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Yeo, Vastine play in all-star game
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Ceres' Chris Yeo and Brian Vastine participated in the 12th annual Small Schools All-Star football game at Ripon High School Friday night.

The 2004 Calvary Temple Christian School graduates helped lead the North to a 6-0 victory over the South.

"I always wished I could play in the all stars and now I have finally conquered my goal," Vastine said. "It's a great honor."

Yeo and Vastine were selected to play in the prestigious game after having stellar senior seasons at Calvary, which tied for fourth in the Southern League's North Division at 2-3 and went 4-6 overall.

"I nominated them," said Jerry Grimshaw, superintendent and head football coach of Calvary Temple Christian School. "They were two of my most productive players. Very versatile."

Vastine played tailback and cornerback, and punted for the Warriors. He earned first-team, all-conference honors.

Vastine ranked in the top 10 in rushing in the Stanislaus District.

He gained 1,387 yards on 214 carries and scored seven touchdowns.

He set a school record with his 247-yard rushing performance against Sierra Christian on Sept. 13. scored two touchdowns in 24-7 win.

He rumbled for a school-record 247 yards against Sierra Christian on Sept. 13. He racked up 120 yards on the grounds against the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V champions.

"I was the only running back to rush for over 100 yards against Central Catholic," he said.

On defense, Vastine had 44 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery.

Yeo started at quarterback and defensive end. He also played receiver.

He passed for 738 yards and nine touchdowns, caught two passes for 23 yards and had one rushing touchdown. He passed for a school-record 255 yards during a 20-19 loss to Capital Christian on Sept. 20. He had TD strikes of 83 and 76 yards.

Yeo had 24 tackles, three sacks and one blocked punt on defense.

Yeo and Vastine don't have any regrets. They transferred from Ceres High to Calvary prior to the start of their junior year.

"They needed a fresh start," Grimshaw said.

Yeo and Vastine struggled in the classroom in Ceres. They were both on independent study their sophomore years.

"I just did a lot better over there (Calvary)," said Vastine, who started at tailback as a freshman for the Ceres High JV team. "I liked it. I was happier. The teachers liked me.

Said Yeo: "I just thought it was a better school and I was tired of all of the drama at Ceres High School."

They obtained 2.5 grade-point averages at Calvary.

Their GPAs hovered around 2.0 at Ceres High.

"I got more one-on-one teaching time at Calvary," Yeo said.

Said Vastine: "At Calvary, they'll stay after school for hours to work with you."

Yeo and Vastine were major contributors during Calvary's record-breaking 2002 campaign. The Warriors placed second in the Southern League and advanced past the first round of the playoffs.

Yeo and Vastine also played other sports in high school.

Yeo was a standout in baseball for two years. He played golf his senior year and basketball his junior year.

Yeo earned first-team, all-league honors after leading the Warriors' baseball team to a 10-8 record in the Mountain Valley League this past season.

The catcher/pitcher batted .521 (38-for-73) with one homer, 14 doubles, four triples, 26 runs and 27 RBIs. He only struck out eight times and had a .863 slugging percentage.

He ranked second in hitting and 10th in runs batted in, in the Stanislaus District. He had three wins and a school-record 114 strikeouts as a pitcher.

Yeo had two doubles and scored a run during the West's 5-2 win over the East at the 15th annual Stanislaus County Sunrise/Rotary All-Star baseball game at John Thurman Field on June 12.

Vastine played baseball his junior year.

Vastine and Yeo have been friends for more than 10 years. They met in the second grade at Walter White School They've been teammates for three years. They played together for the Ceres Falcons in 1999 and at Calvary for the two years.

"I want him to play football (in college) but he don't want to," Vastine said.

Vastine and Yeo will be going to the same college this fall. But they won't be playing on the same team. Vastine and Yeo will play football and baseball, respectively, at Modesto Junior College, where they will both major in sports therapy.

I've been working out with the team," said Yeo, who's expected to vie for time in right field. "I'm just mainly there for my bat."

Said Vastine: "I have no idea what (position) I'm going to play. My coach says most likely running back"

Grimshaw has high expectations for his former players.

"I think Brian is going to do great," he said. "He's got all the instincts and all the physical abilities. Chris is a great baseball player. The kid's got a great arm. He was a first-team, all-conference (selection). If they apply themselves, they'll be successful." - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier