Saratoga News

Locals part of a football tradition

By Dick Sparrer

Ken Caminiti was the starting third baseman for the National League All-Star team earlier this month. His selection certainly came as no surprise. After all, the San Diego Padres' star was picked as the NL's most valuable player just a year ago. But it wasn't Caminiti's first all-star experience. That came many years ago as a young football player from Leigh High School.

Caminiti was a member of the South all-star squad in 1981 for the seventh annual Santa Clara County All-Star Football Game. And he is just one many athletes who have springboarded to greatness after competing in the traditional summer football classic.

That tradition lives on as the Almaden Rotary sponsors the 23rd annual Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game on July 23 with an 7:30 p.m. kick-off at San Jose State University's Spartan Stadium.

From its beginning in 1974, it was the "Best Game in Town," and in 1997 it still is as talented high school football players converge for one last time before moving on to the college ranks.

A number of all-stars have ended up in the National Football League: Doug Cosbie of St. Francis (Dallas Cowboys), Don Schwartz of Mitty (St. Lous Cardinals), Jeff Toews of Del Mar (Miami Dolpins), Rich Campbell of Santa Teresa (Green Bay Packers), Carl Monroe of Overfelt (San Francisco 49ers), John Tuggle of Independence (New York Giants), George Achica of Andrew Hill (Chicago Bears), John Faylor of Mitty (49ers), Erik Howard of Bellarmine (New York Giants), Randy Kirk of Bellarmine (49ers), and Tim Ryan of Oak Grove (Chicago Bears).

Caminiti and Bill Haselman of Saratoga (Boston Red Sox) made it to the major league baseball ranks, and Millard Hampton of Silver Creek went on to compete in the Olympic Games. And there have been countless all-stars who have gone on to become collegiate standouts.

Could there be more to come out of tonight's classic? It looks like another star-studded field!

Among those 'stars playing for the North squad in the summer game will be free safety David Goni and linebacker Brennan Carroll of Saratoga, linebacker Mat Meade of Westmont, linebacker Steve Horner of Lynbrook, tight end Brandon Morgan of Prospect, and tight end Adam Peters, running back Chad Purcell and linebacker Mike McNeil of Monta Vista.

The eight join a talented list of local all-stars dating back to that first game in 1974:

Lynbrook

1976--David Halliday; 1979--Bill Nicholas; 1981--Don Handley, Mike Nicholas; 1982--Doug Bloyd, Jim Cooke, Stephen Hopkins; 1983--Archie Rodich; 1984--Brian Hays, Steve Andris, Chris Saxen; 1985--Joe Urban; 1986--Dave Gillen; 1987--Chris Hart, Charlie Bostic, Dean Bambrick; 1988--Travis Lee Boeck; 1989--Daryl Rogers; 1991--Brian Martinez; 1992--Scott Schneider, Mike MacPherson; 1993--Ted Cocoles, Kevin Berns; 1994--Jeff Menold; 1995--Joel Rogers; 1996--Dan Sullivan.

Saratoga

1974--Otis Page, Bob Quail, Mark Sole, Bob Holleran, Rick Barmore; 1975--Larry Worman, Kyle Heinrich, Mike McKenna; 1976--Mike Heinrich, Travis McNulty, Bob Walter, George Zimmerman; 1978--Steve Worman; 1979--Rob Orlando, Jeffrey Lane, Mike Meteer; 1980--Lindsey Meggs, Dave Lynch, Don Kern; 1981--Kevin Tanner, Kurt Heinrich, Rick Worman, Mike Stypula, Greg Stangland; 1982--Matt Currie, Marshall Howard, Pat Sende; 1983--Kyle Druey, Ted Macauley, Vince Casarez, Phil Daggett, Darin Franklin; 1984--Bob Gatiss, Bill Haselman, Steve Fisher, Mike Bates; 1985--Gary Batiss, Mike Schroeder, Gary Wilberding; 1986--Kevin Grant, Keith Wilson, Greg Mount; 1987--Joe Fragiadakis, Marshall Lee, Ken Henderson; 1988--Steve Mollin, Dave Rossi, Sam Meteer, Tim Hall; 1989--Dan Edson, Dan Pacheco, Jim Wild; 1990--T.J. Summers, Matt Donati; 1991--Mark Coleman, Brian Gaspar, Jason Balogh; 1992--Marc Hall, Peter Feng; 1993--Bill Hagman, Chris Byrer; 1994--Matt Jones, David Silberstein, Carl Martin; 1995--Kyle Goni, Chris Kron, Chris Varnell; 1996--Johnny Taylor, Joel Reikes, Mike Wayne, Mike Whitcanack, Joe Yuan.

Westmont

1976--Eric Stark, Rocky Pena; 1979--Gregory Gorman, Steve Moore; 1980--Tod Devlin, Paul Hamill; 1981--Steve Cisowski; 1982--Brett Dawson, Russ Cooper, Scott Athearn; 1983--Ken Roberts, Gregg Skarmas; 1984--Matt Allison; 1985--Wesley Denton; 1986--Kelly Bailey, Pat Connell; 1989--Troy McFadden, Mike Zimmerman, David Jamison; 1990--Eric Liljenstople; 1991--David Seo; 1992--Ronnie Rogers; 1993--Beau Fernald; 1994--Eric Glader.

Blackford

1976--Sean O'Carroll; 1978--Guy Gandengerge; 1981--Greg Hershberger, Vinnie Daniel; 1982--Ed Conley, John Aimonetti; 1983--Greg Campodonico, Joe Lynam, Don Teague; 1984--Mike Guerrero; 1985--Scott Fitzgerald; 1986--Todd Kaanapu; 1987--Floyd Foreman; 1990--Ryshiem Henderson, Roelof Ytsma, Bert Gomez; 1991--Jeff Frederick.

Prospect

1974--Ross McCammon; 1979--Phil Rebboah, Randy Chase; 1980--Dave Maloney, Greg Kent; 1983--Mike Bosco; 1984--Greg Bernarding; 1985--Kirk Niemeyer, Steve Walker; 1986--Mike McRoberts, Dean Crew, Steve Bosco, Kerrall Robinson, Donny Togisala; 1987--Dean Witkin; 1988--Ken Begnal; 1989--Jason Snodgrass, Eric Stafford; 1991--Steve Augenstein; 1992--Derrick Barnes; 1993--Brandon Peterson; 1994--Erwin Reyes, Jermaine Walker; 1995--Rich Curtis; 1996--Honeya Ordoubadi.

Monta Vista

1974--Kelly Odell, Dan Boring, Brad Davis, Kim Johansen; 1975--Bob Gilson; 1976--George Ripley; 1978--Scott Coen, Maverick Tufuli, Tom Lloyd; 1979--Leonard Marchese, Jim Cleary; 1980--Mike Sansone, Chris Hampton; 1981--Troy Carlson, Bill Beadling, Bill Pearson; 1982--Sean Casey, Phillip Levy, Blake Ross, Beau Rahn; 1983--Tom Smith; 1984--John Pressley, John Miller; 1985--Chris Valenzuela, Bret Erickson; 1986--Mike Powers, Jeffery Sturdivant, Mark Stokes; 1987--Mark Jackman, Sean Robinson, Dave Ludwig; 1988--Eric Davidson; 1989--Tim Gilbert, Tom Buckley; 1990--Ryan Hancock, Clay Reis; 1991--Jason DeAnda; 1992--Matt Quadro; 1993--Kelly Edwards, Ross Touli, Bryan Clark; 1994--David Lee; 1995--Michael Jenkins, Dave Mowrer.

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