RIVAL PLAYERS MEET FOR SHRINE CLASSIC CHARITY GAME.Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Staff Writer This time, the high school football rivals from Canyon and Hart are on the same team, and it's for a worthy cause. Canyon defensive lineman Garrett Leary and linebacker Matt Brown join forces with Hart offensive lineman Jackson Smith for the public-school team vs. the private team in the 55th annual Shrine Classic at 7 p.m. Saturday 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. Among the nation's most prestigious prep events, the Shrine Classic raises money for the L.A. Shriners Hospital for Children, where players from both teams met Saturday to visit the young patients, some of them terminally ill Terminally Ill When a person is not expected to live more than 12 months. Notes: Any gifts given out by the afflicted person at this time may be considered as a dispersion of the estate rather than a gift. , in hopes of raising their spirits -- not just the kids', the players', too. Most high schoolers have never experienced anything like such a visit to help sick children, and the memories should last a lifetime. ``This warms my heart. It's a good feeling,'' Jackson said. ``It's nice to raise funds for little kids. I always thought it would be cool to play in this game, and when I was asked to play I was real excited.'' Leary embraced the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of youngsters. ``This gives me a chance to really have an effect and to make kids smile. There's a lot of satisfaction in that,'' he said. ``This is a lot more than a high school football game. It's more than just one last hurrah. When my coach asked me to play, I was like, `Oh yeah, we're playing.''' The three participated in the annual East-West 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 in Lake Balboa Balboa, town (1990 pop. 2,751), Colón prov., in the former Panama Canal Zone, on the Gulf of Panama. The port for Panama City, Balboa was the administrative headquarters of the Panama Canal Zone. It was also the site of a U.S. navy base (closed 1999). two weeks ago, but this event has a bigger feel. ``I think it's awesome. The East-West game was fun. ... This is the game you play for,'' Brown said. ``I'm just glad for one more game under the lights.'' Smith is headed to BYU BYU Brigham Young University BYU Bayou BYU Bob's Your Uncle BYU Bayreuth, Germany - Bindlacher Berg (Airport Code) BYU Beyond Your Understanding as a recruited walk-on. Brown and Leary plan to play JC 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. and Glendale College. The Canyon-Hart rivalry reached an apex in December when Canyon defeated Hart 21-13 in the Southern Section Div. II championship at Home Depot The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services. Headquartered in Vinings, just outside Atlanta in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, Home Depot employs more than 355,000 people and operates 2,164 big-box Center in Carson in a wild game that ended with Hart on the 1-yard line. The victory was Canyon's third in a row over Hart -- and the second over the final month of the season -- in a series that had been dominated by Hart over the previous decade. Now the boys are on the same team. ``I suppose it might be a little awkward in the beginning with the Canyon kids but I'm sure we'll overcome it,'' Smith said. In the East-West game, the Canyon players competed for the winning East team, while Smith played for the West. ``It was pretty funny because we just beat the Hart guys again in the East-West game but now we're playing together,'' Brown said. ``I'm pretty excited about that.'' The Shrine event will be a final chance for the locals to represent their schools and communities. There's bound to be some sentimentality Sentimentality Checkers dog given as gift to Nixon; used in his defense of political contributions during presidential campaign (1952). [Am. Hist.: Wallechinsky, 126] Dondi comic strip in which sentimentality is the main motif. when they strap on the team helmets for the last time. ``Well, I'm really looking forward to it because it's probably going to be my last game for at least two years because I'll probably redshirt at BYU,'' Smith said. ``So, yes, I'm looking forward to it a lot.'' Brown has his left hand in a cast after breaking his thumb during practice for the East-West game. Of course, during Saturday's visit to the hospital, he saw a lot worse. He doesn't mind withstanding a little pain for children who might not make it through the summer. ``To know you might make a difference in someone's life adds so much more,'' Brown said. gerry.gittelson(at)dailynews.com (661) 257-5218 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Area members of the Shriners all-star football game, from left, Jackson Smith from Hart High School Hart High School may refer to:
Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer |
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