Like many other recent high school grads, Brandon's Brett Baer and Callaway's Jabril Smith are starting to see the early days of summer as both a beginning and an end.

The duo, who excelled in both soccer and football, will take part in today's 26th boys All-Star Soccer game at Hinds Community College's Joe Renfroe Stadium in Raymond. It will likely mark the last time they are recognized for their soccer achievements, but might not be their final athletic flings. Both players plan to play football in college as kickers.

Baer, who was named to The Clarion-Ledger's All-State soccer team, will play on the South squad and recognizes this game as the epilogue to his lifelong soccer career.

"This is probably the last organized soccer game I'll play in," says Baer, whose father coached him throughout his youth. "It's definitely an honor just to go out there and have fun and play with some of the guys I've been playing with all my life."

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Stephen K. Lee • slee4@jackson.gannett.com • June 14, 2008