East-West All-Star Game coming to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE - Approximately 70 of the top prep players from 3A and 4A schools across the state will descend onto Lions Field to take part in the 49th annual Washington State East-West High School All-Star Football Game.

Athletes will begin arriving in Moses Lake June 17 for a week of festivities prior to the game, which will be played at 7 p.m. June 21. This is the inaugural event for Moses Lake.

"It's taken over a year of Greg Kittrell (assistant principal, Moses Lake High School) working with the Washington State Coaches Association to bring the game to town," Athletic Director Loren Sandhop said. "It's a real coup for Moses Lake, and a chance for us to be able to show off our facilities."

The game has been played in three locations over the years: Central Valley High School in Spokane (three times), the Tri-Cities (once) and the rest in Everett.

The idea to hold the game in Moses Lake spawned nearly a decade ago.

"We've been talking about bringing the game here since it was in the Tri-Cities 10 years or so ago and after we built our new stadium at Lions Field," Kittrell said. "We received a very strong reception to it when Todd Griffith, Mike Heinz and I coached in it in 2009 at Memorial Stadium in Everett, where it's typically been played."

The dividing line for the teams is the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Kids south of the line will play for the East team, and kids north of the line will be on the West team. The players nominated to participate have to achieve a certain status to be considered such as Player of the Year for their conference.

"They are the elite of the elite kids," Sandhop said. "Typically they are scholarship athletes."

Senior Justyn Simmons, a three-year starter as quarterback for the Chiefs is the first Moses Lake player selected to the East team roster since 2009.

"It's an honor to be chosen," Simmons said. "I am really excited for the opportunity to represent the community and to be able to play one last time as a Chief on Lions Field in front of my parents, coaches and friends."

Simmons knows his way around the football field as he started playing the game as a member of the Grid Kids from the third through the sixth grade.

He went on to set a number of records for the Chiefs' football program, including the longest pass for a touchdown (96 yards) in school history. Simmons led the Columbia Basin Big Nine in total offense in 2012 with 2,635 yards (1,665 passing and 970 rushing) and scored 30 touchdowns (19 passing and 11 rushing). He amassed a total of 5,313 offense yards and 53 touchdowns over his career at Moses Lake High School, and was team captain in 2011 and 2012.

"Having Justyn selected to the All-Star game is a big deal for us. He's the first kid to be named to the team since Josh Loera made it five years ago," Chiefs coach Todd Griffith said. "Justyn is a good player and really deserved it. He's as good as any of the kids he'll be playing with."

The week-long stay for the athletes in Moses Lake is not entirely focused on football, as plenty of outside activities are on the itinerary

"There are plans to take them to the aquatic center. We'll have a barbeque and a Rotary luncheon with guest speaker Peter Simon, who is an assistant coach at the University of Washington. He played professionally for the Tennessee Titans, was an Oregon Duck, and a former Walla Walla Blue Devil," Sandhop said. "There will also be a community dinner night where people can prepare dinner for three or four of the kids, and maybe show them around Moses Lake as well. So, we'd love to have people who are interested in being a part of this jump on board and volunteer to be a host."

The event is expected to bring approximately 5,000 people into Moses Lake and the surrounding area, which should mean a much-needed shot-in-the-arm for the local economy.

"Bringing this type of event to town is great for our community," Debbie Doran-Martinez, executive director of the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce, said. "There will be a number of people staying in our hotels and eating at our restaurants and shopping at our stores, so anytime we get a chance to bring in outside money to the local economy it's a real plus."

Doran-Martinez said the average person who spends the night will drop about $200 per day.

But not everyone will be spending the night, so $100 per day is a more accurate number. Each dollar spent she said, turns roughly seven times in the community.

The Moses Lake contingent bringing the game to town hopes the event will be a success, and would like nothing more than to have the site at Lions Field inserted to the rotation of venues for the annual contest.

"It's a big honor for us," Sandhop said. "We want to make this a memorable experience and be able to bring it back again."

Individuals interested in showing athletes around Moses Lake during their stay should contact Loren Sandhop or Greg Kittrell at (509)766-2666.

Former Chiefs who have played in the East-West All-Star Game are Scott Stanford (1983), Eric Black (1984), Mark Avena (1986), Jeff Palmer (1991), Reed Raymond (1996), Ryan Raymond (1996), Cade Kittrell (2002), Jordan Reffett (2004), Ryan Carpenter (2007), BJ Guerra (2007), Jarred Walker (2008), Ryan Coulston (2008), and Josh Lorea (2009).

East team roster

Offense

Justyn Simmons, Moses Lake, QB

Jake Hoffman, North Central, QB/WR

Kyle Self, Peninsula, TE

Ryan Osterlund, Wenatchee, OL

Levi Anderson, University, OL

Bennett Muasau, Mountain View, OL/C

Darin Hardgrove, Eastmont, RB

Grayson Sykes, Central Valley, RB

EJ Deveaux, Curtis, WR

Austin Rehkow, Central Valley, WR/K

Brennan Schon, Lewis & Clark, WR

Javan Williams, Kamiakin, WR

Tim Hergert, Heritage, WR

Gregory Cleveland, Central Kitsap, WR

Defense

Andrew Almquist, Kelso, DE

Rod Jones Jr., Federal Way, DL

Brandon Wetzel, Timberline, LB

Kevin Haynes, Battle Ground, LB

Damon Unland, Ferris, LB

Jabari Marshall, Skyview, LB

Nick Sells, Wenatchee, LB

Austin Wheat, Peninsula, LB

Jacob Swilley, Yelm, DB

Trent Cowan, Union, DB

Carlos Vijarro, Davis, DB

Bryce Broome, South Kitsap, DB

East coaches

Head coach: Jon Eagle, Camas

Assistants: Doug McGill, Eastmont, and Matt Hinkle, Shelton

West team roster

Offense

Alex Emanuels, Mercer Island, C

Dayne Herron, Oak Harbor, OT

Iggy Gabov, Marysville Pilchuck, OG

Leo Keilani, Rainier Beach, OT

Kyle O'Donnell, Stanwood, OT

Mitchell Shepherd, Roosevelt, OG

Brian O'Donnell, Stanwood, TE

Kyle Nelson, Hazen, WR-FL

KeiWuan Miller, Rainier Beach, WR-FL

Tyri Bethea, Kamiak, WR-FL

Drew Thompson, Kennedy, WR

Zander Seymer, Marysville Getchell, WR

Harold Lee, Auburn, WR

Skylor Elgarico, Arlington, QB

Steffin Church, Kentlake, QB

Alex Conley, Ferndale, RB

Michael Palmer, Glacier Peak, RB

Caleb Mathena, Kentlake, RB

Defense

Colter Clinch, Woodinville, DE

Blake Young, Skyline, DE

Cole Madison, Kennedy, DE

Andre Lino, Blanchet, DT

Brandon Johnson, Lake Stevens, DT

Jordon Hoorn, Marysville Pilchuck, LB

Jack Oman, O'Dea, LB

Michel Cummings, Meadowdale, LB

Zach Nobmann, Kennedy, LB

Sean Elledge, Glacier Peak, CB

Mason Stone, Mountlake Terrace, CB

Aaron Mandell, Nathan Hale, CB

Trent Riley, Mt. Si, CB

Kyle Nobach, Marysville Pilchuck, CB

Kiante Ahmad-Woods, Mariner, S

Jackson Huerta, Kentwood, S

West coaches

Head coach: Tom Tri, Lake Stevens

Assistants: Bob Bourgette, Kennedy, and Hoover Hopkins, Nathan Hale.