Tokay duo preparing for Lions gridiron contest
James McClain is getting pumped up for another football season.
Josh Kirchner is considering playing football again, but not this year.
On Saturday night, the former Tokay High football players are looking to walk off the field at Wayne Schneider Stadium at Tracy High with a victory.
McClain, an offensive lineman, and Kirchner, a defensive back, will be gearing up for the 35th annual Central California Lions All-Star Football Game. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The North will feature the best graduated senior football players from San Joaquin, Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. The North faces the South, which has players from Stanislaus and Merced counties.
The North players have been practicing at Stagg High this week, and staying at the dorms at the University of the Pacific. The South team has been practicing and living inside the dorms at California State University, Stanislaus in Turlock.
Lincoln head coach Anthony Martinez of Lincoln and his assistant coaches are in charge of the South. Hilmar’s Frank Marques and his assistant coaches are handling the South squad.
On Wednesday morning, McClain (5-foot-11 and 275 pounds), who is projected to play at left offensive tackle, suffered a dislocated finger in a morning practice. Taken to a nearby hospital, the doctors popped the finger back
into place.
“It’s good,” McClain said in a text message on Thursday afternoon.
The North has been practicing in the mornings and afternoons this week. But the afternoon practices have been lighter because of the heat earlier this week.
“Coach (Martinez) has been real understanding,” McClain said. “We get plenty of water. The practices have been real nice in the mornings.”
When players are back at their dorms at Pacific before and after practices, they are roommates with someone who plays in the same side of the ball. McClain said Tracy offensive lineman Nick Nunez have been roommates this week.
“It’s pretty nice,” McClain said. “We’re all getting along with the guys who are around us, too.”
In recent weeks before the start of practices for the Lions game, McClain taking part in drills at Delta College.
The football life continues for McClain after Saturday’s game. He will be attending
Delta College in August, and will playing on the Mustangs’ football squad.
“I’ve been lifting weights a lot; I’ve been going to the gym once or twice a day,” said McClain, who plans to major in kinesiology. “I was practicing with them (Delta) a little bit (recently). It’s a nice transition.”
Kirchner (5-10, 180), who is projected to play at defensive back in the game, is adjusting to the schemes that Lincoln has installed for the game.
“It’s different than what I’m use to,” Kirchner said. “Just getting up to speed ... same concepts but just different names and calls. I just have to memorize the coverages and the calls.”
Kirchner, too, is roommates with one of the South’s defensive backs. He feels there is a lesson to be learned to live with someone for a short time.
“It teaches you a lot of lessons with living with someone else,” Kirchner said.
The Lions’ game may not be his last football game of his life. Planning to attend Sacramento State for the 2018-19 school year when the fall semester begins toward the end of August, Kirchner
is planning to focus on his academic studies and working out, then try out for the 2019 Hornets squad.
“I’m just going to work out this (upcoming) season, and try to walk-on next season,” said Kirchner, who also plans to major in kinesiology.
Marques, who led Hilmar to a Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV title last fall after his Yellowjackets posted a 5-5 record during the regular season, has experienced the game as a South player in 1981.
Entering Saturday’s game, Marques, whose Hilmar squad fell to Strathmore in a CIF Nor-Cal D-IV play-in game last fall, feels that one of the North’s strengths is defense.
“Their defensive line is solid,” Marques said. “They’ve got a good linebacking core.”
Marques, who is coaching his fourth Lions game, likes his group of South players.
“We have a real good group of kids,” Marques said. “We’ve had a good week of practice. I think we control our own destiny. It should be a good game.”
Admission is $10 per person. Contact reporter Mike Bush at mikeb@lodinews.com. Follow on Twitter: @MBushLodiSports.