SCHUYLKILL HAVEN – Let the fun begin!

Indeed it was a fun night for a group of Schuylkill and Carbon County high school senior football players at Schuylkill Haven’s Rotary Field on Wednesday.

For nearly a decade, the annual Schuylkill Coaches Association All-Star game has been a Thanksgiving staple - before the real dishes were served up with turkey, filling, cranberry, et al.

This year, the North stars did a little gobble-gobbling of their own, rallying after being carved up early by the South stars, who jumped out to an early two-touchdown lead.

When all was said and done, the North roared back to pull out a thrilling 34-28 victory.

“Oh, wow, that was a lot of fun,” said Tamaqua’s Ryan Snyder after being named the North’s lineman of the game. “I never expected this… maybe I don’t deserve it.”

“He’s too humble,” said Snyder’s high school coach Sam Bonner, who also served as the head coach for the North stars. “He’s quite a young man. I’m happy for him. It really is deserving.”

The way this one started, it looked like a roadrunner was speeding past the North as the South quickly dinged its opposition with two quick touchdowns. The first of those came by Williams Valley’s fleet-footed Brady Evans, who carted off the MVP award for his side, as he hauled in the first of his two touchdown scores. Evans and Tri-Valley’s Kole Miller hooked up with a 31-yard strike.

The South went ahead 14-0 on its second possession with the TD coming on a 1-yard run from Pine Grove’s Mason Kroh.

Then it was the North’s turn, as North Schuylkill’s Jared Tinari raced eight yards for a touchdown. But the South jacked the lead to 21-7 thanks to Pottsville’s speedster Arnaree Bainbridge, who zoomed 93 yards to the end zone on the ensuing kickoff for a 21-7 lead

But, the North wasn’t about to play second fiddle, and quickly answered with speed of its own when Jim Thorpe’s David Fiorito blazed 77 yards with a kick return of his own.

Trailing 21-14, the eventual winners tied it thanks to the big horse running of North Schuylkill’s massive lineman-turned fullback Robbie Weitz (5-11, 320) as he bulled his way into the end zone on a 4-yard blast before Thorpe’s placekicker Dawson Meckes tied the game for the first time, 21-21.

Not fazed after Miller and Evans hooked up for their second score - this one a 63-yarder in the third quarter that put the South up 28-21 - the North answered twice to take the lead and the eventual win.

Tinari raced around left end, and Meckes’ PAT tied it. On the ensuing kickoff, the North’s Billy Newton came up huge with a fumble recovery.

That set the stage for the game-winner, when Mahanoy Area’s Ben Manley and North Schuylkill’s Jack Dean executed a 30-yard pass completion to seal the victory, 34-28.

“When we started practices, the kids just hung with the other players from their own schools, but after that first practice, they started to come together, that’s what was so neat about coaching them,” Bonner said. “It was a great experience for all of us – players and coaches.”

AWARD WINNERS

… In addition to Tamaqua’s Snyder receiving Most Outstanding Lineman honors for the North, Ian Donohue earned the same recognition for the South, as voted by the Media. North Schuylkill’s Tinari claimed the North’s MVP, while Evans was the MVP for the South.

BACK-TO-BACK

… When the South’s Bainbridge returned his kickoff, Fiorito did a big answer of his own. The Thorpe sprinter scooted through the middle of the kick return team to give his team a big uplift.

COUNTING THEM UP

… Lehighton’s Ethan Buchert latched onto a 21-yard reception. And his teammate, Ian Rarick, intercepted a pass. Panther Valley standout Trey McAndrew recovered a fumble, while Thorpe QB Brian Balliet hooked up with Buchert for the 21-yard TD strike.