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Area seniors 'really excited' to compete in 3rd annual FCA East-West Classic football game
Seniors from 14 schools will play final high school game Saturday at Riverside's Maginnis Field
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West Hall's Kwon Williams will take part in Saturday's FCA East-West Football Classic at Riverside Military's Maginnis Field.

FCA Team East
Name Position School

Logan Hubbard DB Banks County
Zach Patrick OL Banks County
Jody Poole OL Banks County
Tyler Bryant OL Banks County
Roger Keebaugh P East Hall
Jiel Vargas RB East Hall
Brock Griffin DB East Hall
Triquece Ware DB East Hall
Tommy Peebles OL East Hall
Jesse Winters OL East Hall
Chase Mullins OL East Hall
Rex Purgason TE East Hall
Driston Gaddis WR East Jackson
Logan Pinon DL East Jackson
Cortez Davis WR Flowery Branch
Paul Jaramilo DB Flowery Branch
Ryan Broome RB Flowery Branch
Trey Wilcoxson RB Flowery Branch
Tariq Jalil LB Flowery Branch
Michael Albini LB Flowery Branch
Sterling Sykes OL Flowery Branch
Cory Godfrey OL Flowery Branch
Kyle King WR Flowery Branch
Jesus Alvarado DL Flowery Branch
Darrian Hill DB Jefferson
Alex Corbett OL Jefferson
Will Norman TE Jefferson
Mike Hernandez DL Jefferson
Darian Bunch DB Johnson
Orion Pittman DB Johnson
Brandon Berry LB Johnson
Eli Vasquez DL Johnson
Jenry Villalobos DL Johnson
Andrew Tempel DL Johnson
Jordan Ainslie K Riverside
Kaseem Duke QB Riverside
Prince James Story LB Riverside
Darin Herring WR Riverside
Quinton Monroe DL Riverside

FCA Team West
Name Position School

J’Varius Wood WR Commerce
Caleb Brooks DB Commerce
Cody Weaver OL Commerce
Gavin Berry OL North Hall
Colby Miller RB North Hall
Dylan Murphy LB North Hall
Drew Atha DB North Hall
Sam Jackson DB North Hall
Thaddeus Webb QB Lakeview
Avonte Gober DB Lakeview
Conner Sosebee OL Lakeview
Ben Eades DL Lakeview
Tyquan Statham RB West Hall
Hykeem Bennett WR West Hall
Kwon Williams DB West Hall
Tristian Hester DB West Hall
Anthony Lotti P West Hall
Marvin Mejia DL West Hall
Justin Derico DL West Hall
Hayden Lee OL West Hall
Malik Tuck RB Jackson Co
Chase Wester ATH Jackson Co
Tyler Sartain OL Jackson Co
Connor Everett OL Jackson Co
Griffin McElvery LB Jackson Co
Corey Walker DL Jackson Co
Austin Lewis LB Jackson Co
Jorge Monzon DL Jackson Co
Cole Handte OL Gainesville
Chris Byrd LB Gainesville
Logan Harr OL Gainesville
Dylan Blanchard TE Gainesville
DeMichael Borders LB Gainesville
Chris Lyles DB Gainesville
Chandler Staton K Gainesville
Logan Cates DB Chestatee
Jamie Orroyo TE Chestatee

The high school football season is over, champions have been crowned, but there is still one more game to play. One more chance for seniors to take the field with their teammates, their classmates, their friends.

The third annual Fellowship of Christian Athletes East-West Classic kicks off 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Riverside Military’s Maginnis Field and will feature many of the top seniors from the area.

“I’m really excited to play in this game,” Gainesville defensive back Chris Lyles said. “It will be the last one I get to play with my teammates.”

The East squad is made up of seniors from Flowery Branch, Johnson, East Hall, Banks County, Riverside Military Academy, Jefferson and East Jackson High Schools. The West squad is made up of seniors from West Hall, Chestatee, Gainesville, North Hall, Lakeview Academy, Jackson County and Commerce.

“It’s really cool how teams that don’t usually get along are playing beside one another,” Gainesville kicker Chandler Staton said.

Joining Lyles and Staton from Gainesville is Cole Handle, Chris Byrd, Logan Harr, Dylan Blanchard, Demichael Borders and Chandler Staton.

Messiah Dorsey and Tae Turner were also invited, but had to decline because they are with the basketball team that will be playing in the King of Blue Grass tournament in Kentucky.

Other notable players from the West squad include Jackson County running back Malik Tuck and a trio of players from West Hall. Running back/linebacker Tyquan Statham (33 tackles, 19 solo stops), punter Anthony Lotti and defensive back Kwon Williams lead a total of eight from West Hall, the most from a single school on the West squad.

Notable players from the East squad include East Hall running back Jiel Vargas, Johnson defensive back Orion Pittman and the Flowery Branch duo of running back Trey Wilcoxson (205 carries, 992 yards and three touchdowns) and wide receiver Cortez Davis (26 catches, 541 yards and seven touchdowns). Flowery Branch is the most represented school at the event with 10 Falcons players suiting up.

The East-West Classic also provides different motivations for each player.

For some, this will be the last competitive football game they will ever play. For others like Williams, who is committed to play at the University of Central Florida, it is a tune up for college. For Lyles, it is a chance to leave an impact and erase the heartbreaking defeat his Red Elephants suffered in the playoffs: Gainesville fell to top-ranked Stockbridge 40-34 in overtime of the second round.

“I want to leave a mark, leave a legacy,” said Lyles, who tallied nine interceptions in his final year with the Red Elephants.

“It was a tough loss against Stockbridge, so I want to showcase my skills and leave on a good note.”

“I wasn’t ready for that to be it,” Staton said. “It all ended so suddenly, so it’s great to be able to play with some of my best friends one last time.”

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