Afalava, Stroughter headed to East-West

TWO MORE BEAVERS are headed to senior postseason all-star showcases, boosting the total of Oregon State football players who will play in all-star games to a half dozen. Al Afalava and Sammie Stroughter were the latest to accept invitations, the safety and wide receiver will play in the 84th annual East-West Shrine Game on Sat., Jan. 17 in Houston at 1 p.m. PST. It will be televised by ESPN2.

Al Afalava started 36 career games at Oregon State, the hard hitting safety concluded his career with 167 tackles. He was named a 2007 and ’08 Pac-10 Conference Honorable Mention selection.

Sammie Stroughter was one of the most prolific receivers in Beaver program history. He leaves OSU third all-time in both receptions, with 164, and in receiving yards with 2,623. Other marks include fourth for career all-purpose yards, with 4,299, and first for both punt return yards with 1,235 and punt return touchdowns with three. Stroughter was a Pac-10 First Team selection in '08, and an Associated Press Third Team All-American in '06.

Afalava and Stroughter joins Beaver teammates Victor Butler and Brandon Hughes on the West team, which will be coached by former NCAA and NFL head coach Gene Stallings.

The four Beavers in the East-West game are the most since Craig Hanneman, Dave Schilling, Jim Sherbert and Jack Turnbull all played in the 1971 event (1970 season).

A total of six Beavers are currently slated to take part in postseason all-star games. Andy Levitre and Keenan Lewis are scheduled to appear in the Jan. 24 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala, played at 4 p.m. PST and televised by the NFL Network.

AL AFALAVA