The light bulb went on inside Mike Finnerty’s head last year.

The Roseville resident and host of the popular SureWest Sports Show has covered several Optimist All-Star Football Games, and he noticed few players from small schools.

So Finnerty masterminded a second all-star game for players from schools in Divisions IV, V and VI, and Saturday, the 57^th annual Optimist All-Star Football Game, which kicks off at noon at Del Oro High School, will be followed by the inaugural All-City Small School Football Classic at 5:30 p.m.

Finnerty said he worked closely with coaches and Optimist officials to make it happen.

“To me, if the (Sac-Joaquin) Section is going to have small-school playoffs and championship games, why not do it with all-star games as well?” Finnerty said. “The response has been overwhelmingly supportive, and I am thrilled that we can make this happen for the athletes and the coaches.”

The North roster features three players from Valley Christian Academy: Josh Bowden, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound offensive and defensive lineman; Teagan Mowry, a 6-2, 180-pound two-way utility player; and Caleb Van Patten, a 6-foot, 185-pound defensive back.

Players from 13 schools, including Placer, Colfax and Mesa Verde, comprise the North roster, and the South is represented by 14 schools.

Tickets cost $10 with kids 8 and under admitted for free. Those who bring canned goods to donate will receive a $1 ticket discount. Half of the proceeds will benefit the Placer Food Bank, and the other half will go toward scholarships for student-athletes at small schools.

“The Optimist game is rich in tradition in Sacramento, and we believe that our inaugural small school game will do the same for years to come,” Finnerty said.

Named to the North team for the Optimist Game were defensive lineman Tyler Arneson and offensive lineman Parker Doyle of CIF Division I state-champion Granite Bay, defensive linemen Ray Cherry and Michael Okorioke and offensive linemen Daren Echeveria and Leonard Hazewood of Antelope, defensive back Justin Hyde of Oakmont, fullback Grant Jansen of Roseville and quarterback Stephen Nogosek of Woodcreek.

Contact Bill Poindexter at billp@goldcountrymedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at BillP_RsvPT.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

What: 57^th annual Optimist All-Star Game and inaugural All-City Small School Classic.

When/Where: Saturday, Dec. 22, at Del Oro High School in Loomis, Optimist Game at noon, Small School Classic at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets: $10 for all with kids 8 and under admitted for free. Those who bring canned goods will receive a $1 ticket discount.

ALL-CITY SMALL SCHOOL CLASSIC

North roster

Player                             School                    Ht.         Wt.    Positions

John Abalos                  Highlands              5-10     175    QB/WR/DB

Wes Archbold               Foresthill                6-0       180    RB

Bryan Berube                Placer                     6-3       225    TE/DE

Deion Blakley                Lindhurst               5-10     205    WR/LB

Josh Bowden                Valley Christian    6-4       220    DE/OL

Isaac Brahce                 Placer                     5-10    180    RB/DB

Decarlos Charleston   Encina                    5-11    185    WR

Nathan Dickson           Foresthill                5-10     210    OG/DT

Daniel Duncan             Marysville                5-9      175    RB/LB/TE

Ryan Echeveria            Golden Sierra        6-0      195    OL

Jerry Fuhrman              Bear River              6-0      210    OT

Dominiec Fuse             Highlands             6-1      175    WR/S

Tyler Grossman           Foothill                   6-3      290    OL

Cody Heard                   Bear River             5-8      156     RB/LB

Alex Johnson                Mesa Verde           6-2      220    OL/DL/K

Bobby Jones                 Mesa Verde          5-10    165     LB/RB

Tevin Kimble                  Bear River            5-10    136     WR/CB

Josh Merritt                    Mesa Verde          5-9      140     LB

Patrick Miles                  Foresthill              6-1      170     LB

Zander Mishler             Golden Sierra       6-0      175    TE/LB

Michael Montana          Highlands             6-0      240    OL/DT

Cheapell Morris           Highlands             6-3      195    QB/DB

Kevin Mott                      San Juan               5-9      165    DB

Teagan Mowry               Valley Christian    6-2     180    QB/WR/TE/S

Rashon Richardson    Encina                   6-3     230    DE

Mike Robinson              Placer                    5-9     185    RB/DB

Brian Sabins                 Placer                                           D/DL

Tommy Sawyer              Foresthill               6-2     165    QB

Adam Sewell                 Golden Sierra       5-7     145    RB/LB

Dillon Smith                   Bear River             5-11   164    QB

Tony Suverkropp            Placer                    6-0     205    RB/ILB

Caleb Van Patten          Valley Christian   6-0     185    DB

Cory Wilhelm                 Colfax                    6-0     250    DL

Zach Winter                    Bear River            6-1     190    LB

South roster

Player                         School                           Ht.       Wt.     Positions

