Seven locals to play in Hall of Fame game

Hamlet Nalbandyan

GLENDALE -- Crescenta Valley High quarterback Scott Vossmeyer already

has one All-Star game most valuable player award under his belt, tonight

he’ll try to go for two.

Vossmeyer highlights a list of seven locals playing in the 21st annual

National Football Foundation Hall of Fame All-Star football game.

The contest will be at 7:30 p.m. at Arroyo High. Vossmeyer, who will

be on the West team, is joined by teammates Bryan Henry, Wes Jones and

Rusty Colburn. La Canada High’s Ian Hughes is on the squad as well, as

are La Canada Flintridge residents Faisal Dittu of Pasadena Poly and

Taylor Williams of Loyola High.

There is also another local ingredient mixed in for the West side. CV

Coach Alan Eberhart will be the head coach of the team, and will be

joined by his regular assistants Denny DeMonbrun, Jeremy Infranca, Gordy

Warnock and Paul Schilling on the coaching staff.

“It’s real special to coach this game,” said Eberhart. “The biggest

reason is I’ll get one more chance to coach my former players. For most

of them, this will be their last game in their high school uniforms, and

they’ll be headed off to college where they will grow up.

“It will be neat to have this one final opportunity to be with them.”

Vossmeyer, who will be taking snaps at the University of Oregon, will

certainly be potent weapon in Eberhart’s offensive strategy. The

18-year-old was named the MVP of the East-West All-Star game on June 10

after throwing for 174 yards and two touchdowns.

He completed 11 or 12 passes in leading his squad to a 34-0 victory.

Vossmeyer should have similar success tonight. Eberhart said that he will

throw the ball most of the time, and with targets like Arcadia High’s

Anthony Freeman and Duarte High’s Matt Carter and Calvin Byrd, big

numbers are in the picture for Vossmeyer.

When the original roster was announced, Vossmeyer was not on the West

squad. But when Cathedral High’s Robert De La Cruz dropped out, Eberhart

needed a quarterback and he knew just who to turn to.

“Scott joined the squad just when we started practicing, which is

about two weeks ago, so he’s ready to go.” Eberhart said.

Vossmeyer, who threw for 1,974 yards and 18 touchdowns last year at

CV, will also play in the CaliFlorida Bowl July 22 at the Rose Bowl,

which will feature the top graduating players from the state of

California and Florida.

If Eberhart needs to go to the ground, he’ll have three strong local

backs to turn to. Jones led CV with 830 yards rushing in 120 carries and

scored 13 touchdowns. He will take his skills to Glendale Community

College.

Dittu led Pasadena Poly to the CIF Southern Section Division XIII

title and Williams was the go-to guy in Loyola’s high-potent offense.

Defensively for the West, Henry and Hughes will be mainstays at

linebacker. Henry, who is headed to Pasadena City College, led CV with 73

tackles and Hughes was named the Rio Hondo League co-linebacker of the

year after racking up 136 tackles for the Spartans. Hughes will play at

Muskingum College next year.

Colburn will share time on the offensive and defensive lines. The

University of Boise State-bound lineman played in the East-West game and

had five tackles.

LOCALS IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION HALL OF FAME ALL-STAR GAME

West Team

* Scott Vossmeyer, Crescenta Valley

* Bryan Henry, Crescenta Valley

* Wes Jones, Crescenta Valley

* Rusty Colburn, Crescenta Valley

* Ian Hughes, La Canada

* Taylor Williams, Loyola

* Faisal Dittu, Pasadena Poly

IF YOU GO

WHAT: 21st annual National Football Foundation Hall of Fame All-Star

game

WHERE: Arroyo High

WHEN: Tonight, 7:30

DIRECTIONS: Take the Ventura (134) Freeway east to the Foothill (210)

Freeway east. Exit Santa Anita Avenue and turn right. Drive nearly four

miles and make a left on Lower Azusa Road and a quick left on Cedar

Avenue.