By Tim Peterson
(Baldwin Park) – Mekhi Fox hauled in a pass from Kaden Taylor and raced 41 yards for a touchdown to give the North a 13-9 lead over the South with 3:25 left in the All-Star game at Sierra Vista High School. Then the lights went out.
Fox’s touchdown proved to be the game winner when the game was called after the game coordinators met with the officials and decided it was over after about 15 minutes of discussion. Apparently the timer, which normally shuts the lights off at 10:00 p.m. was supposed to be moved back to 11:15. That didn’t happen, a blackout ensued, and the North walked away with a 13-9 victory.
Fox, the Pasadena receiver and Colorado State commit, had a big night for the North with 7 catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Fox’s other score came with 1:06 left in the first half on a 31-yard pass from Taylor, his teammate at Pasadena.
Taylor threw for 255 yards for the North and the two scores to Fox. Jason Sanford, also from Pasadena, had 9 catches for 77 yards. The North ground attack was never really a factor.
The only touchdown from the South came on its first possession of the game. The South drove 80 yards on 10 plays with Norwalk’s Jonathan Goodloe capping it with a one-yard run. Schurr quarterback Jesse Preciado hit West Covina’s Devin Muniz for 45 yards down to the one-yard line to set up Goodloe’s touchdown for the early 6-0 advantage.
The North took a 7-6 lead into the break at halftime after Fox’s touchdown reception. Mid-way through the third quarter Alex Martinez of Aquinas booted a 32-yard field goal to give the South a 9-7 lead.
It stayed that way until the Taylor-Fox connection turned out the lights. Preciado and El Rancho’s Elijah Mitchell shared quarterback duties for the South. Preciado threw for 135 yards for the South.
St. Paul’s Jordan Williams had 5 catches for 77 yards for the South. California’s Vance Johnson caught a couple balls out of the backfield for 18 yards. Muniz had to leave the game with 2:42 left in the third quarter with a knee injury.
Each team had a turnover. Ivie Jackson of La Serna had a fumble recovery for the South early in the second half and Pomona’s Bradley Harris had an interception for the North in the first half.
MVP Awards:
North: Offensive – Mekhi Fox, Defensive – Bradly Harris.
South: Offensive – Jordan Williams, Defensive-Ivie Jackson.
What ??
That’s pretty much his coach ‘s job or his family network.
I don’t believe in tampering although I do provide top notch tutoring for those wishing to get a spot at next level
No wonder you are lights out because you are in the dark .
@FB: Oh I see now. Your backtrack is that any schlub working hard to make a pay check is a money grabber right. So I guess every high school coach is in it for a money grab as well as teachers and trash collectors. You and KIR are money grabbers deluxe as well if any of you two dolts have a job. Two pompous clowns.
Big Mouth?!?! What exactly did I say that was not true?….for Christ sake the friggen lights went OUT before the game was over. If that was the only problem it still would’ve been too much. I was not related to anybody on that field. Just a HS football fan keeping it real!!
I’m not saying anything illegal is happening or that the guys running the game aren’t working hard and don’t have a right to make money, but it is a for profit money grab.
Ok insiders I like where this is going. So who do you think got what 100,000$ in cash from this this money grab? The coaches, the school administrators. Better check and see who is driving brand new pick-ups this week.
I agree that this game has been a money grab since it stopped being the Hall of Fame Game which went towards end of the year scholarships for local student-athletes. The jerseys are cheap, the kids and schools provide their own equipment and pants, and the coaches don’t get paid. Since this game seems to be a for profit investment, the overall product should be better. And by product, I mean the organization of it all, not the actual playing or coaching of it. No way the lights should be going out unless there was a power outage in BP. The cost breakdown for this event is probably….
Insurance- 2-3k
Officials- $500
Stadium Rental Fee- This would vary if BP Unified even required one
Jerseys- They looked cheap so probably about $30 per kid
Security- Minimum Wage
A janitor or 2- Minimum Wage again.
Scoreboard Operator and announcer- From the product, it seems like these people weren’t getting paid.
$12 a pop and $5 for parking. This thing had to rake in a pretty good profit.
if you knew he was a Baller why didn’t you help him out and raise his gpa! dumb Aaaaa No wonder you’re the detached observer
@KIR: Like what events have you put on? C’mon big mouth, tell everyone so we can be impressed. Crickets?……… That’s what I thought.
KIR?
Did your poor little boy not get enough playing time?
Tim, you should report the real issues that are polluting Sierra Vista and the community, You can start by reading the Tribune incase you are in the dark, maybe the lights turn back on!
I agree that Maxie stuck his foot in his mouth. AGAIN!
TOTAL MONEY GRAB!!! I put on events like this.
$12 per person about 2000+ people there Zero scoreboard Management, poor uniforms two people selling tickets…a line down the street, and the lights went out! What the hell do you think it is? Everything was done on the cheap. The boys and coaches deserved better.
@KIR: Next time do yourself a favor and keep your 12 bucks. These showcases are for the young men and maybe a chance to see if they can compete at the next level. You didn’t feel any rush because who wins is meaningless. No excitement or real investment in winning. But to call it a money grab indicates your experience on the money end is non existent.. You know nothing about the costs of football.
This game was a train wreck from the beginning. To say this was an all-star game with the best players from the area was a stretch. Most of the best players were not there.
The game took place way too long after the season has ended. From the refs to the players everybody looked way out of practice. To the two receivers that won the MVP. I would not put that trophy up on my mantle. The competition was weak at best.
To the organizers of this event… This was a complete and total money grab. Shame on you. Two ticket booths and a line to buy tickets that stretched down the street was unacceptable. The scoreboard operator was either incompetent or didn’t care. The chain gang left for a smoke and never came back. The jerseys looked awful. You could not hear the announcer at all..not to mention the lights going out before the game ended. I also hear the snack bar was a total disaster but I did not make my way over there.
In the future have this game about a month after the season ends and get somebody that is not incompetent to run it.
I flew out from DALLAS TEXAS To see a friend of mines son coach the North team. Coach shamberger. however very impressed with both coaches and the shoot out style of game yet very steady defensive play .my hats off to Southern California football. Last of all with 3:25 left. Something was left on the field the game !!!
They should have figured it out before the game.
They should have let them finish the game
Fox is going to a JC because of his grades… Pretty ironic considering Maxie’s tweets as of late.
Pitty.
Fox has been a baller since day 1 . I remember seeing him single handedly beating Maranatha early in his freshman year ( why are they kicking to him again?!).
Hope he has great college career and maybe transfer portal brings him back home …..
Great game and great atmosphere. How did Ucla let Mekhi Fox get away and end up in the state of Colorado. That kid can play. Fun game to watch and it felt like a summer night. Most schools were represented and did their school proud.