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Record-breaking Night: Swales breaks record and ties another at Lezzer Classic
Saturday, June 23, 2012
By Andy Stine Sports Writer
HUNTINGDON - Beau Swales enjoyed a record-setting night in one of the area's finest all-star games on Friday. Unfortunately, the South had too many offensive weapons in the 28th Lezzer Lumber Classic and pulled off some crowd-wooing plays.
Swales tied the record for most rushing touchdowns (3) and broke the record for the most points (24) in a Lezzer Lumber Classic, but the South held off a ferocious comeback from the North to win, 35-28.
For his efforts, Swales was named the offensive most valuable player for the North.
"We're playing with the best kids in central Pennsylvania," said Swales. "To get that MVP, it's an honor."
With the South winning the coin toss and electing to receive, it started the Classic with a seven-play, 56-yard scoring drive. The drive was capped with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Bellwood-Antis quarterback Ryan Stuby to Altoona's Rafeeq Barnes.
The North squad answered back early in the second quarter. On fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Swales punched in his first rushing touchdown to tie the game at 7.
"He just stepped up," said North head coach Lester Smeal. "And the offensive line opened up some huge holes for him.
"I asked the kids to do what got them here and do what they do best. They all stepped up. The offensive line started pushing people off the ball and our backs were hitting holes and blocking for each other."
The South wasted no time in taking back the lead when it scored on the following drive.
This time, Hollidaysburg running back Kris Stern hit paydirt from a yard out to give the South the lead again. The big play on the drive came from Stuby to Barnes, this time with the two hooking up for a 30-yard catch.
As time ran out in the first half, State College quarterback Josh Weakland threw a deep ball to Swales, who was playing the wideout position for the play. Swales went up for the catch and outran the secondary to tie the game and swing momentum on the North side heading into the break.
"We drew up that play from scratch in the huddle. We just went on the fly. I was scared I was going to drop it, but I caught it and ran it," said Swales with a laugh.
"We didn't have that planned. We put our heads together and Coach (Kevin) Hubler just kind of drew things in the dirt and we just executed," Smeal said.
"With these guys, we don't have to have certain plays called. You can be creative because they're all football players."
With the momentum in the North's favor, the South came out of the second half with fire.
Mount Union's Kai House started the explosive quarter with the third one-yard touchdown run of the game.
Not even two minutes later after a North three-and-out, the North secondary bit on a double reverse flea flicker pass from Stuby. He found Altoona's Dan Moyer wide open for a 55-yard touchdown pass to put the South up by 14, 28-14.
"We prepared well and we played well," said Smeal. "Basically what it came down to is who made more big plays. Unfortunately, they caught us on that double reverse pass and that kid was wide open. If you take that away, we're sitting here with a tie ballgame."
At the end of the quarter, Barnes was selected for another reverse. There was no pass this time, as the speedy Barnes ran it in from 23 yards to put the score at 35-14.
After the ensuing kickoff and with only one second left on the clock in the third quarter, Swales took a handoff off-tackle at the 30-yard line and made defenders miss.
Swales broke free at about the 50 and outran everybody to the end zone to earn his second rushing score with no time left on the clock.
"The line set it first," said Swales. "They gave me that huge hole and no one was around. I took it to the outside and just took off."
The North squad managed an almost 8-minute drive in the fourth quarter. Most of the damage on the drive came from Swales and Curwensville running back Alex Holland, who carried the ball 11 times for 73 yards.
But, Swales capped his night with his fourth touchdown and his third on the ground from 20 yards out to put the North within 7. Swales had 17 rushes for 144 yards on the evening.
"It's a loss and it hurts," said Swales. "But, it's your last time playing high school football with your buddies. To be out there for the last time with your boys, it was a good time."
With only a little over four minutes remaining in the game, the South ran down the clock to finish the game with punishing runs from House and Stern.
"The kids did a great job," said Smeal. They never quit. There was a point in the game when they were up by two (touchdowns) and we could've easily said, ‘oh well, it's just an all-star game.' We talked all week about fighting and fighting, and that takes a lot of character to come back and be within striking distance at the end."
"I can't take anything away from the South. They have some great kids on that team."
While Swales took home North offensive MVP honors, defensive honors went to Central Mountain's Holden Whitehead. Stuby was the South's offensive MVP, with the defensive most valuable player going to Tyrone's Corbin Nevling-Ray.
NOTE: Clearfield head coach Tim Janocko was named the 2012 CPFCA North Coach of the Year. South 35
North 28 Score By Quarters
North 0 14 7 7-28
South 7 7 21 0-35 First Quarter
S-Barnes 27 pass from Stuby, (Patterson kick), 9:30.
Second Quarter
N-Swales 1 run, (Johnson kick), 10:31.
S-Stern 1 run, (Patterson kick), 5:58.
N-Swales 49 pass from Weakland, (Johnson kick), 0:00.
Third Quarter
S-House 1 run, (Patterson kick), 6:56.
S-Moyer 55 pass from Stuby, (Patterson kick), 5:05.
S-Barnes 23 run, (Patterson kick), 0:08.
N-Swales 70 run, (Johnson kick), 0:00.
Fourth Quarter
N-Swales 20 run, (Johnson kick), 4:41. TEAM STATISTICS
N S
Total First Downs 13 17
Rushes-Yards 43-241 38-154
Comp-Att-Int 3-8-0 13-15-0
Passing Yards 75 219
Total Plays-Yards 51-316 53-373
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 0-0
Punts-Avg 4-35 1-1
Penalties-Yards 0-0 3-15 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
North-Swales 17-144, Holland 11-73, Auman 6-19, Sleigh 1-9, Frye 6-3, Weakland 2-(-7).
South-Stern 8-50, House 6-38, Stuby 8-30, Barnes 1-23, Getz 10-14, Morrison 3-4, Team 1-(-2), Moyer 1-(-3).
Passing
North-Weakland 1-for-3, 49 yds, 1 TD.; Sleigh 1-for-3, 12 yds.; Frye 1-for-2, 14 yds.
South-Stuby 13-for-15, 219 yds., 2 TD.
Receiving
North-Holland 2-26, Swales 1-49.
South-Getz 4-59, Barnes 2-57, Moyer 1-55, Borst 3-27, Scott 2-21, Stern 1-0.
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