For some Northern Nevada high school football players, the 19th Sertoma Classic high school all-star football game will be just another contest before their college careers start this fall.
But for others, including several from Carson Country, the Classic will not be just another game when it kicks off at 7 p.m. tonight at Reno High School. Rather, it will be the culmination of their football playing days, giving them one last chance to put on the pads.
"I am so up for this game, because this is my greatest moment," said Andy Gust, who played for Dayton High School and will be representing the West team. "We are taking this game very seriously. We even had a little conditioning on Wednesday."
Carson's Jordan Payette and Marc Liveratti will be playing for the East team, which has been practicing all week at Sparks High.
"We're just out here having a good time," Payette said.
Payette's career will continue after tonight. He will play for Butte Junior College in Chico, Calif., next fall.
"My quarterback coach steered me in that direction because I have an opportunity to start next year," said Payette of his college choice.
But for Liveratti, tonight's game will be his last. He will attend Penn State next fall and won't play football.
"I'm having a lot of fun playing with these guys. It's a nice opportunity to play one more time," Liveratti said.
The East team will be coached by Sparks coach Rob Kittrell, whom the players seem to like.
"All the coaches are real cool," said Yerington's Jeff Borsini. "I'm jacked to get out there and play the game. It's been an awesome experience."
Jeff and his brother Jason, also of Yerington, have been playing football together since they were 13 years old, when they started with Pop Warner.
"I'm fired up," said Jason, who will attend Nevada this fall but isn't planning on trying out for the team. "Everyone is giving 110 percent at practice, but we're still having a lot of fun."
The Borsini brothers have considered playing football at a few smaller schools in Oregon, but both seem set on ending their careers tonight.
"Once I get out there, I might want to keep playing," Jeff Borsini said.
Yerington also has Dustin Marriott on the East team, while Fernley will suit up Aaron Keller and James Grigg.
Douglas has four representatives on the West team - Josh Wilcox, Kyle Baker, Brandon Griffith and Joe Andrews. Galena will have Pat Nohr and Nakia Kanekoa in uniform tonight.
Adam Sayre and Chris Viscarret, both of Dayton, were selected to the West team, but they won't be playing in tonight's game. Sayre was injured in a car accident last month, and Viscarret has only been to one practice this week, according to Gust.
