Downey’s Jeremy Plaa leads South team in 49th Lions All-Star Football Game
Anyone familiar with Sac-Joaquin Section football has heard of Caden Bailey and Quintell DuPree.
Bailey played quarterback, running back and slot receiver in his varsity career at Hilmar High School and no matter where he lined up, he was a dynamic rusher. He rushed for over 1,700 yards as a junior and still rushed for over 800 yards in eight games as a senior. He never had less than 10 rushing touchdowns.
DuPree starred at Merced High School where he started at quarterback but has the skillset to play anywhere on the field.
Downey head coach Jeremy Plaa knows who they are well. He’s heard stories about Bailey’s rushing ability and created a game plan for Dupree when his Knights played the Bears the past two seasons.
“As we put some of our X’s and O’s together, we want to try to highlight some of the skills that these players have and help them be successful,” Plaa said.
On Saturday, Plaa will coach both dynamic playmakers at the 49th Lions All-Star Football Game for 2025 seniors, Saturday, June 21. The game, held at Tracy High’s Wayne Schneider Stadium, starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased through GoFan.com.
Plaa and members of his varsity, JV and freshman coaching staff will lead the South team (Merced to Modesto) against the North (Manteca, Tracy, Stockton, Lathrop, Linden, Jackson) and St. Mary’s head coach Tony Franks. According to CalHiSports, Franks is seventh all-time in wins (234-80-2). Plaa has coached at Gustine and Delhi and is currently 132-62 in 18 seasons at Downey. The South has won five of the last six Lions All-Star contests.
“All-Star players want to play against the best players around and I love the idea of our coaching staff getting to coach against the St. Mary’s coaching staff,” said Plaa, who coached the all-star game in 2003 and 2015. “They’re obviously one of the best around.”
The South Team practices this week at Downey High from 5-7 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Friday. Featured players like Dupree, Bailey, four recently-graduated Knights and more of the top players in the southern part of the Sac-Joaquin Section will suit up.
“We’re excited to coach the Downey guys again,” Plaa said. “And we were also able to pick up some guys on the team that are gonna be playing at JC and we’re excited to get to coach them up for another week.”
2024 hero earns Division I scholarship
Last season’s all-star hero used the Saturday afternoon event as a springboard.
When the right offer didn’t present itself out of Central Catholic High School, Trace Hernandez decided he’d hang up the cleats. He was going to be a regular student and the all star game was going to be his last hurrah.
But after a week of practice and catching six passes for 106 yards with a score and recording three carries for 10 yards, Hernandez had a decision to make.
Hernandez caught the game-winning touchdown pass from former Los Banos quarterback David Herrera in the South Team’s 18-15 win.
“This whole week, just getting that feeling back of waking up, working out twice a day, going to practice, having that grind, it’s something I missed,” he said. “Having something to work for is always fun.
“It’s an itch. Definitely a conversation I’ll have to have with my parents about it. You never know what’s next.”
What followed that game was one season at Modesto JC where he tallied 42 catches for 788 yards and six touchdowns. An All-Valley Conference honoree, he also returned a punt for a touchdown. After the season, he received Division I offers from Nevada and San Jose State. He committed and signed with San Jose State in the spring.
“I think that’s why the people involved with the Lions game and have done it for so long, continue to do it, they’re creating opportunities for these kids,” Plaa said. “In some cases, the opportunities aren’t realized until two or three years down the road. It’s finding ways to excite the passion again in kids who might say this is my last football game ever or they might say, I want to continue this at the next level.”
Several players in the game often make an impact at the college level. Former Pitman High receiver Joey Stout was the 2023 MVP and had two standout seasons at MJC. He is now a receiver at Northern Arizona University. Merced defensive lineman Jalonn Booth made his mark on last season’s game, recording nine tackles and five sacks en route to taking home Defensive MVP honors. He made an impact on MJC’s impressive defensive line during the Pirates’ 2024 season.
“The number one goal is to give the kids a great all-star experience,” Plaa said. “The Lions Club does a great job. One of the cool things for us is building with the kids. Giving them the chance to have one more great week of high school football is our goal.”
2025 Rosters
South Team
Xzavier Ahumada (Gregori)
Caden Bailey (Hilmar)
Sebastian Campos (Central Catholic)
Johan Chaney (Grace Davis)
Noah Cozart (Patterson)
Nicolas Cuevas (Orestimba)
Jeremiah Dela Rosa (Atwater)
Zion Denning (Central Catholic)
Roberto Dominguez (Atwater)
Quintell DuPree (Merced)
Jesse Edmonson (Central Catholic)
Yahir Flores (Delhi)
Dylan Fontes (Turlock)
Dejuan Franklin (El Capitan)
Scotty Hallmon (Central Catholic)
Travis Harkrader (Hughson)
Julian Higareda (Merced)
Daley Holmes (Downey)
Carson Lamb (Downey)
Jatavious Lewis (Merced)
Ismael Lopez (Downey)
Carson Lund (Stone Ridge Christian)
Dylan McCauley (Orestimba)
Aiden Millan (Atwater)
Ryne Moore (Downey)
Adarias Morales-Saetern (Merced)
Richard Nuku (Johansen)
Time Sitala Jr. (Turlock)
Tyler Stroup (Oakdale)
Malakai Sumter (Hughson)
Melea “Mj” Uili (Modesto)
Seneca Ybarra (Atwater)
Yahir Zuniga (Los Banos)
North Team
Fahad Akhlaq (Tokay)
Adrian Bankston (Bear Creek)
Julian Benton (Stagg)
Derek Bogetti (Tracy)
Braden Busalacchi (Linden)
Armani Byrne (Stagg)
Loyal Easter (Chavez)
Cody Ferrante (Calaveras)
Elijah Gutierrez (Tracy)
Ahymri Hall (St. Mary’s)
Terrence Hampton (Lincoln)
Marcus Harrison (Edison)
Juju Jackson (McNair)
Cassius Livers (St. Mary’s)
Alius Mayo (Lincoln)
Jaylon Mays (Lincoln)
Angelo Melendez (McNair)
Seth Mitchell (Argonaut)
Ruben Moreno (Manteca)
Nicholas Motuliki (Edison)
Jermaine Nance (Kimball)
Joshua Novoa (McNair)
Isaak Quinene (Chavez)
Jaylin Rodgers (Kimball)
Isaac Sagapolu (Edison)
Lance Schaede (Linden)
Matthew Schallberger (Linden)
Tomasi Sovatabua (Manteca)
Treavon Spivey (Chavez)
Sean-Kingston Teu (Lathrop)
Lucky Tupouata (Tracy)
Tali Vaipuna (Sierra)
Alijah Walker (Weston Ranch)
Will Weathington (St. Mary’s)
Isaiah White (Manteca)
Zak Willson (Sierra)
This story was originally published June 17, 2025 at 7:39 AM with the headline "Downey’s Jeremy Plaa leads South team in 49th Lions All-Star Football Game."
