NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, CA (MPG) – On the evening of June 21, the stadium at Chico High School filled with senior football players from high schools across the north state ready to battle it out in the 48th Annual Lions All-Star Football Game.

Top players from small and large schools would be divided into teams for the North -vs- South game.

Division 2&3 North and South teams would face-off at 7:30 p.m., with players from the Gridley, Live Oak, and Yuba-Sutter areas competing together on the South team.

The North would put numbers on the board first, getting off to a strong lead as the South found their footing.

Gridley’s Gus Stogsdill (QB) would lead the South as quarterback, utilizing favorite targets Marcus Meras of Sutter (RB/DB) and Henri Reed of Lindhurst (RB/OLB/S), for running and passing-game gains as he attempted to put digits up.

Meanwhile the North showcased their ball handling skills, making multiple hand offs and short passes during the first quarter, carrying a 18-0 score into the second.

The Norths defense would put pressure on the pocket sacking Stogsdill, but the QB would stay focused, handing the ball off to Rodriguez for the first touchdown of the night for the South team. Stogsdill would run the ball himself for the conversion, bringing the score to 18- 9.

Stogdill would make another TD with 3:35 minutes left in the 2nd but fail to make the conversion due to the Norths tight defense.

The score would sit at North 18 – South 16 as players broke for the half.

Stogsdill would put more points on the board early in the second half, taking his time by eating up yards with shorter plays interspersed with deep passes to his targets downfield.

The Norths defense swarmed South players, but the purple team answered with their own tight coverage and intercepted multiple passes from the North QB’s Kayden Leaf and Justin Polley.

Moving into the second half, excessive flags and play calls from the referees, including personal fouls and illegal procedures, would kill the momentum of both teams and making them somewhat 1-dimensional on the field.

The North trailed the South 30-18 in the 3rd as Stogsdill continued to widen the gap in points, looking to Reed’s speed and agility for two additional TD during the game.

The North powered back as the clock ran down, taking possession of the ball last with just minutes left in the game. Hopes for the “win” would be decimated as the clock stuck zero and the North failed to score.

The South was named 2025 Lions All-Star Football Champions.

The following players represented these high schools on the South Team: Marysville- Colton Miller #70, Dennis Syders #4; Yuba City - J.D. Henry #13, Pete Ithurburn #20, Bryan Aleman #71; Sutter – Marcus Meras #5, Mason Cartwright #8, Corey Underwood #11; Live Oak – Miguel Carvajal #54; Lindhurst- Henri Reed #7: Gridley – Gus Stogsdill #3 (QB), Ben Clement #75, Ceasar Ortiz #77; Pierce – Gavin Guyn #6, Drew Burnum #24, Humberto Esqueda #45, Jose Pinon #79, Las Plumas – Mason Hothan #69; Pleasant Valley – Anthony Peloso #2, Keith Thompson #10, Lucas Benson #36; Chico; Ryker James #12, Gabe Rodriguez #34; Paradise- Jaydon Portis #9.