State’s Best Football Players Blast Off Tonight’s 7:30 All-Star Game At Albi Stadium Should Be High-Scoring

Indications suggest the East-West All-Star Summer Classic is the perfect way to kick off the Fourth of July weekend.

Tonight’s 7:30 football game at Albi Stadium, sponsored by the Athletic Round Table, should have plenty of fireworks, according to those involved.

“They say this one probably has the most even teams since (Mark) Rypien’s team won 41-40 in ‘81,” center Matt Miethe of Rogers and the East team reported. “It should be high scoring because there are so many limitations on the defense.”

For this game, which began in 1947, defenses are limited in pass coverages, linebacker blitzes and line alignments.

In the spirit of the Fourth of July, the game is meant to be a blast.

“This is just kind of a last hurrah,” said Brock Huard, Puyallup’s all-everything quarterback signed to follow his brother Damon’s footsteps at the University of Washington. “Coming in, I didn’t think a whole lot about it, but after a week with these guys, it’s a blast. … You get to meet new people, experience new things.”

His West team coach, Bruce Rick of Kent-Meridian, said one of the pleasures of the game is getting to know Huard personally. He added, “It’s a blast. We’re having a ball. I wish I could take them all home with me.”

It’s that kind of talent, for the first time limited to Class AAA and AA players, that has the coaches excited.

“You’re good at all 22 positions,” Rick said.

The way retiring Ferris coach Pat Pfeifer described the talent was more academic.

“We taught them our whole (Ferris) offense in four days,” he said. “Usually it takes 10 to 20 days. There’s very little technique work to worry about.”

Pfeifer said the defense in general and two players in particular, Peter Sirmon of Walla Walla and Mac Tuiaea of Hanford, impressed him.

“The defensive guys are big, fast, strong and aggressive,” he said. “They’re everything you want in a defense.”

Of Sirmon, a 6-foot-3, 212-pound defensive back out of Walla Walla bound for Oregon, Pfeifer said, “He was the state defensive player of the year. I knew he had to be good but I had no idea he was that good. He’s a defensive back we moved to inside linebacker and he’s the best we’ve got after four days.”

Tuiaea, a 6-6, 275-pound lineman, reminds Pfeifer of former Cheney and UW standout Steve Emtman, whom Pfeifer coached in this game and went on to become the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.

“We can’t block him. He’s right there with Emtman. He’s as good as near as I can tell,” Pfeifer said. “And he’s still a boy.”

For those who will play in college, the game is an enjoyable way to get back into a football mindset.

“It gives you that football feeling again,” Jones said. “It’s good to be one step higher than high school football before entering college football.”

Playing with the caliber of player - more than 50 of the 65 plan to continue their football careers in college this fall - took getting used to for some players.

“It’s rad,” said East Valley receiver Keith Osso. “Everybody here is so much bigger and faster. The first day, I was in awe, but everybody treats everybody like they deserve to be in the game. I feel confident in the role I’m playing on the team. When I get in, I’ll do the best I can.”

Miethe said, “At first I was kind of looking around, wondering if I’m good enough to play as this level, wondering if I was just lucky to be here. But once we started hitting, it was almost like we were all at the same level.

“It’s crazy, because next year I’m at Whitworth and I’ll turn on the TV and be able to say I played with these guys. We were saying this could be the Apple Cup in a few years.”

In the spirit of the Fourth of July weekend, the emphasis is on fun, but none of the players has lost sight of winning.

“Mostly it’s centered around having fun, but working hard at the same time,” said Ferris receiver/kicker Randy Jones, who is going to UW. “Basically they’re trying to play everyone the same amount of time. (But it’s about) winning, definitely. We want to have bragging rights. It looks to me like we have everything. They’re super athletes, not to mention a great group of guys to be around.”

Quarterback Griffin Garske of Mead, who is going to Utah State and will start for the East, said, “Pretty much this is to have fun. We haven’t talked a lot about winning (as a team) but we have with the West guys. They know we won the last three, but they won the 13 before that. We want to have fun and not get anybody hurt.”

Pfeifer said his philosophy was, “Play the best you can, and if you win, you win. That’s our thought, but I’m sure they want to beat the West.

“They’ve really became good friends on both sides. They’re totally mixed at night. There’s that respect that everyone can play.”

Quick kicks

The support of The Athletic Round Table and the work of organizer Rick Giampietri, head coach at Central Valley, are drawing rave reviews. The only variable in the effort to return the game to Spokane in the future is a the size of tonight’s crowd. … Tickets can be purchased at the gate or from G&B Select-A-Seat. They are $6 for adults, $4 for students. G&B has a family ticket good for two adults and two students for $10.

The game will be broadcast on KTRW 970-AM with Paul Seebeck doing the playby-play and Jim Missel, an assistant coach at Ferris, the color commentary. … KXLYExtra, channel 14 on Cox Cable, will televise the game on tape Saturday at noon and on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

