The annual Hall of Fame All-Star game, to be played at Bassett High School on June 27 is taking a hit from the second-year upstart Fiesta game.
Above: Muir’s Willie Youngblood.
Among the defections to the game to be played at City Section school LA Wilson, are Muir’s Willie Youngblood and possibly Arcadia’s Kevan Walker. What has usually been a East San Gabriel Valley vs. West San Gabriel Valley has become more of an East vs. whoever’s left. Considering legendary former Muir coach Jim Brownfield hepled start the Hall of Fame game, it’s sad that Muir and Pasadena kids would rather play in a game that’s only been around for two years. The other interesting twist is that one of the coaches of the other game is a San Gabriel assistant.
Last year’s game at Bassett drew an overflow crowd and I expect the same this year.
What Fred wrote:
Where’s the loyalty?
The Hall of Fame All-Star football game is on Friday, June 27 at Bassett High School. A night later, the second annual Fiesta Bowl is at L.A. Wilson High on June 28. Why did the Fiesta, knowing th date of the Hall of Fame, schedule their game a day later? And even worse, the Fiesta is watering down the Hall of Fame East roster with Star-News area kids normally in the Hall of Fame, and now it’s become a tug-of-war, with Star-News kids forced to choose. It’s come down to coaches recruiting against each other for the best players. I have no problem with the Fiesta Bowl, It’s the City vs. Southern Section kids, and a great idea. But the Southern-Section kids are primarily Pasadena area-players, so that game should have been scheduled a week earlier, two weeks earlier, anything, so that they’re not competing. It’s a shame when I see Muir and PHS kids skipping the Hall of fame for the Fiesta, especially since it was Muir’s legendary coach Jim Brownfield who practically put together the Hall of Fame and still has so much to do with it. I know he’s disappointed, and this could have been avoided had players and coaches from the East side remembered how good the Hall of Fame had been to them. Or maybe it’s simply that the Pasadena-area kids are tired of getting beat up by the Tribune-area kids. Maybe they’ve had enough. If anything, if these all-star games continue playing the same weekend in the future, new boundaries need to be created.
East Team
Head coach: Ray Hernandez, La Puente
Players, School, position
Angel Acevedo, Baldwin Park, FS
Mike Acosta, Garey, FB/LB
Drew Annas, San Dimas, WR
Matt Baca, Ayala, QB
Domaminc Blanco, Charter Oak, LT/G
Chris Burns, California, G
Jose Castellon, California, C
Ben Counce, Azusa, DB
Ryan Cress, Sonora, WR
Robert Diaz, Northview, LG/LT
Jon Earnest, South Hills, FB
Michael Edwards, Glendora, WR
Kevin Estipular, Ayala, LB
Oliver Estrella, Nogales, TE
Joseph Garcia, La Puente, LB
Richard Gurrola, Gladstone, DB
Mikey Harrell, Charter Oak, WR
Ryan Henson, West Covina, WR
Mike Howard, Charter Oak, LB
Jason Knowles, Northview, RB
Damon Kuklinski, South Hills, LB
Nick Longoria, Los Altos, DL
Jose Martinez, Garey, FB/LB
Aaron Michaelis, Bonita, OG
Shelton Miles, Diamond Ranch, RB
Oscar Molina, Baldwin Park, DE
Steve Molina, Ganesha, RB/LB
Andre Ortega, Pioneer, LB
Brandon Parham, South Hills, QB/WR
Carlos Rios, La Puente, WR
Robert Rodriguez, West Covina, P/PK
Ramel Rose, Chino, WR
Charles Shorts, Covina, LB
Julian Silva, Bishop Amat, TE
Kanaan Snowden, Charter Oak, RB
Isaac Tucker, West Covina, RB
Mike Valdez, West Covina, C
Marcus Wagner, Bishop Amat, RB
Ray Washington, Charter Oak, DB
Alonzo Webb, Bassett, RB
Tanner Zylstra, Bonita, TE
Hugo Zuniga, La Puente, DL
West Team
Head coach: Erick Escamilla, South El Monte.
Players, School, position
Alex Valdez, Schurr, DB/WR
Jelani Blunt, Eagle Rock, QB/DB
Darius Reese, Duarte, QB/CB
Kevan Walker, Arcadia, WR/FS
Jonathan Mendoza, South El Monte, RB
Jonathan Troast, South Pasadena, QB
Chris Harris, Duarte, RB/CB
Sammy Garcia, Verdugo Hills, RB/LB
Fernando Gonzalez, Monrovia, WR/FS
Geno Stoney, Verdugo Hills, WR/DB
Dushine Smith, Alhambra, RB/DB
Kyle Morgan, St. Francis, RB/FS
Mark Love, Maranatha, RB/DB
Raul Pintada, Schurr, DB
Rudy Jordan, Schurr, RB/DB
Parker Haleen, Crescenta Valley, TE/LB
Jesus Campos, Bell Gardens, RB/LB
Juan Casillas, Lincoln, FB/LB
Williams Do, Temple City, TB/LB
Ryan Diaz, Boscho Tech, WR/S
Patrick Greene, Monrovia, WR/LB
Willie Youngblood, Muir, RB/LB
Deonta Woodrod, Cantwell, FB/LB
Clay Sierra, Crescenta Valley, WR
Darwin Barcelis, Eagle Rock, RB/LB
Juan Perez, South El Monte, TE/DE
Joseph Eddy, Rosemead, LB
Daniel Scheper, St. Francis, DE/OT
Eric Becher, Temple City, DT/DE
Tanner Farwell, Crescenta Valley, C
Arshak Abramyan, Glendale, OG/NG
Lars Guillermo, Arcadia, DT/C
Chris Tosello, La Canada, OL
Setefan Loau, Lincoln, C/DL
Travis Shafer, El Rancho, OL/DL
Oscar Hernandez, Salesian, OL/DL
Paul Lindsay, Verdugo Hills, LT/DT
David Morris, Marshall, WR/FS
Tommy Cogburn, South El Monte, WR/DB
Donnie Fields, Arcadia, OL/DL
Vicente Torres, Montebello, OL/DL
Gabriel Moreno, Alhambra, OL/DL
Zane Archer, Glendale, WR/LB
Mario Cruz, Glendale, TE/LB
Edwin Baldelomar, Alhambra, OL/DL
Andrew Barrera, South El Monte, OL/DL
