South rises again

By Brett R. Crossley
For The Daily Item

June 27, 2009 06:34 am

— SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT -- Seniors football stars from throughout the area donned the pads and helmets for one last scholastic game under the Friday night lights.
With standouts and stars filling each roster, it was a second half comeback led by South Columbia's Steve Roth that lifted the South squad a 24-14 victory in the annual District 4 All-Star game at South Williamsport's Rodney K. Morgans Stadium.
As the first half came to a close, it was the North that looked to be in control the game, eliminating the South's 10-point lead with two second-quarter touchdowns.
After turning the ball over to start the second half and then forcing a punt, the South got going behind Roth in the third quarter. With three carries for 20 yards in the first half, Roth took his first carry of the second half 60 yards to the North five-yard line.
"We worked hard throughout the week and it's why we had 10 more points," Roth said. "Our team felt 10 points better and we kept telling each other that. Our coach kept saying all week if we executed that play we could get something. They sealed the backer nice and everyone executed, it was a nice play."
The 60-yard run eventually led the South to a 17-14 lead that would hold thanks to the defense coming up with some key stops and Roth adding a score of his own.
The South defensive player of the game, Selinsgrove's Teighler Doak helped lead the dominating defense to the win, blanking the North over the final two quarters.
"It was a great time since day one," Doak said. "It's fun to go out and play with guys that we spend three years preparing for, they are the enemy and in a week we all come together. They are a fun group to be around."
Along with receiving the defensive player of the game for the South, Doak was also honored as the coach's MVP for the week the team was together.
"It's humbling," Doak said of his new hardware. "These are a bunch of great players and the awards could have gone to anyone. It's always great to go out with a win. There really is nothing better."
Roth iced the game in the fourth with a 12-yard touchdown run. He finished the day with 12 carries for 100 yards, a touchdown, and the MVP of the game.
"It was a great time," Roth said of the experience of playing with his former competition. "It was a great week and we worked hard."
The South players opened the game on fire. Its first drive went all the way down to the 20 before Bloomsburg's Jared Shannon booted a 30-yard field goal and gave the South an early edge.
The fast start continued as the South defense forced a fumble that was recovered by Southern Columbia's Matt Miller. Two plays later, Danville's Andrew Shoop connected with Central Columbia's Mark Fulton at the edge of the end zone to give the South a quick 10-point lead.
After forcing a turnover on the South's next possession, the North turned a defensive play into seven quick points with the help of quaterback Mike Person, who found Robbie Wright for the North's first points of the game.
On its next possession, the North took the lead to close out the half when Mark Fidler broke through the secondary to score from 18 yards out.