Buhach Colony’s Stefani gearing up for another showcase

Justin Stefani has been attending summer all-star football games since he was in middle school.

The recent Buhach Colony High School graduate saw some of the area’s top players, including friends.

“I’ve always been close to the classes above me,” Stefani said. “I enjoyed watching them play. I remember coming to the games as an eighth-grader and a freshman. It’s special for me to get a chance to play in these games.”

Stefani rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown to help the South defeat the North 51-38 in the 42nd annual Lions All-Star Football Game on June 13 in Tracy.

With one all-star game under his belt, Stefani is ready to suit up for the North, featuring players from the southern part of the Sac-Joaquin Section, in Friday’s 30th annual North/South Rotary All-Star Football Game at Golden Valley’s Veterans Stadium. The South is made up of 28 schools from the Central Section. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Stefani made the all-star rosters after rushing for 1,254 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Thunder last fall. The 5-foot-10, 208-pound fullback punished tacklers.

Stefani is the type of back who gains that tough yard for a touchdown or first down. He converted five first downs in the Lions All-Star Game and capped a nine-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown in the second half.

“When I get the ball, I feel I’m the best player on the field,” Stefani said. “I pride myself on not being tackled by one person. Every time I get the ball, I try to get as many yards as I can. If I do get in the open field, I have a couple moves to make people miss.”

North coach David Snapp of Pacheco is happy Stefani is on his side. When Pacheco played Buhach Colony last season, the Panthers focused on containing Stefani.

“He’s a good kid, hard worker,” Snapp said. “He’s hard to bring down. Him and Frankie Trent (Oakdale) run the ball hard. Together, they are going to be tough to stop. I’d love to have both of them in our offense. Those are the type of kids we look for, tough runners.”

Stefani wasn’t just a short-yardage back for the Thunder. He was its workhorse, racking up 139 carries. He topped 100 yards in six games, including four games with more than 150, and averaged 9.0 yards per carry. He also played on the defensive line.

Next season, he’ll play fullback at Merced College.

“The plan is for me to play offense next year, but I’ll do whatever coach (Bob) Casey wants me to do,” Stefani said.

The all-star practices and games are helping Stefani prepare for the community college level.

“Definitely,” he said. “The last all-star game was like a freshman college game. It was stepping on the field with college-ready athletes. These games are definitely a test.”

The competition is great, but the games also have allowed Stefani to meet many players he’s played against or heard about during high school.

“That first game, we were only together a short time, but we all came together and had a close bond,” Stefani said. “I still stay in contact with a lot of the guys. We text each other every day. It’s cool how close you get to everybody. I see the same thing with this game. It’s the same atmosphere.”

This story was originally published June 24, 2015 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Buhach Colony’s Stefani gearing up for another showcase."