One team seemed to downplay the importance of the streak while the other team couldn’t stop talking about it.
Yes, it was a matter of perspective this week as the North and South teams discussed one of the main story lines for Thursday night’s Brea Lions Orange County All-Star Game at Orange Coast College. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.
The South is seeking a sixth consecutive victory, which would be the longest in the 55-year history of the game.
“We’re definitely ready to end this streak,” North linebacker Matt Hall of Fullerton said. “There won’t be a streak after this Thursday.”
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BREA LIONS O.C. ALL-STAR GAME
When/where: Thursday, 7:15 p.m., at Orange Coast College
Fan info: Tickets, $12; stadium gates open at 6 p.m.; FanFest and car show begins at 4:30 p.m. in the parking lot.
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North defensive back London Iakopo of Mater Dei said the South’s winning streak challenges the competitive spirit he and some of his all-star teammates built playing in the Trinity League in the fall.
“When it comes to breaking streaks, that’s something I like to do,” he said. “I don’t like losing games. I’m a competitor.”
North co-coach Ed De Avila of Fullerton said the players mentioned halting the South’s dominance on the first day they met with coaches.
“They came in with that chip on their shoulder, so I think they’re ready to put one in the North’s column,” said De Avila, who is teaming with co-coach Gus Martinez of Fullerton.
The South won last year’s game, 7-3, to match the longest winning streak in the game’s history. But this week at the South team’s practice, recent game history hasn’t been a popular topic.
“I really haven’t talked about that at all,” South coach Eric Lo of Huntington Beach said. “It really has no bearing on this (game). No one on this (South team) contributed to that streak.”
South quarterback Kai Ross of Huntington Beach said his team has focused on having fun this week. But the Register’s 2013 offensive player of the year still knows what’s at stake.
“(We’re) trying to get that ‘W,’ six years in a row,” he said. “We know that the South usually wins.”
The all-time series is close. The South leads, 26-25-3, but its recent success also has created pressure, South linebacker Oronde Crenshaw of Costa Mesa said.
“The North has a really good team, so I think we’re going to have a lot of pressure to try and keep that streak going,” he said.
The teams also contrasted when it came to practice time. The North started practicing a week earlier than the South and finished with two more practices.
“Even though we’ve had less practices, we’ve been high-intensity, going at it,” South defensive back Jonathan LaBonty of Santa Margarita said.
“I think (the South) thinks they don’t need practice for us,” North running back TJ Ashmeade of Katella said with a smile. “All good things (like the streak) must come to an end.”
But that also can be a matter of perspective.
Contact the writer:dalbano@ocregister.com
