North defeats South, 17-7, in annual Lezzer Lumber Classic

ALTOONA — It may have seemed like early November to some, but the 2017 edition of the annual Lezzer Lumber Classic Football All-Star Game was played June 23 at Altoona’s Mansion Park.

The North squad, with 17 players from Centre County high schools on its roster, broke a two-year drought by relying on its defense and ground game to tough out a 17-7 victory over the South, in what could be called less-than-perfect conditions.

State College’s Tyler Snyder and Hunter Miller, of Brockway, shared the quarterbacking duties, but it was the running backs who stole the show for the victorious North team.

Clearfield’s Seth Caldwell, Braden Paulenelli, of DuBois, and Justin Neff, from Central Mountain, combined to run for 142 yards on 35 attempts and two touchdowns in the game. Paulenelli did the honors on both touchdowns — the first from 1 yard out and the next from 7 — but Caldwell was the leading rusher for the North with 62 yards on 14 carries.

The South’s Jarrett Cavalet, of Hollidaysburg, led all rushers in the game with 80 yards on 12 carries.

After the North took a 7-0 lead into the third quarter, Cavalet broke loose for a 57-yard touchdown that tied the game with 10:21remaining in the third quarter.

But just as the South gained momentum with a subsequent big stop, State College’s Aziz Salamy came up with a game-changing interception that led to Paulenelli’s second touchdown and a 14-7 North lead.

Another long North drive in the fourth quarter stalled deep in South territory, inside the 10-yard line. Kicker Jarrett Esposito then kicked a 26-yard field goal that wrapped up the scoring for the night.

Snyder finished with 3 of 9 passing for 66 yards, and Miller hit on 4 of 6 for 31 yards and an interception. Ty Burford, from Clarion, was the leading receiver with three catches for 61 yards, and he was followed by Justin Neff, of Central Mountain (1-17), Steve Sawyer, of Clearfield (2-12), and Jared Hurd, of Penns Valley (1-7).

For his efforts, Paulenelli was named the North’s offensive MVP, while State College’s Peyton Edwards, who led a North defense that held the South to just seven first downs and 144 total yards, was awarded the defensive MVP.

Other players who were named to the North team from local schools included Jake Stormer (St. Joseph’s), Eli Lipscomb (Bellefonte), Jaiden Boone (Bellefonte), Gavin Danneker (Bellefonte), Andrew Tobias (Penns Valley), Luke Snyder (Penns Valley), Michael Salvanish (Bald Eagle Area), Hunter Weston (Bald Eagle Area), Brad Dunkel (Philipsburg-Osceola), Will Swope (State College), Ryan Long (Penns Valley), Kam’ron Walker (State College) and Christian Rudolph (Penns Valley).

Coaches Tom Shearer and Marty Tobias, from Penns Valley, were also on the sideline for the North.