DEMOPOLIS &8212; Today some of the best athletes in the area will face off against old opponents on teams where former rivals become new allies and all individuals look to impress scouts and move on in the series.

For 64 years the East-West All-star series has been a way to showcase talented baseball players from across the state, giving exposure to college scouts, and raise money for the Alabama Lions Club Lions Sight Fund simultaneously. The teams in this year&8217;s Demopolis area local game will come six schools from Marengo and surrounding counties, Demopolis, Choctaw County, Greensboro, Livingston, Sumter County and West Blocton.

All of the players in the game will have a chance to perform in front of the scouts attending the event. After the match up has wrapped up the scouts at the game will choose several players from both rosters to send on to the next game in the series. Those in the second round will again go through a selection process with hopes of finding a spot in the final game in Birmingham.

Bishop said the groups have been divided up in a way that the organizers feel will make for a good game between the area standouts. He said the game has historically been a good match up, as the local talent from normally opposing teams learn to play with their past rivals.

Coaches for the teams are also local, and Quintin Jones of Sumter County and James Moody of Demopolis will coach the will coach the all-star teams. Jones will take the West, consisting of four of his boys and seven others from West Blocton and Livingston, while Moody will coach the East with five of his own and five from Choctaw County and Greensboro.

The club has even added local feel to the game by naming the event the George C. Spence Memorial game in honor of its namesake who was one of the original driving forces from the Lions Club for the area game.