Andrew Janocko, Tyler Kirkwood, Doug Kephart, John Bowman and Adam Jury have each been selected to represent the North squad in the 2007 Lezzer Lumber Classic.

The quintet combined to lead the Bisons to a 7-3 season that ended with an appearance in the District 9 Class AAA Championship, a 37-30 double-overtime loss to Bradford.

Janocko, who will attend the University of Pittsburgh and major in secondary education, led the area in passing yards in 2006 with 1,947 thanks largely in part to Jury. Jury (Slippery Rock, undecided) recorded a team-leading 62 catches and 875 yards receiving.

Kephart (Penn State DuBois, electrical engineering) was Janocko's second-favorite target, hauling in 45 passes for 835 yards, while Bowman (Penn State Behrend, civil engineering) anchored the Bisons' offensive line that gave their quarterback plenty of time to throw.

Kirkwood (Grove City College, religious thought) also contributed to the mix, compiling 262 yards on 49 carries for Clearfield on the ground.

"It's nice to be able to put on the Clearfield colors one more time and play with some of your own teammates," said Janocko. "It's good to be able to be here at our school and practice on our practice field one last time in our scholastic career."

"It's been a great honor," said Jury of his selection. "To have the opportunity to play one last time with the other four guys from Clearfield will be a great way to finish out our scholastic career. These guys have been great guys to be around. It's just about going out right ... going out with a win."

"It's a really big honor to be selected," said Bowman. "I'm not going to college for football, so this is a really big deal for me to be able to play this one last game before I'm done for life."

For Kirkwood the Lezzer Lumber game is also an opportunity for redemption. Kirkwood has the Bradford game fresh on his mind.

He and his Bison compadres lost to the Owls twice last season, with the second defeat keeping Clearfield out of the PIAA playoffs.

"It means a lot to have one last game," said Kirkwood. "It gives you extra incentive to go out and play harder and redeem yourself after the way we ended the season."

That redemption began earlier this week with the start of two-a-day practices, which has gone well, according to the Bison representatives. Despite accumulating the normal rivalries that come with playing high school football, the group has gotten along well with Brookville's and the North's head coach, Chris Dworek, and their District 9 foes.

"I thought coming into practice for this that we may have a few squabbles that carried over from the regular season, but we haven't," said Kirkwood. "It hasn't been like that at all. Everyone has gotten to know everyone pretty well, and actually I think everyone has formed a pretty good relationship."

"Things have been going well," said Kephart.

"We're doing a lot of running. We've been practicing running plays and different combinations ... getting used to the other players."

In a week's time the group will have learned new plays, formations, and the tendencies and personalities of new teammates. All of which will be done with the incentive to go out with a win leaving the high school football field forever.

"We've just been going through the plays, and learning how to beat the South," said Bowman. "That's what this week is all about."

Game time is set for 7 p.m. on Friday at Hollidaysburg's Tiger Stadium.