Lion All-Star Dedicates Play to Friend

Seth Mitchell runs the ball for Argonaut of Jackson during game last September against Livingston. Photo: Casey Landrum / Ledger Dispatch.


Argonaut of Jackson dual-threat QB Seth Mitchell suffered the loss of best friend Dylan Yoacham in 2022 and has dedicated his football performances since then to Dylan’s memory. He will play for the North team next Saturday in the 49th edition of the Central California Lions All-Star Classic to be played in Tracy.

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The 2025 Central California Lions All-Star Football Game next week will be a final high school send-off for dozens of senior football players across the region. For Argonaut’s Seth Mitchell, though, it is about much more than the game.

The dual-threat quarterback will take the field on Saturday at Wayne Schneider Stadium in Tracy for the North All-Stars with someone special on his mind. It will be his best friend, Dylan Yoacham, who passed away in 2022 after tragically being hit by a car in Sutter Creek.

“Even when things were rough, he always had a smile,” Mitchell said. “He worked hard to be a better person. That is something I try to learn from.”

Mitchell rushed for nearly 1,000 yards out of the quarterback position last season. Photo: Hudl.com.


Mitchell will wear Dylan’s name on his back plate during the game and says a prayer before every kickoff. It has become part of his routine, a quiet way to carry his friend with him every time he plays.

“Dylan makes me play more mad, more focused,” Mitchell said. “He was determined with anything he did. That is how I try to play too.”

On May 17, 2022 at just after 8:30 p.m., Yoacham was crossing the road near Highway 49 and Valley View Road in Sutter Creek and was struck by a car driven by a person later identified as Matthew Galea of Shingle Springs. He was taken to a trauma center in Sacramento and died the next day. According to press reports at the time, Galea had left the scene of the accident but was later arrested. He was later sentenced to four years in prison for fatal hit and run after pleading guilty.

Mitchell is a 6-foot-3 quarterback who stood out this past season for Argonaut, despite the team finishing 2-8. In one of the most impressive performances of the year, Mitchell rushed for nearly 300 yards against Liberty Ranch of Galt in a loss while playing with a broken hand. He hardly ever passed, but also rushed for 256 yards on 29 carries and scored once in a win against Galt. Seth had 970 yards rushing and seven TDs on the season.

Mithcell says he compares his style on the field to NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson. He said, “I think my QB style would definitely be like a Lamar Jackson because we both can throw and on a under pressure play we can get out and run it out.”

Now Mitchell gets one more chance to leave his mark, facing some of the best players in the region before moving on to the next chapter.

“I have been wanting to play in a game like this for a long time,” he said. “Even though I am from a small school, I know I can compete with anybody.”

The South team was victorious in last year’s game, 18-15, on a touchdown pass with four seconds left by David Herrera (Los Banos) to Trace Hernandez (Modesto Central Catholic). The North team had rallied from a 12-0 deficit entering the fourth quarter to take a 15-12 lead. It was the second last-second win by the South in three years and also made it five wins in the last six games for the South. The North team, however, still leads in the series, 26-19-2.

After the game, Mitchell plans to continue playing football at Modesto Junior College, where he will also pursue a degree in engineering mechanics. But on June 21, his focus is on honoring his friend and finishing strong.

Isai Gutierrez started an internship at CalHiSports.com in January of 2025 and is a student at Modesto Junior College. He graduated in 2024 from Sierra High in Manteca.

Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports


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