Warren quarterback Ross Dausin is one of the Northside ISD players in Saturday’s H-E-B All-Stars football game. Photo by Marvin Pfeiffer

Their high school football careers ended last fall.

Whether they played 10 games or lost in the playoffs, they hated to see it come to a close.

For many of those, it’s no quite over just yet. Thanks to being selected for the 30th annual H-E-B High School All-Star Football Game, they’ll get one more chance to play.

The game is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Gustafson Stadium, and the players from Northside Independent School District will be heavily involved as members of the West All-Stars.

Warren, which finished second in District 28-5A, has the most representatives. Quarterback Ross Dausin is playing, along with offensive lineman Jared Ellis, linebackers Thomas Long and Chris Vargas and defensive end Marcus Waddell.

District 28-5A champion O’Connor has defensive lineman Erik Salinas and kicker Saul Meza.

The list of participants also includes Clark’s Desmond Anthony (linebacker) and Barry Pillow (defensive back), Holmes’ Robert Higginbothan, (wide receiver) Jay’s Roy Branch (defensive back), Anton Garza (defensive line) and Ernesto Tornel (offensive line) and Stevens’ Robert Gayden (defensive back) and Norman King (defensive lineman) and Taft’s Sean Callahan (defensive end) and Juan Salazar (linebacker).

“I thought the playoff game (a double-overtime loss to Southwest) would be my last game,” Anthony said. “I really wanted to go farther in the playoffs. When we lost I was hoping for one more game. I’m glad to be getting this chance.”

The game is extra special for Dausin. Because his uncles Randy (1982) and Chris (1988) played in previous all-star games, there’s a little family tradition at stake.

Plus, it is another chance to show his ability.

“I thought I might have a chance to play one game, and when I got the chance I was excited,” said Dausin, who is going to Butler College (Kansas) “It’s fun being out there again. I’m just working now on getting into my groove.”

One of the unique things about playing in the all-star game is not only competing with some of the area’s top athletes, but being teammates with players who were District 28-5A opponents during the regular season.

However, they are starting to develop team chemistry in a short period of time.

“There’s a lot of good guys on this team,” Pillow said. “At first it was strange being on the same team with players you’ve been going against, but now we’ve worked together and got to know each other.”

Although the West All-Stars have worked out a little more than a week at Holy Cross High School, coach Angel Cedillo is already seeing positive signs.

“I’m liking what I am seeing from this group,” said Cedillo, who is principal at Holy Cross. “They have great attitudes, and all of them came in here willing to work. They all want to play hard.”

Some of the players are going to play college. Others are hoping this might be the chance to get an opportunity to play at the next level. After all, the game has helped athletes in the past.

An average of 25 college scouts from schools as far away as Missouri, Iowa, Tennessee, Kansas and New Mexico attend the game. All-Star officials say as many as 15 college scholarships are offered each year to participants.

In the past 28 years, colleges and universities have given over $5 million in football scholarships to players as a direct result of their participation in the All-Star game.

Presented by Time Warner Cable, the game is conducted jointly by the Kids Sports Network and the Olmos Kiwanis Club with proceeds benefiting area youth charities.

In the past 29 years, the game has raised more than $625,000 for non-profit organizations.