Four Stallions, Timmy Herr, Roman Paseka, Dean Kolasinski, and Elijah Ayala were nominated to participate in the 66th Annual Orange County (OC) All-Star Football Classic. These seniors played on the Southern team at Newport Harbor High School which took place on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
“I felt honored to be selected for this game because not a lot of people get picked, and for me to be picked, it was just a blessing and opportunity that I could take advantage of,” said right defensive tackle Roman Paseka.
“I felt blessed to be given this opportunity because I got to play one more time with friends I played back in middle school with. I was just happy to be there, and it was nice to get closer with other people from different schools,” said Dean Kolasinski.
The game consists of outstanding high school football players from both Southern and Northern Orange County, California. The south beat the north 17-7, continuing their eleventh consecutive winning streak. It occurs every year and has become a tradition upheld for over 65 years.
“I wanted to come out winning especially because the South has won eleven years in a row so it was like I just got to make sure we win and keep the streak going,” said Timmy Herr.
“I play wide receiver and safety, both of which I played during the game. It was super fun getting to play against those I’ve played in the past on separate teams, and how we all came together to be on one team,” said Kolasinski.
The high school football department and coaches nominate seniors from their teams, coming together to form two separate teams, the north and the south. This year, the southern team was coached by the Trabuco Hills high school coach, Mark Nolan and Michael Echaves from Troy High School coaching for the north.
“It was a new experience getting to know all the other players and especially the coaches, learning the plays were different. I really just wanted to do the best I could do and it felt good knowing I already had people that I knew, so I wasn’t scared to go out there and just do it myself,” said running back Elijah Ayala.
“Overall, it was actually a great experience. I actually got to build a lot of connections with schools I never thought I’d talk to, even like our rivals like Tesoro and San Clemente. I made a lot of connections and friendships, so it was great,” said Paseka.
San Juan Hills High School’s very own quarterback, Herr was named South Most Valuable Player (MVP) after leading the team to victory for throwing two touchdowns during the second half. Thomas Knutson from Yorba Linda was also named South MVP after his key interception.
“I was happy and it felt good to win MVP with those players because they did a really good job protecting me and an amazing job letting me showcase my talents and giving me more time to make plays and stuff,” said Herr.
The event has been organized since 2017 by the nonprofit organization Costa Mesa United, and was sponsored by the Los Angeles Chargers. The proceeds go back to the nonprofit to support their efforts in funding improvements for fields, equipment, and facilities in order to improve the athletic experience for the youth in Costa Mesa.
“It was totally amazing just to be around everybody, performing at a high level like that and just getting to know them as a person, it was just great…I’m still in contact with all those players and we still talk about the game and how much fun we had,” said Paseka.
Following the boys game, the event also held the second annual OC Girls Flag Football All-Star Game for the class of 2026 in which the North defeated the South 14-13.
“I got to meet new friends and play with a bunch of guys in the area and it was cool to make a bond with the guys around the area. I felt very honored and grateful that my coach put me up as a selection and that they thought I was good enough to play in it,” said Herr.
The SJHHS football program has further cemented their reputation as a high performing team from their athletes remarkable play during this game, the several players who have committed to elite schools such as Paseka who will play Division 1 Football at San Diego State University (SDSU), and much more.
After a season marked by adversity including violating California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) rules, the recent and unfortunate cardiac arrest suffered by head coach Rob Frith, and the heartbreaking playoff loss in the CIF quarterfinals, the game offered the Stallions a moment of pride.
Furthermore, the program has continued to persevere throughout their season and has now advanced from the Bravo League and officially joined the elite Alpha League for the 2026-2027 season.
“This was my final game, so it wasn’t very sad because I thought I already played my last game during playoffs when we lost, so it felt better to end on a win,” said Kolasinski.
