Showtime for Colbert, Bell

Their senior seasons were like an incomplete pass or a muffed punt. Unfinished business. Unfulfilled promise.

Keary Colbert of Hueneme High and Calvin Bell of Simi Valley might have been the best football players in Ventura County last fall. College recruiters certainly believed so: Colbert is headed to USC, Bell to Michigan.

Yet others put up better numbers and received more accolades. Sometimes, the end zone proved as elusive for Colbert and Bell as the breathtaking moves they displayed during the precious few times they touched the ball in the open field.

Neither Colbert nor Bell uttered a discouraging word. Both are excellent students and class individuals, the products of solid upbringing.

They had faith their time would come. And tonight they have an opportunity to display their talents in the Ventura County All-Star game at Camarillo High. Kickoff is at 7.

Their roles will be nearly identical: wide receiver, defensive back, kick returner and potential game-breaker.

The prospect of a final high school game before beginning their college careers delights them.

Said Bell: “I look at it as a send-off, a chance to show what I can do for people who never saw me play.”

Said Colbert: “This is the last time in a high school uniform. I get to play with my best friends and all the guys I’ve grown up playing against. I’m real excited.”

Bell will play for the East team, which has dominated the all-star game in recent years. Colbert will play for the West, coached by his uncle, Larry Miller of Hueneme.

They will be surrounded by talent that approaches their own. For a change.

Simi Valley was 1-9 last season, and although Bell had 68 receptions, most were for less than 10 yards because quarterback Ben Santiago rarely had enough time to throw deep.

Santiago and Santo Riccobono of Thousand Oaks are the quarterbacks for the East. Time to throw should not be a problem.

“I stand behind the linemen in the huddle and I can’t even see the quarterback,” said Bell, who is 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. “It’s awesome.”

Colbert had only 26 receptions last season, which accounted for nearly half of run-oriented Hueneme’s total. He was like a jewel in a glass case, valuable but difficult to reach.

Childhood friend Tony Williams of Oxnard, Kyle Loughman of Buena and Chad Metelak of Santa Paula are the West quarterbacks. “They should be able to get me the ball,” Colbert said. “I’m going to try to put on a show for the people who have been here since the beginning.”

That includes Thurman Beard, the uncle of Williams and Oxnard running back James McGowan, who also is on the West roster. Beard was most valuable player of the all-star game in 1983 and Colbert will wear his 17-year-old jersey under his own.

Colbert possesses a magnetic personality. He has friends all over the county, including Bell.

“Calvin is real cool, very smart and he comes from a strong, nice family,” Colbert said.

Bell’s misfortune was playing at Simi Valley. After leading the sophomore team to a 10-0 record, he languished on losing varsity squads.

“It got frustrating and was tough to deal with sometimes,” he said. “But I have no regrets about Simi Valley. I made great friends and had some real good teachers.”

Colbert and Bell figure their best seasons are ahead of them. And they’d like their best high school game to be tonight.