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Local gridiron stars prepare for return of Lions All-Star Game
Lions All star preview
Hilmar’s Landon Gomes, Pitman’s Joey Stout, Hilmar’s Luis Vargas and Turlock’s Cole Gilbert came together after Thursday’s Southern team practice to reflect on their selections to this year’s Lions All-Star Game. Not pictured: Hughson’s Liam Bridgford (CHRISTOPHER CORREA/The Journal).

For the first time since 2019, the Central California Lions District (4-1) All-Star Football Game is back for its 47th edition on Saturday at Tracy High School’s Wayne Schneider Stadium. Among the 60 players named to this year’s rosters are a handful of area stars suiting up for the South team – Turlock High quarterback Cole Gilbert, Pitman High running back Joey Stout, offensive lineman Landon Gomes and defensive back Luis Vargas of Hilmar High, as well as linebacker Liam Bridgford of Hughson High.

“It’s definitely an honor. I was looking forward to it coming out of our senior season and I’m definitely living it up as far being out here and competing out here with other players in our area,” said Gilbert, who broke the Bulldogs’ single season passing record this season with 2,774 yards. “I’m excited to put on for not just our town, but our area since we’re playing against the North.”

Stout shared similar sentiments, explaining that many of the All-Stars this year will be teammates this coming season at Modesto Junior College.

“It’s amazing. It feels good knowing that we’re both from Turlock representing that area,” Stout said. “I like how during the season, we’re all enemies, but after the season at these All-Star games, they bring all these schools together and we build a bond between a lot of these people we didn’t know. We’ll be seeing these guys in college, so it’s good to build these relationships early.”

Stout was one of the most electrifying players in the region in the 2022-2023 season, playing running back, wide receiver, serving as a kick and punt returner as well as taking a handful of snaps at quarterback. In total, he racked up 2,106 all-purpose yards and averaged 234.0 yards per game.

While Stout and Gilbert get to know each other and their teammates better, Hilmar’s Gomes and Vargas are veteran teammates.

“It’s a great feeling to know that I have one of my brothers here playing on the same team. We know we have each other’s back and we’re doing big things together,” said Vargas, who complied 55 total tackles on the year for the Yellowjackets.

“Me and him are always here for each other. It’s a different experience not being with a lot of the guys we know we played with our whole lives, but it’s a pretty amazing feeling to be here because I’ve looked up to the guys my entire life, ever since I was a little kid, looking up to the Hilmar guys coming out of the town and playing in this game,” added Gomes.

Joining Vargas on the defensive side is Bridgford, who led the Huskies with 45 tackles.

Together, the five players will look to help the South get back into the win column after their six-game winning streak was snapped in 2019 when the North won 19-18. The North now leads in the overall series 25-19-1. Since the South was the home team in 2019, the North will be the home team this year.

This year’s game is also being dedicated to the memory of Gene Weatherby. Weatherby, who passed last March at the age of 86, was a longtime member of the Lions All-Star Football Game committee.

Tickets for Saturday’s game are $10 and can be purchased in-person at the gate with cash only or with card online through GoFan.com at https://gofan.co/app/events/997689?schoolId=CA87815. Gates will open at 5 p.m. and lineups and other pregame festivities expected to get underway at 6 p.m. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.