Two GSL players will not participate in the game. Ian Hughes of Central Valley had to leave for his appointment to West Point. Jim Salters of Gonzaga Prep dislocated a shoulder last month in a mountain bike accident.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Football Summer Classic rosters Following are rosters for the 1995 East/West All-Star Football Summer Classic as chosen by Washington state football coaches. Game will be played tonight at Joe Albi Memorial Stadium. West All-Stars No. Player Ht. Wt. Pos. Hometown College 1 Torry Hollimon 5-11 187 RB-DB Cascade Washington State 2 Dane Looker 6-0 165 WR-DB Puyallup Western Washington 3 Jacob Young 5-10 175 QB-DB Mt. Si Walla Walla JC 4 John Fields 6-3 185 WR-DE Mt. Rainier Central Washington 5 Ben Wall 6-0 180 RB-DB Lynden Ricks JC 8 Tony Human 5-11 180 RB-DB Lake Stevens Western Washington 9 Nate Marti 6-1 180 RB-DB Eastside Catholic Central/Utah State 11 Brock Huard 6-5 215 QB Puyallup Washington 12 Josh Heron 6-2 190 QB-DB Cascade Western Washington 21 Chris Johnson 6-1 155 QB-DB O’Dea Stanford 22 Yaphet Warren 6-2 195 WR-DB Hazen U. of Idaho 26 Mike Capelletti 5-11 205 RB-DE Eastlake Eastern Washington 30 Levar McClary 5-6 145 RB-DB Oak Harbor Eastern Washington 32 Chung La 5-8 163 RB Newport Western Washington 33 Chris Lemon 5-11 192 RB-DB Kent-Meridian Nevada 40 Matt Colman 6-0 165 WR-DB Anacortes Boise State 43 Willie Close 6-4 215 TE-LB Hazen Washington 44 Gino Valdivia 5-10 210 RB-LB Blanchet Iowa Wesleyan College 45 J.J. Reed 5-10 190 RB-DB Kamiak Wenatchee Valley JC 47 Gary Peterson 6-1 230 RB-LB Inglemoor Walla Walla JC 58 Jeff Kimball 6-4 215 OL-DL Lakes Walla Walla JC 59 Lance Salisbury 6-4 230 C-DL Mount Rainier Western Washington 60 Ben Carlsen 6-1 195 OL-LB North Kitsap Western Washington 63 Pat Humphrey 6-2 235 OL-DL Ferndale Western Washington 65 Kurth Connell 6-5 250 OL-DE O’Dea Washington 66 David Humes 6-1 240 C-DL Juanita Western Washington 66 Rob Dyer 6-4 230 OL-DL Kennedy Navy 67 John Stewart 6-0 250 OL-DL Lake Stevens Undecided 71 Tom Candland 6-4 240 OL-DL Renton Undecided 75 Adam Kummer 6-6 250 OL-DL Everett Western Washington 79 Chad Stalder 6-3 233 OL-DL Decatur U. of Idaho 85 Dave Stachelski 6-4 225 TE-DE Marysville-Pilchuck Boise State 95 Matt Krill 5-11 219 OL-DL Sumner Beloit College, Wisc. Coaches Head coach: Bruce Rick, Kent-Meridian. Assistant coaches: Kevin Thomas, Kent-Meridian; Bill Heglar, Interlake; Mike Hagadone, Sumner; Charlie Kinnune, Mt. Si

East All-Stars No. Player Ht. Wt. Pos. Hometown College 1 Jeremy Klug 5-10 165 WR-DB Clarkston Western Washington 2 Rian Lindell 6-3 223 DE-TE Mountain View Washington State 4 Peter Sirmon 6-3 212 DB-QB Walla Walla U. of Oregon 5 Cory Linstad 5-10 165 RB-DB West Valley (Yakima) 9 Phil Hazel 6-3 198 QB-DB Kamiakin Weber State 12 Jeff Davis 6-1 175 QB-DB Kelso Boise State 15 Bob Strahl 6-0 180 DB Gonzaga Prep 16 Kevin McClure 6-2 190 QB-DB Prosser 18 Griffin Garske 6-4 200 QB Mead Utah State 19 Chet Doughty 5-11 160 RB Tumwater Whitworth 24 Marques Hairston 6-3 215 RB-DB Stadium Washington 29 Jimmy Lake 5-11 185 DB-RB North Central Western Washington 33 Albert Mitchell 6-0 180 RB-DB Ferris Western Washington 40 Joe Jaryznka 5-9 165 WR-DB Gig Harbor Washington 41 Jeremy Johnston 6-1 225 LB-RB Bellarmine Prep Pacific Lutheran 44 Kirk Holman 6-0 220 RB-DL Walla Walla Walla Walla CC 45 Keith Osso 6-1 182 DB-RB East Valley-Spokane 48 Randy Jones 6-2 20-5 WR-K Ferris Washington 56 Matt Miethe 5-11 220 C-DL Rogers Whitworth 64 Josh Graham 6-1 210 LB-OL Hoquiam Western Washington 66 Deke Moen 6-4 247 OL-DL Hudson’s Bay U. of Oregon 67 Jesse Ratcliff 6-3 230 OL-DL North Thurston Washington State 70 Ed James 5-11 240 C-DL Lincoln Washington State 72 Gunder Gregerson 6-2 238 OL-DL Central Valley Walla Walla CC 75 Aaron Streepy 6-3 300 OL-DL White River Whitworth 76 Graham Coffeen 6-3 240 OL-DL Pasco U. of Idaho 77 Andy Armstrong 6-2 250 OL-DL Franklin Pierce Pacific Lutheran 78 Mac Tuiaea 66 275 OL-DL Hanford Washington 79 Josh Burgess 6-3 240 OL-DL West Valley (Yakima) Central Washington 84 Anthony Mizin 6-5 235 TE-DE Aberdeen 99 Erich Hannan 6-3 225 DE-TE Pullman Lewis & Clark Coaches Head coach: Pat Pfeifer Ferris. Assistant coaches: Bob Crabb, Ferris; Dave Curtis, Clarkston; Ken Emil, Colville; Jerry McCullough, North Central.