Football Fundraiser is a Mesa Verde, San Juan High Alumni Showdown

Nothing brings a community together quite like a good local high school football rivalry.

At least that's what former Mesa Verde football player and current assistant coach Justin Llorente thinks. And with more than 1,000 tickets to an alumni game fundraiser he helped develop already sold, there's reason to believe he's on to something.

The game will pit generations of alumnus from Mesa Verde and San Juan high schools against each other in a rivalry that hasn't been seen since the two Citrus Heights teams stopped playing one another years ago.

For Llorente, the return of the rivalry game is long overdue. Llorente lamented when the schools' rivalry brought the community together like nothing Citrus Heights had at the time, and, in his opinion, still doesn't.

"I always knew how important this rivalry was," Llorente said. "We need to bring it back."

"All of these kids who grow up together in Citrus Heights used to end up going to San Juan and Mesa. Now there are all these other schools they funnel off to."

Llorente believes that for the most part the kids end up going to Mesa and San Juan, though, and that culture they've developed in the community needs nurturing.

"At our school there are more sports than there are clubs," Llorente said. "A huge percentage of our student body is involved in some kind of a sport, because our school is so small."

Proceeds from the fundraiser game will go toward different things for each school. For Mesa Verde, Llorente explains the event is acting like a launching pad to develop an alumni association. At the top of the association's to-do list will be raising money toward funding the creation of a new football field and stadium. More immediately though, Llorente hopes proceeds from the game will help in the creation of a college scholarship for students actively involved in their studies as well as their athletics.

The game will take place at San Juan High School on Friday, May 17 at 7 p.m. The Facebook event page Llorente helped create lists 275 people attending and more than 1,700 invited.

Llorente noted pads and equipment for the full-contact game are being provided by Alumni Football USA, a platform for former football players to get back on the gridiron for some fun.

Llorente also notes community leaders are likely to turn out, too. Mayor Jeff Slowey will be conducting the official coin-toss to start the game, Llorente said.

"There are a million reasons why this is good and no reason why this is bad," Llorente said.

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