FOOTBALL: EIGHT-MAN ALL-STARS GET ONE MORE GAME.Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer Stephen Mercier gets to be a football player one last time today. The multi-sport standout from Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, Christian will represent the Cardinals in the Eight-Man Football Eight-man football is a type of American football, generally played by small high schools. Rules and formations vary greatly among states and even among different organizations, but the one constant is eight players from each team on the field at one time, as opposed to eleven-man 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 at Faith Baptist High in Canoga Park before heading to college as a baseball player. Mercier is among five Santa Clarita Christian players invited to participate in today's 5 p.m. game, for which Cardinals coach Garrick Moss also is scheduled to be an assistant coach for the West team. ``It'll be fun,'' Mercier said. ``It's always fun being out there with my buddies, so it'll be good to have one last chance together.'' Mercier considered playing football at College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. , but opted to attend Vanguard and focus on baseball. He was an All-Southern Section player in both sports during his time with the Cardinals. ``It'll just be baseball after this,'' said Mercier, who was the 2004 Div. VI baseball Player of the Year when he helped Santa Clarita Christian to the division title. Mercier began his all-star summer by playing in the Bernie Milligan All-Star baseball All-Star Baseball is a baseball video game series developed and published by Acclaim Entertainment. The series began in 1998 with the release of All-Star Baseball '99. game two weeks ago at Cal State Northridge, where he was the East starting second baseman second baseman n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker . Today's game is not only his last as a football player, but his last representing the Cardinals. Also invited to play were Santa Clarita Christian linemen Brendan O'Steen and Ryan Labeaune, defensive back James Richardson There have been a number of notable people named James Richardson:
Mercier earned All-Southern Section honors in the fall as a quarterback after throwing a career-high 21 touchdown passes and running for 18 more, but defense is where he is scheduled to start today. ``There are a lot of good players, so it's OK,'' he said of not starting at quarterback. Mercier looks forward to a rematch REMATCH Cardiology Clinical trials–Randomized Evaluation of Mechanical Assistance Therapy as an alternative in Congestive Heart failure–related to use of a portable, electric left ventricular-assist system–LVAS–eg, HeartMate® with some of the Bloomington Christian players who eliminated Santa Clarita Christian (7-3) from this past season's playoffs with a 30-27 defeat in the second round. The Cardinals players won't have to worry about handling anyone from Faith Baptist for a change as the Heritage League rivals will be West teammates. Faith Baptist's Greg Weiss, whose team went undefeated en route to the eight-man large-division championship, is the West head coach. ``It'll be fun, but I want to win,'' Mercier said. Heather Gripp, (818) 713-3607 heather.gripp(at)dailynews.com |
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