Augie Ahuna              Union Mine                   6-2      220     OL/DT

Joey Ames                 Natomas                       6-2      270     OT/DT

Sean Avis                   Liberty Ranch               6-0      190     TE/DE

Matthew Bailey          Capital Christian          6-3     185    QB/DB

D’Juan Bellaire        Center                             5-6     165     RB/LB

Nick Bonovich           Dixon                               5-9     165     RB/OLB

Brandon Brooks       Woodland Christian     5-11   214     OL/DL

Javier Castillo           Cristo Rey                      5-9      137     WR

Tyler Cearley             Woodland Christian                            WR/CB

Justin Crabtree         Vacaville Christian                              WR/LB

Preston Dobbins      Center                            5-10   210     LB/OL

John Eldridge            Dixon                              5-11   235     C/ILB

Terrance Galloway    West Campus              6-0     167     CB/ILB

Robert Gervais          Center                            5-6     145     WR/DB

Kyle Glover                 Vacaville Christian      5-10   160     LB

Korey Hall                  Dixon                              5-10   230     FB/ILB

Vince Heffington       Delta                               5-10   170     FB

Corey Jahn                Woodland Christian    6-3     225     OL/DL

Quinton Kirk              Capital Christian          5-10   190     RB

Tre Neaa                    Galt                                 6-1     175     RB

Mitchell Neal             Natomas                        5-11   215     DE/RB

Logan Newton          Bradshaw Christian    5-9      155     RB/OL

Roman Ortiz              Dixon                              6-1      270     DT

Andrew Peterson     Capital Christian          6-3      220     LB

Zach Rangel             Bradshaw Christian    5-10    235     OL/DL

Luis Romero            Bradshaw Christian    5-11    170     WR/S

Brandon Roznos     Capital Christian          6-0      251     OL/DL

Jacob Tibbetts         Liberty Ranch               6-1       180    LB

David Tolentino        Center                            5-9       145    WR/DB

Sean Tow                  Union Mine                   5-6       160     RB

Joe Vitoria                 Galt                                6-5       253     OT/DT

Josh Watkins           Dixon                             6-4       260     OT/DE

Thomas Whitley      Galt                                6-3       180    WR

Kahlil Williams        Cristo Rey                    5-10     177    RB

Nic Worland             Capital Christian         5-10     175    DB

OPTIMIST ALL-STAR GAME

North roster

No.   Player                           School                  Ht.      Wt.    Pos.

