Public Team Rallies for All-Star Victory

Toby Turpin had not practiced football since December when he ran onto the field for the public-school team Saturday night at the start of the 55th Shrine all-star game.

“I just got here Thursday,” said Turpin, an offensive lineman from Los Alamitos who signed with Washington State.

He fared better than Los Angles Dorsey Coach Paul Knox, who was listed as the offensive coordinator for the private-school team, which also included City Section players, but he never arrived because the game’s practice schedule conflicted with Dorsey’s last week of school.

“It would have been better if they held it later,” Knox said of the game.

So the Shrine game limped ahead in front of an estimated 3,000 fans at Citrus College in Glendora, one of the lowest turnouts in the event’s history.

Newbury Park quarterback Jordan LeSecla threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Dominique Johnson of Moreno Valley Valley View with 1 minute 45 seconds remaining to give the public team a 17-14 victory, but not before both sides combined for seven turnovers and one of the Southland’s top quarterbacks left because of a shoulder injury.

As the private team built a 14-10 first-half lead, organizers had one eye on the stands as they contemplated how to return interest to a game that once drew college-sized crowds.

Henry Gonzales, a team selection committee member whose sons played in the game, was already making plans for next year.

“We need to really publicize this, starting right after this game,” Gonzales said. “I really think it will make a huge impression with the community here.”

Most of the region’s top players decided not to participate, including all of the USC recruits. A few dropped out at the last minute, including Stanford-bound running back Toby Gerhart of Norco and USC-bound running back C.J. Gable of Sylmar.

Brian Shrock of Huntington Beach Edison was taken to the hospital with his left shoulder in a sling after getting injured while diving headfirst to retrieve a fumbled snap on the public-school team’s first offensive play.

“It’s a shame,” Edison Coach Dave White said. “I was talking to my brother-in-law driving up here and he made the comment, ‘You know, these games are scary, there’s always somebody who gets hurt in this game,’ and I’m thinking, ‘Oh God,’ and of course, it’s Brian.”