`MORE THAN ONE LAST HURRAH' KIDS, PLAYERS BOTH GET SOMETHING FROM SHRINERS GAME.Byline: MATTHEW KREDELL Staff Writer The 55th annual Al Malaikah Shrine All-Star Football Game means more to the players then just being their last high school game. Just ask Canyon defensive lineman Garrett Leary. Leary, like all of the players do as part of the tradition of the game, visited sick children at the Shriners Hospital last Saturday. ``This gives me a chance to really have an effect and to make kids smile,'' said Leary, who is on the public team. ``There's a lot of satisfaction in that. This is a lot more than a high school football game. It's more than one last hurrah.'' All proceeds from the game benefit the L.A. Shriners Hospital for Children. The game begins at 7 p.m. tonight at Citrus College According to the Public Policy Institute of California, Citrus College had 632 students who transferred to universities during the 2005-2006 academic year, ranking seventh in the area. Citrus College students are represented by ASCC the Associated Students of Citrus College. in Glendora, with tickets at the gate costing $15. The game claims to matchup of private schools versus public schools. But the private team also includes City Section schools, the most public of them all as members of the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. . Including the City teams with the private schools helps even out the talent pool from which to choose. However, many top City players opted not to play in the game because they have graduation this week. The area's marquee senior player, Sylmar running back C.J. Gable, dropped out because USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. coaches didn't want him to risk playing in an all-star game An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league. The players are often chosen by a popular vote of fans of the sport and the game often occurs at the halfway point of the regular season, although this is not the case for some all-star games . He also didn't show up for the East-West All-Star Game two weeks ago. ``I don't want to get hurt or anything,'' Gable said. ``I wanted to play, but everyone is telling me not to.'' The public-school team features five UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX commitments in receiver Dominique Johnson, lineman Andy Keane, lineman Sean Sheller, linebacker Tobi Umodo and defensive back Alterraun Verner. There are no USC-bound players on the rosters. The passing game for the public schools will have a Ventura County flavor. The team is coached by Westlake's Jim Benkert, who said he plans to start Newbury Park's Jordan LaSecla at quarterback, with Agoura's J.T. Wright and Thousand Oaks' Matt Luft at receiver. Washington Redskins Staff Writer Gerry Gittelson contributed to this report. matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): box Box: AL MALAIKAH SHRINE ALL-STAR FOOTBALL GAME |
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