NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, CA (MPG) – On the evening of June 21, the stadium at Chico High School filled with senior football players from high schools across the north state ready to battle it out in the 48th Annual Lions All-Star Football Game.

Top players from small and large schools would be divided into teams for a North -vs- South game.

Division 2 and 3 North and South teams would face off at 7:30 p.m., with players from the Gridley, Live Oak and Yuba-Sutter areas competing together on the South team.

The North would put numbers on the board first, getting off to a strong lead as the South found their footing. 

Gridley’s Gus Stogsdill (QB) led the South as quarterback, utilizing favorite targets Marcus Meras #5, of Sutter (RB/DB) and Henri Reed #7, of Lindhurst (RB/OLB/S), for running and passing-game gains as he attempted to put digits up. 

The quarterback would also find backup from his Gridley High School teammates, Ben Clement #75, (OG/DL) and Cesar Ortiz #77 (OL/DL). Joining them would be Live Oaks Miguel Carvajal #54 (C/DT).

The North showcased their ball handling skills early on, making multiple handoffs and short passes during the first quarter, carrying a 18-0 score into the second.

The North defense would put pressure on the pocket sacking Stogsdill, but the quarterback would stay focused, handing the ball off to Rodriguez for the first touchdown of the night for the South team. Stogsdill would run the ball himself for the conversion, bringing the score to 18- 9.

Stogdill would make another touchdown with 3:35 minutes left in the second but fail to make the conversion due to the North’s tight defense.

The score would sit at North 18 – South 16 as players broke for the half.

Stogsdill would put more points on the board early in the second half, taking his time by eating up yards with shorter plays interspersed with deep passes to his targets downfield.

The Norths defense swarmed South players, but the South answered with their own tight coverage and intercepted multiple passes from the North’s quarterbacks Kayden Leaf and Justin Polley.

During the second half, excessive flags and play calls from the referees including personal fouls and illegal procedures would kill the momentum of both teams, making them somewhat one-dimensional on the field.

The North trailed the South 30-18 in the third quarter as Stogsdill continued to widen the gap in points, looking to Reed’s speed and agility for two additional touchdown during the game.

Powering back as the clock ran down, the North took possession of the ball with just minutes left in the game. Time ran out on the North as they hoped to taste the end zone, failing to score and handing the win to the South in a nail-biting finale.

The South was named 2025 Lions All-Star Football Champions, with Stogsdill taking MVP.