Subscribe
to the E-Star!

Hendrickson and Essary selected for all star football game

Brian Wilkinson

(Updated: Thursday, May 19, 2011, 9:24 AM)

Yosemite High's Grant Hendrickson, North Sequoia League lineman of the year, and Cody Essary, the NSL's co-utility player of the year, have been selected to play in the 57th Annual City County All Star game at 7:30 p.m. June 17 at Buchanan High School in Clovis.

Hendrickson, a 6-foot 3-inch, 220-pound two-way starter at offensive guard and defensive end for the Badgers, was named First Team All League on both offense and defense.

Running back Essary, who was hampered the later part of the season with a sprained ankle and two broken fingers, rushed for 693 yards and seven touchdowns during the season. He also caught 22 passes from quarterback Brad Rolff for 278 yards. Essary was named the Badger's MVP at the end of season.

Essary also plays centerfield for Yosemite's baseball team.

Hendrickson and Essary, 5 feet 8 inches, 160 pounds, will be two of 48 players from 24 county schools who will face the City team representing 14 schools.

Hendrickson recorded 35 solo tackles, 16 assisted tackles and a fumble recovery during the season. Yosemite coach Aaron Eames said Hendrickson was the most physical lineman in the league.

He also wrestled and had an impressive 28-11 record this year, advancing to the Master's Tournament after placing fourth in his weight class at the Sierra-Sequoia Division Tournament.

Hendrickson and Essary share the Yosemite High weight room record in the squat at 620 pounds.

County schools represented include Chowchilla, Firebaugh, Dos Palos, Kingsburg, Selma Tranquility Sierra, Liberty, Madera South, Washington Union, Reedley and Central.

City teams represented include Hoover, Edison, Memorial, Clovis, Clovis North, Clovis East, Hoover, Buchanan, Bullard, Sunnyside, Fresno Christian and McLane.

Both teams will be coached by recently retired coaches. The County team will be coached by Mike Sparks of Dos Palos and Pat Plummer of Hoover High will coach the City team. The two coaches have combined for 383 wins in 55 years.

The City County is the oldest all star football game in California, with the first game played on Aug. 26, 1955, at Ratcliffe Stadium in Fresno. Last year's game was won by the City team 34-12.

Tickets for the game cost $10 for adults and $7 for students and are available at the Oakhurst Boys & Girls Club.

For the past eight years, the Optimist Club of Greater Fresno has been responsible for the game and has given more than $350,000 in profit to the Boys & Girls Club of Fresno County.

The County team will practice from 5 to 8 p.m. June 6 to 15 at Liberty-Madera Ranchos.

Players from both teams will visit Children's Hospital of Central California at 2:30 p.m. Friday, June 10. A Player Appreciation Dinner will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 16 at Pardini's Restaurant in Fresno.

Buchanan High is located on the northwest corner of North Minnewawa and East Ness avenues.

North/South Rotary All Star game June 24

Hendrickson will also play for the South in the 26th Annual North/South Rotary All Star game at 7:45 p.m. Friday, June 24 in Chowchilla.

The coaches for this year's game are Rich Martinez from LeGrand High School for the north and Jeff Freitas from Washington Union for the south. Representatives from 50 Valley high schools will participate in the game.

The South team will practice at 5:30 p.m. starting on June 20 at Hoover High School.

North Sequoia League members on the South team include Gavin Hamilton and Angel Macumba of Sierra, Taylor Martinez and Alex Spencer of Kerman, Brandon Silva and Anthony Baldwin of Liberty-Madera Ranchos and Jacob Freita, John Hobbs, Josh Williams, Carlos Flores and Donzell Amey of Washington Union.

Hendrickson will play for Menlo College

Grant Hendrickson will be taking his football skills to Menlo College in the fall. Located in Atherton in the South Bay, Menlo College is an independent NAIA school. Before this season, Menlo, a private business school, was a NCAA Division III team for two seasons.

Hendrickson, the son of Bud and Nancy of Yosemite Lakes Park, recently signed his letter of intent with Menlo and will be receiving academic and athletic scholarships valued at more than $90,000 over four years.

Menlo head coach Fred Guidici said he recruited Hendrickson because he was impressed with his aggressive play and his competitiveness.

Hendrickson visited the school and attended a spring practice on April 8.

"I liked the school and Coach Guidici showed a lot of interest in me. I felt they really wanted me to play for them."

Hendrickson said he met many of the players who were friendly and easy to get along with.

"I'm looking forward to playing at the college level," Hendrickson said.

Guidici plans on playing Hendrickson on the defensive line and says he will be battling senior Chris Tosello and red-shirt freshman Camyar Meshkatyar for a starting position. Tosello was named to the 2010 NAIA All Independent first team recording 43 tackles, including 16 solo tackles and 5.5 sacks on the season.

Menlo finished 4-7 this year and will have four home games in the fall against British Columbia (Aug. 27), Southern Oregon (Oct. 1), Winfield (Oct. 29) and Azusa Pacific (Nov. 5). Road games will take the team to Pacific (Forest Grove, Ore.), Occidental (Eagle Rock), Whitworth (Spokane, Wash.), Webber International (Lake Wales, Fla.), Pacific Lutheran (Tacoma, Wash.) and Southern Oregon (Ashland).

Hendrickson will join former Badgers wide receiver Brad Wilkinson, who will be playing his senior year at Menlo.