UKIAH >> Call it something of a high school curtain call for the seniors participating in the eighth annual NCL Senior All-Star Game on Sunday at the Mendocino College baseball field in Ukiah. Action gets underway at 12:15 p.m.
East battles West once again this year under the game’s current format, which has changed down through the years. The East squad features senior players — many of whom have already graduated — from NCL I high schools Clear Lake, Kelseyville and Middletown and from NCL II schools Calistoga, Sonoma Acacdmy and Upper Lake. The head coach is Lou Poloni, who has been associated with the game since the beginning.
Lake County players who have committed to participate are Tyler Manning from Clear Lake, Noah Lyndall, Zack Villalobos, Sambhava Baird, Devin Dugger, Asa Peters and Nick Pfann from North Central League I champion Kelseyville, Travis Williams, Stephen Amos, Sam Pyzer, Tyler Showen, Matt Wiloth and Brett Pike of Middletown, and Anthony Percival of Upper Lake.
St. Helena High School head coach Darrell Quirici leads the West squad, which consists of seniors from St. Helena, Cloverdale, Willits and Anderson Valley high schools.
This year’s game has a new sponsor, the Cloverdale American Legion. All game proceeds are used to keep the All-Star game alive. While admission is free, donations are greatly accepted.
“Any donations are used for next year’s game,” said Juan Jauregui, the former baseball coach at Cloverdale High School and the All-Star Game director.
A snack shack will be in operation during the game. Soft drinks and food, including some barbecued delicacies, will be available.
Jauregui said he hopes the game will continue well into the future and has some special plans for a 10th anniversary game in 2018.
