Panthers pay tribute: Game ball goes to parents of fallen Sac City College football player
The first thing Sacramento City College football coach Dannie Walker did after the clock showed zeroes Saturday was take the game ball to the stands behind the home sideline at Hughes Stadium.
There sat Mary and Lloyd McAllister, grieving parents who lost their 19-year-old son earlier in the week. Walker presented them with the game ball.
“They’ve got to go through the process of healing,” Walker told The Sacramento Bee. “And that’s why we’re here. We’re here to help them go through that process. Because once their healing occurs, then everyone else’s healing can occur.”
The McAllisters, Walker and the Sacramento City Panthers football team are grieving the loss of Justin McAllister, a well-liked offensive lineman who died Monday following conditioning drills. People close to the family told The Bee the cause was heart failure.
The Panthers on Saturday played their first game since McAllister’s death, blowing out Chabot College 50-7 for their first victory of the season, offering some respite amid tragedy.
“There’s just no words for it,” Walker said of giving the game ball to the McAllister family. “It’s just sheer, raw emotion. ... For them to see (his teammates) play and compete the way they did today, there’s no words for it. But I’m honored to be a part of it.”
The team broke the postgame huddle collectively chanting “Justin” after observing a moment of silence during a ceremony honoring McAllister before the game. His No. 68 jersey hung on the sideline throughout while coaches and staffers wore black tee shirts with his name and number on their backs. Justin’s mother, Mary, addressed the team in the locker room before the opening kickoff.
“I just shared with them that he believed in them and how he was so thankful for the open arms transferring in,” she told The Bee. “He wasn’t with the team for very long, but he felt so welcomed, and he liked to joke around with them, talk with them. These were his friends and teammates, and he was looking forward to a wonderful season with them.”
McAllister went to nearby Delta High School in Clarksburg, roughly 15 miles south of downtown Sacramento, and spent his first year in college at Western Oregon. He transferred to Sacramento City to be closer to friends and family while he hoped to get more playing time. His memory was honored at his high school earlier in the week, while those around the Sac City football program felt Saturday’s victory was emblematic of how the team felt about its fallen teammate.
“This win is everything,” Mary McAllister said. “I know he’s up there watching over everyone — he’s thrilled. And it’s a beautiful day, too. And it’s just a beautiful thing how they came together today to honor him and I know they’re going to continue do it for the rest of the season. They believed in each other and he believed in them. It’s just an awesome day, well beyond what the score showed.”
Justin McAllister’s father, Lloyd, added: “He was a wonderful son, a wonderful human being. ... To see your community rally around somebody, it’s just a beautiful thing to see.”
With McAllister on their minds, the Panthers put together a complete team effort. Seven different players scored their seven touchdowns. They outgained Chabot 312 to 92 in total yards and nearly had a shutout if not for a touchdown with 2:52 remaining when Sac City was up 50-0.
McAllister surely would have appreciated his team’s effort in the trenches. His offensive line yielded no sacks, while Sac City’s defense had eight.
Isaiah Tongson opened the game with a 3-yard touchdown catch. Kevin Adams scored a 48-yard touchdown on a deep pass down the middle and Anthony Wiley had a 47-yard punt return score. Jacob Stewart caught a 9-yard touchdown, Otha Williams got in from 1 yard out, Joseph Repass added a 6-yard rushing score and Dionta Senior scored on a 23-yard catch.
Quarterback Sean Nixon had 185 yards on 11-of-14 passing with three touchdowns in the first half before making way for backup Calvin Owen in the second.
It was a stirring ending to an emotional week.
“These young men in this group, this family, Justin’s family, they’ve been phenomenal this week,” Walker said. “How they’ve handled themselves, how they’ve stuck together, how they’ve communicated to Justin’s parents. It’s been overwhelming. It’s been a blessing. It’s been full of joy, just to see the Delta community come together, the Sac City community come together, over this tragic situation. Our hearts, our condolences go out to the family, because it’s going to be a process. We’re going to be with them step by step for the rest of their lives.”
