YAKIMA — Four Columbia Basin high school graduates will suit up on the gridiron for the last time in their high school careers Saturday, playing in the Earl Barden Classic at East Valley High School in Yakima.

The Earl Barden Classic brings in football players from 2A, 1A, and B classifications from across the state, as east and west side teams duke it out on the field.

“It’s great to be back out here one last time to hit people, and they hit me back,” Royal graduate Bennett Brown said. “It’ll be great.”

Joining Brown on the East team will be Royal’s Case Christensen, Ephrata’s Eric O’Neel and Othello’s Alex Mendez. 

“Not a lot of people from Ephrata get to play in these things, so I thought it was pretty special,” O’Neel said. 

Each school also had players play in last year’s edition of the game; 2023 graduates Dylan Allred and Kaleb Hernandez of Royal High School, Sonny Asu and Julian Alegria of Othello High School and Travis Hendrick and Wes Kriete of Ephrata High School. To prepare for the game, both O’Neel and Brown said they talked with the Earl Barden Classic alums.

“They just told me to have fun and make it worth it,” O’Neel said. “Just have some fun with all these good guys.”

“I talked to them a little bit, and they said it was a blast,” Brown said. “They said to take every minute in – put the pads on one last time and make new friends too.”

Players have been in Yakima since Tuesday preparing for the game, participating in practices to get accustomed with their fellow teammates on the field. 

“It’s been good, we’re still figuring out each other’s chemistry,” Brown said. “The quarterback’s learning the new plays and stuff – we’ll figure it out, we’ll be good. It’s been a blast.”

Many players play on both sides of the ball, leading to competition throughout the week.

“We’re just competing out there, seeing who’s the best of the best right now,” O’Neel said. “Trying to earn your spot out there again, it’s kind of like high school.”

The 2023 Earl Barden Classic saw the East team record its fourth straight win in the all-star game. Tied at zero entering overtime, Hernandez scored the first points of the game on a three-yard touchdown run, being helped into the end zone on a push by Kriete. Following an East two-point conversion and a West touchdown on the ensuing possession, East won the game with a defensive stand on West’s two-point conversion attempt. Hernandez won East Offensive Most Valuable Player honors.

“It’s a pretty big honor, carrying on the Royal tradition,” Brown said. “Many people have played and Wiley (Allred) coached here (in 2022). It’s pretty sweet to keep it going.”

O’Neel said he will open the game up by singing the national anthem.

“They heard my voice one time because I sang it at a track meet before,” O’Neel said. “They heard me sing, and they asked if I could do it again.”

Kickoff of the Earl Barden Classic is at 1 p.m. Saturday at East Valley High School in Yakima.

“Hopefully I score a touchdown and make my coach laugh doing his favorite celebration,” Brown said.

    Othello graduate Alex Mendez (4) stiff-arms a Kelso defender during a game in the 2023 football season. Mendez is one of four Columbia Basin football players playing in Saturday’s Earl Barden Classic.
  

    Royal graduate Bennet Brown (87) looks to get past a Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) offensive lineman during the state championship game in Seattle in December. Brown will be playing for the East team at Saturday’s Earl Barden Classic.
  

    Ephrata graduate Eric O’Neel lines up before a play during a game against East Valley (Yakima) last season.
  

    Royal graduate Case Christensen (9) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the state championship game. Christensen is one of two Knights playing in Saturday’s Earl Barden Classic.