BRIEFS

RIPPON DECLINES SHRINE

Newport Harbor High senior Ryan Rippon, the Daily Pilot Newport-Mesa Player of the Year in football, said Thursday he will decline an opportunity to play in the 55th annual Shrine All-Star football game.

Rippon, named CIF Southern Section Division VII Co-Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Sailors to the Division VII championship, was among 57 players announced as candidates for the public school roster.

Rippon said he would pass up the chance to participate because the game’s practice schedule will conflict with semester finals and graduation. The game will be played June 24 at Citrus College in Glendora.

Rippon also said he plans to attend a community college next year, but will not play football.

“I’ve been having some problems with my knee and hip,” said Rippon, who missed four games last fall while recovering from reconstructive surgery to repair a torn ACL.

After one year at a JC, he said he would transfer to a four-year school to play football, but said he did not know which school that would be.