For six Morgan Hill high school football players, it was a chance to one more time don their high school helmets and pull up their football pants adorned with their school colors.
Players from around Santa Clara County suited up to play in the annual All Star game, also known as the Charlie Wedemeyer game.
Teams were split between the north county schools and schools from the south of the county, which included Live Oak, Sobrato, Gilroy and Christopher.
Live Oaks’ Brandon Duran got one more interception.
“It was a lot of fun just to have one more shot to end my high school career,” Duran said. “I had a lot of fun. Even though we lost, still had a lot of fun playing with these guys.”
Sobrato’s Miguel Redmond heard his number called to carry the ball for the South team.
“I don’t have the feeling like this was my last game. Probably tomorrow I will,” Redmond said right after the game.
Sobrato’s Isaiah Hardy said the magnitude of the moment came on much sooner.
“It didn’t hit me (that this was his last game) until they called my name at the beginning of the game,” Hardy said. “This was my last high school game. It was a great experience. High school was great, but now it’s on to my new future with college football. I’m pretty happy that I got to play tonight.”
Live Oak’s Jerardo Caro, Mark Butterworth and Joey Rodriguez all got to suit up and make some hits on defense.
“It was pretty emotional, but we’re all out here having fun. It was a great time,” Rodriguez said.
For Caro, the game was especially memorable as he sported two dates on his back pad — the dates were to honor the grandfather of Rodriguez, whom he thought of like his own, who passed away earlier this year.
“I feel like he was here. I was feeling good. Right before the game, I was feeling good,” Caro said.
Meanwhile, Sobrato’s Hardy roamed the secondary, nearly getting his hands on a pick himself. He also line up at receiver, catching a pass for 19 yards.
Leading the boys was a face very familiar to all of them: Live Oak’s Mike Gemo, who brought with him a contingent of his own coaching staff, along with coaches from Gunderson, Pioneer, Sobrato and Santa Teresa.
“It was great to represent Live Oak High School. I hope I did it well and I hope they’re proud of me and the rest of the staff,” Gemo said.
The game was special in that players who normally compete against each other, even have a natural rivalry against one another, found themselves doing battle along side former foes.
“The first few days of practice it was pretty weird. There were tensions, obviously, but then after that we forgot about it. We all became friends and we had good practices,” Duran said.
Butterworth, however, said he’s known most of these guys and was happy to be on their team.
“Majority of them that actually played, I’ve been friends with for a while,” Butterworth said. “It was nice to be on their team for once.”
The players didn’t know last December they would have one more game left.
Their reactions were ones of excitement learning they could play one more time.
“Once I got the phone call, I was just running around the house. I was so happy,” Redmond said of learning he made the All Star team.
A tale of two halves
North put up 10 quick points in the first quarter en route to a 17-6 win, ending South’s three-game winning streak.
This was the lowest scoring game since 2006, when North edged South 7-3.
There was a sense of pride for the players who took part in the All Star game. The hits were hard and the tempers flared, especially at the end of the game.
Linemen on South called each other out if they missed an assignment that allowed a defender to split a gap and disrupt a play.
“Tonight — the scoreboard didn’t show it — but I think we came together as a team and we just had a good time,” Hardy said. “Towards the end of the game we just all fought because we all took pride in putting points on the board.”
South scored in the final 10 seconds of the game to prevent the first shutout since 1997.
“Coach, with three minutes left in the game, he huddled us all up at a time out,” Hardy said. “He just said, ‘Score some points. Do it for each other and no one else.’ So we all just decided to go all out and try to put points on the board and make the people in the stands happy — and that’s what we did.”
At the end of the game — during South’s final drive that ended in its lone score — players got chippy with three personal fouls getting called, including one that kept South from an early three-and-out from inside its own 10.
The penalty gave South life as the team went 96 yards, capped off with Santa Teresa’s Austin Richelle hitting Pioneer’s Dominic Barnes along the sideline for a seven-yard touchdown.
South’s defense kept the team in the game, coming away with three interceptions, including two in the second half.
“We had a talk at half time about coming out with more fire than they did,” Gemo said. “We played a great second half defensively. We just wanted to end the game the right way.”
Rodriguez said during practice, the defense was the one that stood out.
“During practice, our defense gelled really good,” Rodriguez said. “During the game we communicated really well. We just stepped up and did our jobs.”
Duran’s pick halted a North drive that started in South territory and prevented North from taking a 23-0 lead.
“It was a proud moment for me,” Gemo said. “I saw that kid grow up. Starting at middle linebacker in an All Star game, he should be proud. His family should be proud. Then to get an interception — I can’t be prouder.”
Staff Writer Erin Redmond contributed to this report.
