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Annual All-Star contest is 'Best Game in Town'
WG's Fernandez, Hare on football's South all-star team
By Dick Sparrer
T.J. Aimonetti has just returned from the state track and field championships.
Ryan Bernard is fresh off an outstanding baseball season where he helped Saratoga win a Central Coast Section Division II championship.
And Gabe Garcia has just returned to the diamond, hoping to lead the Sunnyvale White Sox to another Big League baseball championship.
But all of the attention will turn away from the sports of spring and summer over the next few weeks--and the focus will be on football.
Aimonetti, Bernard and Garcia are just three of the area players who will put their minds on football this summer when they participate in the 25th annual Charlie Wedemeyer High School All-Star Football Game.
The game, sponsored by the Almaden Valley Rotary Club, is set for July 23, 7:30 p.m., at San Jose State University's Spartan Stadium.
The annual all-star contest, appropriately called "The Best Game in Town," is named for Wedemeyer, the former Los Gatos head coach who has waged a 20-year battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.
Aimonetti (Westmont), Bernard (Saratoga) and Garcia (St. Francis) will each play for the 44-member North squad, coached by Chris Oswald of Santa Clara and his Bruins' coaching staff of Tom Bordenave, Dave Grissom and Dan Oswald.
Members of the North team include Cupertino--Mitch Andrade (wide receiver, defensive back), John Ho (kick returner, punt returner); Del Mar--Darius Crowther (linebacker), Jonathon Fought (tackle, guard); Gunn--Micah McElravy (offensive lineman, defensive lineman); Homestead--Trumaine Green (defensive back, wide receiver), Ben Mika (running back, defensive end); Leigh--Iszik Clarke (defensive tackle), Jeremy Fowler (offensive tackle), Adam Labare (defensive back), Ben Trap (offensive lineman, defensive lineman); Los Altos--F. Alex Ware (wide receiver, defensive back); Los Gatos--Chris Cavanagh (wide receiver, free safety), Austin Neale (noseguard, defensive lineman), Ryan Sorahan (quarterback); Lynbrook--Vik Rajagopal (wide receiver); Milpitas--Cedrick Dawson (linebacker), Tyrone James (running back), Eugene Mirador (running back); Mitty--Brian Barnard (wide receiver, linebacker), Scott Herbig (defensive lineman), Freddie Lewis (quarterback, defensive back); Monta Vista--Brian Laatsch (strong safety), Ryan Mitchell (linebacker); Mountain View--Josh McDonald (noseguard, offensive guard); Palo Alto--Charles Edwards (defensive tackle), Nelson Gifford (strong safety), Joe Ginanni (quarterback); Santa Clara--Larry Hoang (defensive back), Nick Hord (running back, defensive back), John Murphy (wide receiver), Richard Pandez (noseguard, offensive guard); Saratoga--Bernard (fullback, linebacker), R. Daniel Goñi (linebacker), Lou Petrossi (offensive lineman); St. Francis--Jeff Endaya (running back, defensive back), Garcia (center, noseguard), Grant Mattos (wide receiver, linebacker), Michael Riccoboni (offensive guard, defensive lineman); Westmont--Aimonetti (defensive end, offensive guard), Ryan Brando (wide receiver); Wilcox--Charles Boughton (running back, cornerback, kick returner), Amin Nikfar (offensive tackle, defensive tackle), Mark Trujillo (offensive lineman, defensive tackle).
Valley Christian's Mike Machado will be the head coach for the South squad. His assistants are Mark Krail, Ron Capurso, Dave Ferreira, Eric Scharrenberg, Mark Scharrenberg and Jason Snodgrass.
Players on the 47-member South team include Andrew Hill--Ray Martinez (wide receiver, defensive back); Bellarmine--Richie Alpers (defensive lineman), Jeremy Jones (running back), Kyle Pilgeram (tight end); Gilroy--Jonathan Frederico (offensive lineman), A.J. Lee (Gilroy); Gunderson--Ray Palma (fullback), Kenan Smith (defensive back); Independence--Tuati Wooden (defensive back, wide receiver); Leland--James Burgarin (offensive lineman), Francisco Castaneda (fullback), Jeremy Hoge (defensive end), Richard Tillman (quarterback); Lick--Delberto Freitas (defensive back); Lincoln--Sergio Salcedo (defensive back); Live Oak--Joey Barnes (linebacker), Rocky Citti (running back), Dana Madlem (offensive lineman); Mt. Pleasant--Desjon Bohanan (offensive lineman), Jake Halveston (offensive lineman), Steve Trujillo (defensive back); Oak Grove--David Ashkinaz (offensive lineman), Jon Barragan (quarterback), Ben Fritz (linebacker), Onyeka Ossai (defensive end), Lee Robinson (wide receiver), Demitris Starks (defensive back); Overfelt--Telea Leulu (defensive lineman), Gilbert Moisa (kick returner, defensive back), Larry Morris (running back), Val Sauao (defensive lineman); Piedmont Hills--Mike Aussieker (linebacker), Steve Frank (offensive lineman), Bobby Le (defensive back); Pioneer--Grant Murdock (defensive end), Jason Murdock (offensive lineman); Santa Teresa--Nathan Arnhart (linebacker, tight end), Maurice Bemore (defensive back); Silver Creek--Mat Lopez (tight end), Raul Munoz (defensive lineman), Minh Nguyen (linebacker); Valley Christian--Daniel Cisneros (running back), Tim Helfrey (defensive lineman), Shane Robertson (offensive lineman); Willow Glen--John Fernandez (wide receiver), Cory Hare (defensive back); Yerba Buena--Herbert Espiritu (wide receiver).
Silva joins all-star staff
Fred Silva, a high school and junior college coach in the area for many years before joining the National Football League as an official, has accepted the post of director of scholastic relations for the annual all-star game.
"It's like returning to my roots," said Silva. "There's nothing as spirited or as exciting as high school football, and I'm proud to be part of this game."
Silva should know about the excitement of high school football. He was an all-state quarterback on the Castlemont team that won the Oakland championship and, after a career as a running back and linebacker at San Jose State, went on to a successful career as a high school football coach in San Jose.
He was named the first football coach and athletic director at San Jose College in the 1950s, and led the Jaguars to championships in 1956, '58, '59 and '60.
Following his coaching career, Silva joined the NFL as an official, and he was the head of the officiating crew at the 1980 Super Bowl.
Looking for former 'stars
It was the summer of 1974 when a football game called the Santa Clara County All-Star Bowl debuted on the turf at San Jose State's Spartan Stadium.
Since that time, it has grown to become a summer classic for high school football all-stars, and this summer returns for its 25th anniversary game.
To celebrate the event, organizers invite all former all-star players and coaches to attend this year's game.
For more information on the anniversary game, and for former players and coaches to reserve their place at the event, write to All-Star Events, P.O. Box 20933, San Jose (95160), or send a fax to 268-2960.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
