Championship coaches, players take field Saturday in historic Lions All-Star Football Game
Central Catholic coach Roger Canepa and Hughson coach Shaun King are looking forward to coaching their 2023-24 senior classes one more time.
Central Catholic’s Trace Hernandez, Seth Van Dyk, Hunter Goudeau and Troy Leota are all 2021 Division II section champions and Division 2-AA state runners-up. Hughson’s David Burns, David Delgado, Navi Arretche and Larkin Meyer have helped turn the Huskies into back-to-back section champions and state champions. They all will take the field in their high school uniforms one final time Saturday at Tracy High at 7 p.m. in the 48th Central California Lions All-Star Football Game.
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot, because these guys mean a lot to the Hughson program,” King said at Monday’s All-Star Game practice. “A lot of what we’ve accomplished is on their backs. I’m looking forward to it.”
Said Canepa of coaching his seniors Saturday: “I get to coach my guys again, coach King gets to coach his guys. It’s fun.”
King is coaching in his second Lions game, his first was in 2019. Canepa is an All-Star Game veteran, having coached in a handful of Lions games. He also has fond memories of playing in the game.
He remembers practicing at the University of the Pacific in 1981, moving into the dorms and putting the pads on as a high school athlete for the last time.
“Coach Snyder coached me,” Canepa said. “It’s about giving back. (Snyder) called me and asked me if I’d do it. It’s a great game. The same guys running it now are the same guys that ran it my first time coaching.”
If this is Canepa’s last time coaching an all-star game, King is glad he and his staff are on the sidelines with the Sac-Joaquin Section legend.
“You never know if this is going to be coach Canepa’s last all-star game,” King said. “So if this is his last one, I’m glad to coach beside him.”
In the 2023 playoffs, Canepa became the winningest coach in Sac-Joaquin Section history with a victory over Edison of Stockton, claiming his 283rd career victory.
He’s just about seen it all.
That’s why King is taking all of the chances he can to ask the coaching veteran all of the questions he can.
“There’s not many guys like him that are still around coaching,” King said of Canepa. “I’m going to pick his brain. He’s been there, done that. Nobody will ever replace him. … For this whole week, it’s a free (coaching) clinic.”
Canepa has shown his respect for King as well and has history with some of the Hughson High staff, seeing King lead the Huskies to back-to-back section titles and a state title over the past two seasons. In the past, he spent time coaching alongside some of the Hughson coaches at his prior stops. Canepa and his staff will cover the offensive play calls while King and his staff handle the defense.
“It’s nice to have a week where you get to hang out with other coaches you like. Nowadays in coaching, that’s hard to do,” Canepa said.
Canepa, King and their staffs will coach against a North team led by Linden coach Alexander Metchikoff. The North team also practiced this week. Last year, the South won, 38-13, behind a strong performance from MVP Joey Stout of Pitman. It was the fourth time in the last five games that the South has won but the North still leads in the series, 26-18-2.
“They’re going to have speed,” King said of their matchup with the North All-Stars. “We’re going to have to find a way to slow them down.”
2024 LIONS ALL STAR GAME ROSTERS
North Team
Head Coach
Alex Mechikoff (Linden)
Assistant Coaches
Adrian Ramos, Heath Prichard, Kyle Staples, Shawn Plummer, Thomas Longozo, Pat Plummer
Roster
Bryan Anaya, Edison
Javonnie Hayman, Edison
Samear Lattier, Tracy
Noah Reffell, Kimball
Aidan Van Os, Tracy
Xzavier Clark, Ripon
Adam Taylor, St. Mary’s
Bodie Rey Lychak, Kimball
Jac Easthouse, Kimball
Samson Hunkin, St. Mary’s
Barrett Crosby, Tokay
Elijah Chrim, Lincoln
Jay Reames, Linden
Troyaaron Davis, McNair
Asante Carter, St. Mary’s
Ejiro Ovbigho, Lincoln
Jamin Miller, Escalon
Junior Saavedra, Kimball
Tommy Perea, Manteca
Maxwell Laird, Tracy
Jason Evans, Tokay
Rony Cowan, Linden
CJ King, Manteca
Jesus Gonzalez III, Linden
Thomas Serrano, St. Mary’s
Giovanni Chavez, Escalon
Melino Halaholo, Lincoln
Gabriel Valeros, St. Mary’s
Xavier Johnson, St. Mary’s
Isaac Tapelu, Kimball
Jordan Wynne, Summerville
Reece Wynne, Summerville
Nehemiah Williams, Mountain House
South
Head Coaches
Roger Canepa (Central Catholic), Shaun King (Hughson)
Assistant Coaches
Tim Garcia, Billy Hylla, Myron Larson, LaRon Thompson, Rusty Price, Chris Wolfley, DJ Sexton, Mark Foss, Matthew Gonzalez
Roster
Ezekiel Toledo, Downey
Matthew Burciaga, Pitman
David Herrera, Los Banos
Trace Hernandez, Central Catholic
Adam Aguilar, Los Banos
Larkin Meyer, Hughson
Izrael Sanchez, Davis
Tek Garcia, Johansen
Landon Gutierrez, Gregori
Jackson Brooks, Davis
Trey Webb, Gregori
Logan Durkee, Turlock
Reyes Diaz, Le Grand
David Delgado, Hughson
Aiden Muhammad, Enochs
Derrick Kirkendall, Downey
Antonio Vizcaino, Downey
Chase Caetano, Buhach Colony
Owen Miller, Turlock
David Burns, Hughson
Seth Van Dyk, Central Catholic
Hunter Goudeau, Central Catholic
Jalonn Booth, Merced
Alejandro Duron, Golden Valley
Jacob Coronado, Golden Valley
Nathaniel Lozano, Patterson
Daniel Valencia, Davis
Alex Cardenas, Hilmar
Samuel Vasquez, Johansen
GlenWeber, Oakdale
Troy Leota, Central Catholic
Anthony Nixon, Merced
Trytin Gastelum, Golden Valley
Navi Arretche, Hughson
Kristian Guerrero, Turlock
Marley Okoro, Enochs
This story was originally published June 20, 2024 at 12:00 AM.
