STOCKTON — Don Norton is going into his 12th year as Stagg High’s football coach, and though much of his career has been spent in Stockton he has roots in Manteca.
The Manteca resident is preparing the North squad this week for the 43rd annual Central California Lions All-Star Football Game, which takes place Saturday at Tracy’s Wayne Schneider Stadium. This is his second year coaching the all-star game after guiding the North to a win in 2010. Coaching the South is Patterson’s Rob Cozart.
Joining Norton are Manteca High’s Marcus Rivas and Ronaldo Tijero, East Union’s Austin Miller, Sierra’s Andrew Guevara and Erron Duncan of Weston Ranch.
 “I’m a Manteca guy, my kids graduated from East Union and it’s nice to get an East Union guy on this all-star team,” Norton said following practice Tuesday at Stagg. “All these guys from Manteca are very good football players. It’s a very talented group of kids from what I’ve seen so far.”
He’s especially excited to have Duncan under his watch.
“I have a long history with him,” Norton said. “I coached his dad when he played here and it’s great to be able to coach his son. I think Duncan is a really special football player.”
Duncan is taking his talents to UC Davis, where he will play cornerback and possibly special teams. An All-Valley Oak League first team selection on offense and defense, he’ll see action on both sides of scrimmage Saturday at safety and running back.
A big part of this week’s experience for him is dorm life — North squad players are bunking across the street at the University of the Pacific — and making new friends along the way. The team also had a special dinner event prepared by the Linden Lions and will attend the Stockton Ports game tonight.
“This helps prepare me to get used to life living with teammates and become part of the family,” Duncan said. “I’ve already built a bond with some of the guys here and I hope to continue it through the week and onto college.”
Guevara isn’t the only Timberwolf to make the cut for the Lions All-Star Game. Delaware State signee Joshua Fala, a 6-foot-6, 335-pound defensive tackle who was another big piece to Sierra’s run to the SJS Division IV and CIF state Division IV-A championships. The 5-9, 185-pound Guevara made the MaxPreps California Small Schools All-State first team defense after racking up 19.5 sacks.
“He’s bummed out about not being out here,” Guevara said of Fala, “but it has been fun meeting new teammates this week. It’s very competitive in practice.”
Miller did not attend the North’s afternoon practice Tuesday because he’s participating in the San Joaquin AgFest Junior Show & Auction at the county fairgrounds. Norton expects the 6-3 defensive back to play a big role for the defense come Saturday.
Tijero didn’t want to miss out on the chance to strap on the shoulder pads one last time. He’ll continue playing baseball at Butte College after helping Manteca claim its second Sac-Joaquin Section championship on Memorial Day just two weeks ago. A two-way standout for the Buffaloes’ football team, he’ll focus his efforts at wide receiver for the North.
“Until Monday, I honestly haven’t touched a football since (the fall),” Tijero said. “I’m just taking this as an opportunity to play football again — it’s my last game. I’m playing with a good group of guys, and staying in the dorms playing video games with them has been a lot of fun.”
On the business end of it, fellow Buffalo Rivas isn’t taking it lightly. Though it’s an exhibition game, the linebacker wants to end the South’s two-year reign. The North team still has the all-time edge at 24-16-2.
The North team is made up of players from San Joaquin County Schools and the Mother Lode. The South consists of athletes from Stanislaus and Merced counties, so that means another shot at the likes of Valley Oak League rivals Central Catholic — the three-time defending state champion in the small-schools division — and Oakdale.
 “This experience has been great so far and it’s only the beginning,” said Rivas, who will try out for Modesto Junior College. “I know that I’m excited for the game on Saturday. There’s real competition out here and it’s a high level of intensity. We want to win and do it the right way. We’re going to play as hard as we can and coaches are putting us in the right positions to succeed.
“It’s fun getting to play with some of our rivals from East Union, Sierra and Weston Ranch.  We’ll team up with them and try to beat our other rivals.”