This is it for Derek Jones.
Having decided his future is in baseball, Jones knows this week will be his final chance to strap on shoulder pads and show his skills on the football field.
It’s a bittersweet reality for the two-sport standout who recently graduated from Snohomish High School.
“I’m kind of looking forward to it, but not looking forward to it. I’m sad that it’s going to be my last (football) game,” said Jones, one of 11 area athletes picked to play for the West team in today’s High School All-State Football Summer Classic, also known as the Class 3A/4A East-West All-Star Game.
The annual East-West game kicks off at 7 tonight at Central Valley Stadium in Spokane. About 70 of the state’s best Class of 2008 prep gridiron stars are expected to participate. They have been practicing since Sunday.
Jones, a Washington State University baseball recruit, said he considers himself a baseball guy, which makes him extra proud to be selected for an event that features the state’s top football talent.
Jones’ baseball achievements include leading Snohomish to the 4A state title in May, twice being named The Herald’s All-Area Player of the Year and being voted 4A player of the year in the media’s all-state poll.
On the football field, Jones (6 feet, 200 pounds) is a running back/linebacker who last fall rushed for nearly 1,800 yards and 20 touchdowns. He was a captain for Snohomish’s squad that went 9-2 and advanced to the state playoffs.
One of Jones’ Snohomish teammates, offensive lineman/linebacker Nick Oglesby, is also on the West squad. Oglesby, who will play football for Pacific Lutheran University, was a Snohomish co-captain with Jones.
“It’s just kind of cool that we can finish it this way,” Jones said.
Two other former teammates looking forward to reuniting are Kyle McCartney and Antoinne Wafer. They helped propel Edmonds-Woodway to the 4A semifinals in November.
“We’re really excited to get to play together again because we felt like that last game was tough on us,” said McCartney, referring to E-W’s season-ending 28-26 loss against Lewis &Clark, which went on to win the state championship.
As members of the West team, McCartney, a quarterback/defensive back, and Wafer, a wide receiver/defensive back, will get another chance to clash with East player Alex Shaw. Shaw (6-2, 218 pounds) rushed for more than 140 yards in Lewis &Clark’s semifinal victory over E-W.
“I know he’s definitely a great back and it will be fun to go against him again,” said McCartney, who next month will join the Washington State football team as an invited walk-on.
Getting picked to play in the East-West game is a big honor, McCartney said. It’s also a long-awaited chance to put pads on again and knock people around.
“It will be good to get back in the swing of things,” said McCartney.
The West team’s head coach is Bothell’s Tom Bainter, who has guided the Cougars to two consecutive 4A runnerup finishes. One of his West assistants is Tom Tri, head coach at Lake Stevens.
It is Tri’s first time coaching in the East-West game. The main challenge, he said, is to get all the highly skilled athletes and big linemen to mesh together. It requires a lot of attention to detail, he said, especially since the teams have just four days to prepare.
It’s a fun opportunity to work with the best kids from around the state and see how they progress throughout the week, Tri said.
Writer Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
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