Dons, Royals old-timers gearing up for alumni game

There’s a great character named Uncle Rico in the 2004 comedy “Napoleon Dynamite.”

Rico lives in his van and is permanently stuck in the year 1982 — his last season as a backup high school quarterback.

“Coach woulda put me in fourth quarter, we would’ve been state champions. No doubt. No doubt in my mind,” he says.

If only Uncle Rico had gone to Santa Barbara or San Marcos High.

Santa Barbara High coaching legend Lito Garcia stands by during warm-ups on Thursday.

On May 29th, the Dons and Royals will play a full-contact alumni game at Peabody Stadium that features players who graduated as early as 1971. The game celebrates the 50th anniversary of the rivalry, and proceeds will benefit the schools’ athletic departments.

The teams strapped on the pads and started practicing for real last weekend, and there are plenty of reasons to believe that the game is going to be a memorable affair in the community.

Each squad includes around 80 players, some who have come from around the country to play. Brian Corlett, a 1995 SBHS graduate, came all the way from New York, where he works as an attorney.

“I usually come out for Memorial Day, but when I found out about this I decided to make it an extended vacation,” said the former receiver. “I pulled a few strings to make sure it would work out, because I wasn’t gonna miss this.”

Similarly, 2001 San Marcos grad Brad Franzen came from Ogden, Utah, to play in the game.

“It’s real exciting. It’s just good to see all my good buddies and strap on the pads one more time,” he said.

Adding hype to the event is the fact that the most famous player to come out of the city, 1981 Santa Barbara grad Randall Cunningham, will be back in uniform. The most prolific running quarterback in NFL history will be joined by his older brother Sam, who also went on to the pros, as well as brother AC. It’s not known whether Randall Cunningham will play any quarterback yet, but he is confirmed to fly out from Las Vegas the day before the game. The Dons will be retiring his jersey in a special ceremony.

Bobby Bisquera of Santa Barbara High and Matt Johnston of San Marcos have been handling much of the organizational duties for their respective teams. Bisquera is a former coach for the Dons and Johnston still mentors the frosh/soph program for the Royals.

San Marcos has been holding practices daily at Valley Stadium.

“It’s been so great to hang around both the guys I grew up watching, the guys I played with and even some of the kids that I used to coach,” said Bisquera, whose grandfather was a member of the school’s first graduating class in 1925.

Bisquera, who graduated in 1984 and played receiver for the Dons, was easily the loudest player on the practice field at Santa Barbara Junior High on Thursday.

“We’re out there banging up against each other and just whoopin’ it up,” he said. “What’s good is that we haven’t had any real injuries. Everybody’s just sore and a little banged up.”

Johnston, a member of San Marcos’ class of 1980, played in the last alumni game in 1988. There were four such games in the ’80s.

“I feel fairly good about my conditioning. We’ve all just got to be smart, because 18 was a long time ago,” he said. “We’re gonna listen to our bodies and try not to let our testosterone get the best of us.”

But there would be no football without testosterone, and the competitive juices will most definitely be flowing come kickoff. The preparation and build-up has proven to be more intense than many expected.

“My brother came out here two weeks ago from Texas, and he kinda told me it’s a little more serious than what we were anticipating. I decided to take a full two weeks off to come out and get in the pads,” said Todd Flannery, also a member of the SBHS class of 1995, who owns a commercial painting company in Tennessee.

While having fun and benefitting the schools are supposed to be the most important elements of the game, winning isn’t too far behind.

“I can only play one style of football, and that’s full bore. You’re here for a reason, and if you can’t do it you shouldn’t be out here. I started training the minute I heard about it,” said Flannery.

He even had a prediction for the outcome.

“We’re gonna beat the Royals, period. I won’t leave nothin’ on that field… I’ve had dreams of doing a kickoff again, and now’s the time. I think I’ll be more up for playing than I was then, because this is it. My (six-year-old) son’s coming out next week to watch me, and it’s gonna be a blast to show him that his dad can still do it,” he said.

For those like Johnston who still live in the community and work with the schools, this is an opportunity to provide the local football scene with a spark.

“For me, if we make one dollar and get everybody back involved in the programs, it’s a victory,” he said. “I’m just happy to be back out there with my teammates.”

Added Bisquera, “I have friends over there that I want to hit as hard as a can and then help up and share a laugh with. We just don’t want everybody to get hurt.”

The game will begin at 3 p.m. and is expected to sell out. Tickets are $10, and are available at either school. Children’s tickets are $5.