hill DE David Cerros Rosamond K Jamar Culver Bethel Chrstn QB Brandon Eggerth Bethel Chrstn WR/DB Anibal Enchanique Quartz Hill OL Mario Esparza Rosamond FB/LB Donald Forshee Lancaster LB/TE Kevin Galland Bethel Chrstn LB/TE Mike Gonzalez Paraclete DE Scott Hannah AV Christian DL Kyley Hayes Rosamond WR/LB Clifton Herbert Quartz Hill QB/WB David Illingworth Highland WR Jason Jacobs Lancaster DB/QB Nick Koufos Lancaster DL Nick Lodovici Paraclete DL Chris Marchilds AV Christian OL/DL Chris Mattino Paraclete C Brandon McElvaine Highland RB Jamie Olmos Rosamond DB/WR Daniel Pagnella Lancaster RB Edwin Reed Highland DL/FB Oscar Reyes Rosamond RB/S Jimmy Richard Lancaster DE Brian Roof Highland DL/G Rene Rubira Lancaster OL/DL Denis Sabalvarro Lancaster OL/DL Brandon Stanfield Rosamond C Daniel Tatum Bethel Chrstn LB/TE Chris Vaughn Quartz Hill TE/LB Jason Vukich Lancaster C/DT Josh White Paraclete WR Jim Zakar Rosamond DE/TE

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