By Pete Borello

Those who just can’t wait until September to see prep players go head-to-head on the gridiron may want to check out tonight’s 27th Annual Charlie Wedemeyer High School All-Star Football Game.

Four players with local ties are expected to play in the game, scheduled to kickoff at 7:30 p.m. at Independence High in San Jose.

The contest features many of Santa Clara County’s top prep players from the class of 2001. The 80 players have been divided into two teams: North and South.

The North roster includes Vernis James and Sai Pela from Los Altos High, Dustin Steward from Gunn High and Sione Taufoou from St. Francis High. Two other St. Francis players, linemen John Abramo and Matt Manoukian, were selected to play in the game but declined the invitations.

The teams held 10 practices since July 11 to prepare for the game. As one might expect, however, they weren’t as grueling or intense as the practices the players experienced during their high school careers.

“The coaches don’t want us to go all-out and get hurt,” Pela said last week. “Practices are real fun and the guys joke around a lot.”

That doesn’t mean the players don’t care about the outcome of the game, though.

“Everyone on the team wants to win,” said Pela, who will play quarterback and safety in the game. “We don’t want to go there and lose.”

But as Taufoou pointed out, the South poses a big challenge.

“I think we’ll do all right,” the running back/linebacker said, “but the South is big and strong.”

While Taufoou said he’d love to see the North prevail, he’s also set a few individual goals for tonight’s game.

“I hope to play well and put a good show on for everyone,” he said.

The game can also help players like Taufoou, Pela and James prepare for college football. All three plan on playing at community colleges in the fall: Pela at Gavilan; Taufoou at San Mateo and linebacker James at Foothill.

Tonight’s game is played in honor of Charlie Wedemeyer, the former football coach at Los Gatos High who was stricken with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) 24 years ago. Carrying on his own tradition, Wedemeyer is expected to be in attendance and will encourage the players before they take the field. Several players who participated in past games have gone on to play pro football, including Jeff Garcia, Brent Jones, Doug Cosbie and Pat Tillman.

Tickets are $10, with proceeds supporting The Charlie Wedemeyer ALS Foundation and other local charities and scholarships.

For more information, call Jim Guido at (408) 268-7196.