Photo for the Mirror by Roger Kerekes The South’s Cameron Stevens (Central Cambria) goes for the tackle on the North’s Ben Clark (No. Bedford).

JOHNSTOWN — Friday night’s 1st Summit Bank Ken Lantzy All-Star Classic football game was as competitive and tightly contested as any meeting between conference rivals on a crisp October evening.

The South all-star squad connected on a big play for a go-ahead touchdown with just over four minutes remaining, and then came up with a defensive stop on the doorstep of the end zone in the final minute to hold on for a 20-14 triumph over the North all-stars at Johnstown’s Trojan Stadium.

“This game’s about the kids, and you want it to be a great experience,” said South head coach Brandon Bailey of Richland. “I think we had that tonight Both teams played hard, and our kids made one more play than they did to win it at the end.”

With the score knotted 14-all in the fourth quarter, South quarterback Camden Rising of Marion Center dropped back and hit United Valley’s Logan Lichtenfels in stride down the right sideline for a 50-yard touchdown bomb at the 4:01 mark. “Me and Logan were talking all week about getting the ball downfield since he’s one of the quickest guys we got. We just had a good connection on that last one,” said Rising, who completed 6 of 13 passes for 108 yards.

However, the extra point attempt failed, leaving the door open for the North. North quarterback Lance Jones of Meyersdale found Penn Cambria’s Grant Gides for a 14-yard gain to begin the next drive, with a subsequent roughing the passer penalty and a 21-yard keeper by Jones putting the ball in the red zone.

However, a bobbled snap, incompletion, and a sack on the next three plays left the North facing fourth-and-23 in the final minute. Jones avoided the rush and completed a pass to Bishop Guilfoyle’s Jake Kissell. Kissell found running room and was diving toward the first-down marker before a hit by Richland’s Joseph McAneny forced him out of bounds just short of the line to gain at the South 3-yard line. The South took over and then ran out the clock to preserve the win.

“This was a fantastic football game,” said North head coach Jason Grassi of Penn Cambria. “It came down to the end and we were just a couple inches short.”

Grassi got to coach five of his Panther players in their final high school game. “It meant a lot to coach those guys and have one last hurrah with them. I’m proud of their effort.”

The South got on the board first, as Somerset’s Colt Hagans tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Xander Richardson of Forest Hills on the opening play of the second quarter. Josh Troup of Marion Center added the PAT for a 7-0 lead.

Noah Lucko of Tussey Mountain answered for the North in the final minute of the first half when he took it in from 12 yards out, with the extra point by River Valley’s Cole Heckathorn producing a 7-7 tie at the break. Lucko finished with a team-high 56 yards rushing on 10 carries to earn offensive back MVP honors for the North.

Everett’s Jakobe Harman regained the lead for the South at the 5:56 mark of the third quarter when he broke free for a 29-yard touchdown run.

That was one of many highlights on the night for Harman, who rushed for a game-best 158 yards on 22 carries and earned the South offensive back MVP.

“It was special to end up my high school career with a win,” said Harmon, who will be playing for Shippensburg University this fall. “It was a little nerve-wracking toward the end but I like the pressure and intensity.”

A 72-yard return of the ensuing kickoff by Portage’s Easton Slanoc set up a 6-yard touchdown run by Jones to tie the game for the North, setting the stage for the dramatic fourth quarter.