1       Trayvon Henderson   Grant                    6-2      195    WR

2       Tyler Winston              Antelope              6-3      178    WR

3       Kevin Blueford Jr.       Inderkum             6-0      210     LB

4       Kyle Cota                     Nevada Union     5-11    200    QB

5       Ray Cherry                   Antelope              6-1      210     DL

6       Justin Hyde                 Oakmont              6-2      180    DB

7       Grant Jansen              Roseville             6-3      220     FB

8       Jordan Powell             Whitney                5-10    180    DB

9       Michael Okorioke        Antelope              6-4       231    DL

10     Eric Thomas               El Camino           5-10     160    DB

11     Zach Labar                  Del Oro                6-1       185    DB

12     Stephen Nogosek      Woodcreek         6-1       170    QB

14     Marquise Carter         Grant                    5-10     200     RB

15     Hank Humphers        Nevada Union    6-2       195    LB

16     Tyler Wharton             Del Oro                6-1       180    LB

20     Tanner Vallejo            Nevada Union     6-2      220     LB

23     Abnor Toma                Grant                     6-0      205    LB

24     Ian Davis                     Nevada Union     6-3      175    WR

25     Dedric Allen Jr.           Inderkum             6-2      220     DL

27     Riley Smith                 Rio Linda             6-0      230     FB

30     Stone Sander             Placer                   6-5      225     DL

32     Brandon Monroe       Del Oro                 6-1      195     RB

34     Josh Cardoza            Woodland            6-0      200    LB

47     Eddie Vanderdoes   Placer                   6-4      305     DL

48     Jordan Vinson           Rio Americano    6-3      200     LB

52     Leonard Hazewood  Antelope               6-3      252     OL

54     Parker Doyle              Granite Bay          6-1      200     OL

55     Misi Taifane                Grant                     6-3      295     OL

57     J.J. Tufu                      Del Campo          6-3      260      DL

66     Daren Echeveria       Antelope               6-4      261     OL

69     A.J. Samataua           Del Campo          6-3      290     OL

74     Garrett Strohmaier    Jesuit                    6-4      295      OL

75     Kyle Evanski              Del Campo          6-3      260      OL

76     Max Corry                   Casa Roble          6-3      200      DL

77     Sam Woods              Rocklin                  5-11    265      OL

78     Aaron Froidevaux     Whitney                 6-4      285      DL

80     Dominic Giampaoli  Rocklin                 6-1      200     WR

82     Austin Marks             Nevada Union     6-5       210      TE

85     Andrew Endicott       Jesuit                    5-9       165      K/P

94     Tyler Arneson           Granite Bay          6-0       230      DL

Head coach: Mike Alberghini, Grant. Offensive coordinator: Casey Taylor, Del Oro. Offensive assistants: Dan Gazzaniga, Kevin Will, Jason Sauve, John O’Sullivan. Defensive coordinator: Reggis Harris, Grant. Defensive assistants: Rob Alberghini, Carl Reed, Toshawn Starks, Ronald Richardson. Trainer: Kelly Luse.

South roster

No.   Player                          School                        Ht.      Wt.    Pos.

1       Keith Marcus              Burbank                    5-10    185     DB

2       Isaiah Saunders        Pleasant Grove       5-10    210     RB

3       Damion Sanders       Franklin                    5-9      170    WR

4       Robert Frazier             Elk Grove                 5-8      180     RB

5       Jason Samuels          Oak Ridge               6-4      185     QB

6       Josiah Johnson          Sacramento            5-11    180     QB

7       Isaiah Williams           Burbank                   5-6      190     RB

8       Louis Macklin              Sacramento            5-9      190     WR

9       Byron Spain Jr.           Oak Ridge               6-3      193     WR

10     Aaron Ross                Cosumnes Oaks    6-2      160     DB

11     Ahmari Hayes            Davis                        6-2       175     DB

12     Jalen Walker              Christian Bros.       6-1      185     WR

14     Berrick Washington   Burbank                  6-0       165     DB

15     Steven Rogers            Franklin                  5-9       190     RB

16     Justin Singh                Elk Grove               6-0       180       K

17     Kyran Harris                Franklin                  5-9       190     RB

18     Edwin Fautua              Burbank                 5-10     230     DL

19     Trevor Haro                 Elk Grove                6-0       190     LB

20     Ben McFadden           Christian Bros.      6-1       220     LB

21     Marcus Green             Franklin                  5-10     170     DB

22     Devonte Castex          Laguna Creek       6-0       205     LB

23     Curtis Catron              Ponderosa             6-2       220     DL

24     Tyree Hanson             Pleasant Grove     5-10     215     LB

29     Deshun Williams       Laguna Creek       5-11     165     WR

30     Zach Claiborne          Oak Ridge              6-1       195     DL

31     Sterling Powell           Monterey Trail        6-0       180     LB

34     Eteuati Levi                 Cosumnes Oaks  5-8       210     LB

40     Bear Grunsky             Vista del Lago        6-2       185     DL

44     Riley Simmons          Franklin                   6-3       220     DL

50     Jaime Cruz                  Elk Grove               5-10     240     OL

51     Noel Pinnock              Burbank                  6-1       285     OL

52     Connor Adams           Franklin                  5-11     210     OL

53     Joseph Chapman     Oak Ridge              6-3       310     OL

54     Cartez Kirby III            Sheldon                  5-11     260     DL

55     Viliami Umufuke        Monterey Trail        6-3       230     DL

56     Jakeen Hingano        Burbank                  5-10     260     OL

58     James Cisneros       Pleasant Grove      6-1       260     OL

62     Kyle Saxelid               Cosumnes Oaks   6-7       250     OL

64     Patrick Knowles        Rosemont               6-0       230     OL

70     Patrick Johnson        Christian Bros.       6-5       260     OL

72     Kareem Ballal           Oak Ridge               6-1       255     OL

74     Jason Chapman       Oak Ridge               6-2       290     OL

Head coach: Joe Cattolico, Pleasant Grove. Offensive coordinator: Michael Johnson, Franklin. Offensive assistants: Jim Rubiales, Jim Hall, Randy Rubiales, David Danielson, Jason Vandepol, Franklin. Defensive coordinator: John Heffernan, Burbank. Defensive assistants: James Pale, Ervin Kendall, Mason Mitchell, Chris Nesbit, Francisco Ragsdale, Burbank. Trainer: Anne Bestgen.