Six local players to suit up for South

The 41st Annual Orange County North/South Prep All-Star Football

Game is set for Friday, July 14, at Orange Coast College’s LeBard

Stadium.

Gates open at 6 p.m. on game night, and kickoff is slated for 7:15

p.m.

The Independent’s Player of the Year for the 1999 prep football

season, Marina High’s Ray Mietkiewicz, heads a cast of six local players

who will suit up for the South.

The 6-foot-2, 240 Mietkiewicz, the Sunset League’s Back of the Year

who is headed for the University of Texas, El Paso in the fall, will see

playing time in the South backfield. During his Marina career,

Mietkiewicz established 11 new school records, many of which came during

a stellar senior year.

Joining Mietkiewicz on the offensive side of the ball for the South

are Edison receiver Brendan Cornell (6-1, 200) and offensive linemen M.J.

Ansel (6-4, 270) and Manoa Pouono (6-3, 280), both of Marina.

On defense for the South will be Fountain Valley’s two-way player,

Steven Fifita (6-0, 250).

The Barons’ Matt Hanson (6-1, 190) will handle kicking duties for the

South.

All six players earned Sunset League First Team status last season.

Cornell, Edison’s top receiver, had 28 receptions total 598 yards and

seven touchdowns. Cornell, who also started on defense for the Chargers,

finished with a 21.4 yards per reception average.

Ansel, Marina’s best one-on-one blocker, and Pouono, played on the

same side of the line for the Vikings.

Fifita, who also was a bullish fullback for Fountain Valley, was in on

62 primary tackles, 17 of which were for a loss, recorded 7 1/2 sacks,

and had four fumble recoveries, one of which was returned for a

touchdown.

Hanson could boom the football with his right foot, making good on 53

and 50 yard field goal attempts during the course of the season. He was

successful on 9 of 16 attempts overall, and made 24 of 26 conversion

kicks.

The kicking game figures to be a good one: Hanson’s North counterpart

will be Los Alamitos’ Chris Kluwe, who is headed for UCLA.

The South will be coached by Dana Hills’ Scott Orloff, and the North

is under the guidance of Troy’s John Turek.

Pre-sale ticket price is $7, and can be purchased by calling 529-5658.

Ticket price at the gate on game night is $8.