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Clark, King, Perea selected for Lions All-Star Football Game
Lions All-Star Football Game
Manteca linebacker Tommy Perea steps in front of Granite Bay receiver Joseph Cattolico for an interception during their Sac-Joaquin Section Division II quarterfinal. - photo by SEAN KAHLER

 Three Manteca-area standouts are among the top athletes selected to participate in the 48th Central California Lions All-Star Football Game on Saturday, June 22.

The event will take place at Tracy High’s Wayne Schneider Stadium. The game kicks off at 7 p.m.

Lions All-Star Football Game
Ripon ball carrier Xzavier Clark returns the kick in a non-league game against Liberty Ranch.
Competing for the North team are Manteca seniors C.J. King and Tommy Perea along with Ripon’s Xzavier Clark. The North will be coached by Linden’s Alexander Metchikoff is comprised of schools from San Joaquin, Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties

The South team is co-coached by Roger Canepa of Central Catholic and Shaun King of Hughson. Schools from Stanislaus and Merced counties make up the South, which dominated last year’s game, 38-13. The North leads the all-time series, 26-18-2.

King and Perea were All-Valley Oak League first-team selections for Manteca, which finished as runner-up behind Central Catholic and went 8-4 overall.

The 6-foot-2, 265-pound King played center for the Buffaloes’ physical offensive line that paved the way for running back and VOL Outstanding Offensive Player Bryson Davis. Perea captained the defense as an inside linebacker, leading Manteca with 95 tackles to go with 3.0 sacks and two interceptions.

The multi-dimensional Clark was named to the All-Trans-Valley League second team. He missed multiple league games with a knee injury but still finished with 582 rushing yards, 181 receiving yards and nine total touchdowns as the wing back in Ripon’s Wing-T offense.

The trio and the rest of the Lions all-stars will be honored April 13 in a banquet held at the Italian Athletic Club in Stockton. The banquet had been an annual occurrence and is making its return since the 2020 game was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. ABC 10 sports director Kevin John, a Bear Creek High alumnus, is the special guest speaker.

Tickets for the game are $15 may be purchased in advance through GoFan. On game day, only cash will be accepted for admission, souvenirs and concessions.