The South team had too much offensive firepower for the North to contain, and an outstanding all-around effort by Bedford’s Quincy Swaim sparked his squad and earned him the South’s offensive backfield MVP award.

Swaim rushed for a team-high 68 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown, while catching three passes for 39 yards and another score. He also completed six of 10 passes for 50 yards to help the South roll up 397 yards of total offense.

“It was awesome,” said Swaim, who plans to attend Bucknell University as a potential football walk-on while enrolling in the ROTC program. “This was like backyard football with these guys. I give all the credit to our O-line, they worked their tails off all week in 80-degree heat and it showed tonight.”

Wanting the same outcome as a team was really impressed Swaim the most.

“We came from different schools where we all wanted to beat each other at one point, but it was great to come together and have the same goal to want to win this game,” Swaim added.

South head coach Jarrod Lewis of Cambria Heights was more than happy about the victory.

“It was a lot of fun to coach when you have great athletes from great families like these guys,” he said. “I’m very happy they were able to come off the field as winners. It was truly an honor to get to know and compete with them.”

North head coach Nick Felus bid farewell to District 6 football with this game. The long-time Penn Cambria mentor is now in charge of the Neshaminy program back east.

“We had five Penn Cambria Panthers representing our school and community in this game, so I thought it was very important for me to have the opportunity to be the coach,” Felus said. “Obviously this wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but the kids played hard, had fun, and played football the right way.”

One of Felus’s Panther players picked up an award as Mason Mento was named the North defensive line MVP.

“Our guys just showed that mountain mentality,” Felus said.

Swaim capped off a nine-play drive on the South’s initial possession with a 3-yard touchdown run, and his 34-yard quarterback keeper on the following series helped set up a 2-yard scoring run by Central Cambria’s Grady Snyder.

Windber’s Evan Brady caught a conversion pass from Bishop Guilfoyle’s Chase Kissell to make it 14-0 at the 3:29 mark of the first quarter.

The North offense struggled early, as it did not pick up a first down until early in the second quarter.

However, the North’s Amin Lieb of Penns Manor picked off a Kissell pass later in the quarter and that takeaway was subsequently turned into points after Vaughn Schleinkofer of Northern Bedford hit Black Panther teammate Aaron Bowers for a 24-yard touchdown with 2:31 left in the half. Bowers was named the North’s offensive backfield MVP.

Kissell, who finished 11 of 29 for 253 yards, came up with two big plays to open up a lead for the South in the third quarter. He connected with Hollidaysburg’s Brady Steiner for a 28-yard score and a 66-yard bomb to Ty Dumm of Northern Cambria.

Penn Cambria’s Gavin Harrold pulled the North within 29-14 early in the fourth, but an 18-yard scoring pass from Kissell to Swaim and a 33-yard field goal by Bishop Guilfoyle’s Michael Cacciotti set the eventual final.