South earns first victory over North in five years at Charlie
Wedemeyer High School All-Star Football Game; Gilroy’s Jordan
Holler has four tackles.
SAN JOSE – This year, Charlie Wedemeyer wasn’t there.
He wasn’t there in his wheelchair wearing his Hawaiian shirt to greet members of the North and South as they had their names announced over the PA system.
He wasn’t there with a smile on his face. A smile, though he couldn’t talk, spoke volumes about his love for the game.
He wasn’t there, but his presence was felt.
Wedemeyer died last month of pneumonia, leaving a noticeable void in the traditional introduction, which looked different this year with out the man who started it all.
Spectators, prior, during and after the 36th annual classic all reflected on how great a man Wedemeyer was. His story is inspirational, fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease since being diagnosed in 1977, and his legacy as Los Gatos’ football coach is forever remembered.
The players still had their names read in front of friends and family Wednesday night at Spartan Stadium prior to the annual Charlie Wedemeyer High School All-Star Football Game/Silicon Valley Youth Classic.
However, this year the best graduated seniors in the section dawned “CW” patches on their jerseys and decals on their helmets, made their way through cheerleader alley, Lucy Wedemeyer, Charlie’s widow, and three generations of the family welcomed the participants with hugs and high fives. It was the perfect way to kick off the celebratory nature of the game.
A party of sorts; just how Charlie would like it.
The game itself was as entertaining as ever. Each side wanting to out-hit, out-run, out-hustle and of course out-score the other.
The back-and-forth affair finally culminated with a 27-24 South triumph, its first victory in five games, which sent the team into a ruckus postgame celebration complete with back flips and photo-ops.
“I didn’t even know it,” a jubilant South head coach Mike Carrozzo from Leland High School said about the losing streak. “I don’t pay attention to stuff like that. What I do know is that I wasn’t the head coach the last six years.”
Live Oak’s Dylan Frechette booted a 35-yard field goal to put the South up by three with 4:32 left in the fourth quarter, a margin that proved to be enough down the stretch.
Gilroy High School had two representatives on the South selected for the prestigious contest that showcases the top graduating seniors in the section, Andrew Benjamin and Jordan Holler.
Unfortunately, Benjamin broke his left arm in practice and was unable to participate. But the Arizona State-bound offensive lineman still relished in the opportunity to be a part of the team.
“I still made the team so it’s a great experience,” he said.
Holler, wearing No. 11, began the game on special teams for the opening kick-off and managed to weave his way around blockers to get his hands on the ball carrier, assisting on the tackle.
“It’s a great honor,” Holler said of his selection. “It’s something that you are going to be telling your kids about because it will probably still be going on then.”
Holler had four tackles on the night, including a clean hit on a tight end running a pattern over the middle.
“I finally got a good one,” he said.
A game that usually features explosive offensive performances, the defenses this time around kept the wow-factor plays to a minimum, forcing five turnovers.
The North fumbled away its first possession of the ball game and the South wasted little time cashing in on the mistake.
A 10-yard pitch and catch from Joshua McCain (Piedmont Hills) to James Yoder (Valley Christian) punctuated a 13-play, 78-yard drive to put the South up 7-0.
Frechette made good on a 42-yard field goal late in the first quarter for a 10-0 South lead at the end of the opening quarter.
The game opened up in the second with the teams combining for 24 points.
Quarterback Kyle Miller out of St. Francis sneaked in from a yard out to bring the North within three.
The North’s Maceo Parks (Gunn) picked off South quarterback Trevor Luescher (Silver Creek) on the ensuing possession. Two plays later the North hit pay dirt unleashing the longest play from scrimmage in the game.
Tim Vanneman (Los Altos) connected with Andrew Berg (Los Gatos) running free down the middle for an 85-yard touchdown and a 14-10 lead.
The South countered with a six-minute drive that ended with an improv pass-and-catch score from McCain to Ryan Smith (Leland).
The fleet-footed McCain rolled right and released a spot-on pass before hitting the deck; Smith in the right place at the right time secured the score.
Spencer Rodgers knotted things with a 37-yard field goal with two seconds remaining in the half to send the teams into the locker room at 17-17.
Each team tightened up defensively in the second half, both tallying just one touchdown. Luescher teamed up with McCain on a pretty corner fade to put the South up 24-17 early in the third quarter. The North tied the game late in the period on a Miller-to-Berg 6-yard touchdown before Frechette iced the game with his field goal.
During a halftime ceremony, Lucy Wedemeyer was presented with a framed No. 1 jersey with the Wedemeyer name etched on the back. The No. 1 jersey is now retired.
“We talked not only about Charlie passing, but also about the whole Charlie and Lucy legacy and how special that has been,” Carrozzo said. “(The players) took that to heart.”
