By MICHAEL BRIGGS
Special to the Times
Graduation is in the rearview mirror for the Class of 2026, but just up ahead for standout local football players is the third annual Merced County All-Star Football Classic, sponsored by the Merced Breakfast Lions Club.
What began as a small school All-Star game in 1986 to showcase local talent grew into a major event where athletes were honored for not only their athletic excellence but their academic endeavors as well.
Sadly, like many things during the covid pandemic of 2020, the game was dropped for obvious reasons. Then in 2024, longtime area coaches Kevin Swartwood and Lou Souza brought the concept back with the addition of Flag Football and the purpose to: “Provide student athletes with the opportunity to showcase their talents, to promote the arrival of Flag Football as a CIF sport, and to provide academic scholarships to local area student athletes — thus bolstering their ability to pursue a collegiate career at the next level.” Today the games have not only reclaimed their former prominence, but have also achieved milestones as the only All-Star games that provide scholarships for student athletes in the entire State of California, in addition to being the first All-Star game in the state to showcase Flag Football.
The Merced County All-Star Football Classic is the only respective All-Star game especially for Flag Football in between the larger San Joaquin and Fresno Counties. The scope of the game incorporates 28 public and private schools spread across Merced and Madera Counties in the South, Stanislaus County to the North and Tuolumne and Mariposa Counties to the East.
This year’s contest between the Blue and Gold Squads will be coached by Anthony Leal of Hilmar High School for the Blue Squad and Juan Valdovinos of El Capitan for the Gold Squad. Under the lights in the main event, at the helm for the North Squad in the final appearance of his storied coaching career is longtime legendary Hilmar High School Coach Frank Marquez. Opposing him on the gridiron for the South Squad, coming off of a post season Bowl victory marking the first ever post season play for the Gauchos, is Head Coach Xavier Ramirez of El Capitan High School.
The night before the games, a banquet will be held and scholarships will be handed out to eligible students that maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher, have two letters of recommendation, and complete an essay explaining the international model in athletic endeavors as it relates to the Lion’s Club motto. Eligible students can receive from $500 to $2,000 in scholarship money at the banquet.
“Last year $18,000 in total was given out, and this year $20,000 has already been raised with an overall goal of $25,000 dollars,” Swartwood said.
When asked about the challenges of putting on a charitable function with so many moving parts, Swartwood replied: “The biggest challenge is always donations, whether it’s monetary contributions or simply the donation of one’s time. We can’t do it without donations.”
Swartwood thanked MUHSD Superintendent Alan Peterson, the Merced Breakfast Lion’s Club, Merced Lunchtime Rotary, the officiating crew, chain gang, local EMTs, Merced Fire Department, trainer Christie Bryant of Bryant Orthopedic and all the generous donations from so many businesses and individuals that are too numerous to list here.
“We could not do it without their support,” he said.
The Merced County All-Star Football Classic will be played at Golden Valley High School (Veteran’s Stadium) on June 13, starting at 5:30 p.m. for the Flag Football contest; and 7:30 p.m. for the Football game. Tickets to the game can be purchased online at GoFan or at the gate on game day. Ticket prices are $15-Adult and $7-Students. Concessions will be available for purchase. Swartwood did emphasize that next year the game will change from the “Merced County All-Star Football Classic” to the “Bob Green All-Star Football Classic” in honor of the All-Star Game’s original founder. If you have any questions regarding donations, you can contact Kevin Swartwood at 209-769-9845 or Lou Souza at 209-769-8042.
The link to buy tickets for the All-Star games on Go Fan is below.