MONTGOMERY — The North All-Stars captured the 56th AHSAA All-Star Football Game at Cramton Bowl Friday night with a 14-13 victory over the South. The South now holds a 30-24-2 edge in the series that dates back to 1948.
Two first-quarter goal-line stands by the North defense limited the South to just two field goals and a blocked punt in South territory in late in the third quarter set up the winning touchdown drive.
Trailing 13-7 with 2:25 remaining in the third period, Mortimer Jordan defensive end Dontrez Green blocked a South punt and then tackled South blocker Wade Castle of Dale County from behind to set up the North’s game-winning drive at the South 40-yard line.
North MVP, quarterback Blake Hawkins of Florence, directed a nine-play drive that climaxed with his second touchdown of the game with 8:29 remaining. Hawkins scooted in from the 8-yardf line to tie the game at 13-13 and place-kicker Enrique Aquilar kicked the extra point to put the North ahead for good.
North head coach Lamar Harris of Hubbertville turned to his defense to keep the South out of the end zone, and the offense ate up 7:55 of the final 10 minutes with ball-control drives to seal the win.
Hawkins finished with 39 yards rushing on nine carries and was 5-of-9 passing for 28 yards to earn North MVP honors.
South MVP Wendell Harris of Foley had three interceptions, including a 37-yard pick in the second quarter he returned for a touchdown that put the South ahead 13-7. His first interception came on the second play of the game at the North 44-yard line and set up a 20-yard Jose Mendoza field goal four minutes later.
The big play offensively on that South march was a 33-yard pass connection to Hillcrest-Evergreen receiver Keyshawn Green from Charles Henderson quarterback Austin Ingram to the 1-yard line. The North goal-line defense stuffed the South on three straight downs with Muscle Shoals defensive lineman Hollis Abernathy nailing Montgomery Catholic running back Thomas Stokes for as 2-yard loss and the South settled for Mendoza’s field goal with 5:36 remaining in the period.
The place-kicker from Foley set up his second field goal with an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff that was recovered by Castle. He capped the drive with the 25-yard field goal two minutes later to give the South a 6-0 lead. He hit the upright on a 37-yard try in the third period that bounced away and finished 2-of-3.
The North took the lead quickly 7-6 in the second quarter marching 79 yards on 11 plays. Fyffe’s Austin Stiefel reeled off a 36-yard run, and Hawkins followed with a 10-yard to set up his 1-yard keeper over left guard for the touchdown. Enrique Aquilar kicked the extra point to put the North ahead with 8:29 left in the half.
The North netted 134 yards rushing on 36 carries and 46 passing for 180 yards total. Stiefel was the game’s leading rusher with 69 yards on 11 carries, and Moregan Sharp of Pelham added 38 on 10 carries.
The South totaled 114 yards with only 17 rushing. Isiah Long of Dothan led the South, head-coached by Billy Gresham of Carver-Montgomery, with 22 yards on five carries. Ingram finished 11-of-28 passing for 97 yards with four receivers, LaDarrell Pettway of Spanish Fort, Lazarius Head of Elmore County, Johnny Williams of Northview and Khaliq Jones of Wetumpka grabbing two catches each.
Ke’Vontae Hayes of Decatur led the North defensive with five tackles. Blake Wood of Wilson added four stops with three for losses of 20 yards.
Harris added two tackles and broke up one pass in the end zone to go with his three picks. Jason Williams of Notasulga and Maurice Cole of Spanish Fort had eight tackles each for the South.
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