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By Paul Buriak
For the Mirror
JOHNSTOWN -- Northern Bedford running back Adam Johnson made the most of his opportunities in Friday night's 53rd Ken Lantzy All-Star Football Classic.
Johnson rushed for all three of the North squad's touchdowns, including the game-winner with 1:35 to play in a 24-17 comeback victory over the South all-star team at Johnstown's Trojan Stadium.
"This was a once in a lifetime experience," said Johnson, who earned offensive back MVP honors for his team with 30 yards on 8 carries along with two receptions for 39 yards. "We just had to believe in each other and trust each other as a team. We had guys from different schools able to work together."
Northern Bedford head coach Garry Black earned the win for the North aided by another significant contribution from one of his former Panther players as quarterback Eion Snyder rushed for a team-high 107 yards and completed 7 of 15 passes for 118 yards.
"With the work that Adam has put in with our program over the years, it didn't surprise me at all what he was able to do," said Black. "He's a great young man and I couldn't be more proud of him."
"We had guys on this team who were able to play a physical brand of football, and just had a physically and mentally tough mindset."
The South all-stars took the lead on the opening possession of the game on a 27-yard field goal by Windber's Bryson Costa, and after Johnson's first touchdown put the North up by four midway through the second quarter, United Valley's Caden McCully capped off a nine-play, 85-yard drive with a 1-yard scoring run to give the South a 10-7 advantage at the break.
Following an hour-long lightning delay at halftime, a huge special teams play allowed the North to regain the momentum. Meyersdale's Brady McKenzie blocked a punt out of the end zone for a safety to pull his team within 10-9.
After a 42-yard return of the subsequent free kick by Bishop McCort's Shakile Ferguson, a 28-yard scramble by Chestnut Ridge quarterback Nate Whysong set up a 1-yard Johnson touchdown run.
Whysong then connected with Ferguson for the conversion to put the North up 17-10 heading into the fourth quarter, but the South subsequently forced a turnover to tie the game early in the final frame.
North Star's Ethan Eller recovered a North fumble at the South 20, and one play later Conemaugh Township's Jon Updyke tossed a touchdown pass to his former Indians teammate Kyler Mauzy.
The North took possession with just over four minutes to play, and a 41-yard pass from Snider to Ferguson was followed by a 15-yard Snyder scramble that produced a first-and-goal.
Two plays later, Johnson found the end zone for what proved to be the decisive touchdown from three yards out, and Meyersdale's Tristin Ohler added the extra point to set the eventual final.
The South had one last opportunity in the final minute, but a key third-down sack of North Star quarterback Connor Yoder by Penns Manor's Carter Smith and Northern Cambria's Dawson Shutty helped shut down the drive.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
South 3 7 0 7 — 17
North 0 7 10 7 — 24
First Quarter
S–Costa 27 FG, 10:35.
Second Quarter
N–Johnson 3 run, (Ohler kick), 7:37.
S–McCully 1 run, (Costa kick), 2:12.
Third Quarter
N–McKenzie safety, 6:18.
N–Johnson 1 run, (Ferguson pass from Whysong), 3:55.
Fourth Quarter
S–Mauzy 2 pass from Updyke, (Costa kick), 14:41.
N–Johnson 3 run, (Ohler kick), 1:35.
TEAM STATISTICS S N
First downs 14 27
Total yards 269 488
Rushes-yards 25-109 42-244
Yards passing 160 244
Pass (comp.-att.-int.). 14-30-0 16-30-2
Punts-avg. 4-31.2 0-0
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1
Penalties-yards 4-37 6-76
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--South, McCully 10-65, Durant 7-21, Chontas 6-18, Yoder 2-5. North, Snider 17-107, Whysong 7-74, Johnson 8-30, Sosak 5-13, Ferguson 1-10, Beppler 2-8, Ohler 1-8, Team 1-(-1).
PASSING--South, Yoder 9-20-0-84; Barkley 4-9-0-56; Updyke 1-1-0-20. North, Whysong 9-15-1-126; Snider 7-15-1-118.
RECEIVING--South, Updyke 6-41, Speal 4-89, Feichtel 2-2, Mauzy 1-20, Durant 1-8. North, Ferguson 5-89, Whysong 3-48, Gable 3-43, Johnson 2-39, Beppler 1-16, Wolfhope 1-9, Palmer 1-0.