Football

All-star games bring bitter rivals together

By Guy Cipriano

The critics of high school football all-star games didn't see it. The television cameras didn't record it.

View larger

The significance of the gesture could only be understood on the North’s sideline during last weekend’s 25th annual Lezzer Lumber Football Classic.

A post-play shoving exchange with a South player left Matt Overdorf’s No. 1 jersey torn.

Overdorf glanced toward the sideline. Luc Yocum didn’t blink.

He walked toward Overdorf and handed him his No. 17 jersey.

Earlier in their senior years, Overdorf and Yocum were one-week rivals.

Overdorf ran the ball for the Central Mountain during a district playoff game at Memorial Field. Yocum, a State College linebacker, tried to thrash Overdorf and anybody else who ran his way.

Yocum succeeded as the Little Lions tossed a shutout.

Seven months later, Yocum gave Overdorf the jersey off his back.

For all the concerns about injuries — anybody who watched the East- West Game in Altoona cringed when Pennsylvania’s all-time leading rusher Jeremiah Young suffered a major knee injury — the bonding that occurs between former opponents makes high school all-star events worth the risks.

An injury prevented Yocum from playing last week. But there he was, standing on the sideline, cheering every hard hit during the North’s 26-7 victory.

Watching former opponents come together to form cohesive groups serves as an ideal respite from Little League, County League, Teener League, Babe Ruth, American Legion and New York-Penn League games.

The bonding also represents the best argument for keeping the June calendar filled with events such as the Lezzer Lumber game, which attracted a near-capacity crowd to Bald Eagle Area’s Alumni Stadium.

Few things are as parochial as high school sports. Opponents often represent nothing more than jersey numbers. Players and coaches read and study the other side. But opportunities to meet, greet and appreciate an opponent prove scarce.

Throw former opponents and strangers together for a week, and perceptions quickly change.

Central Mountain’s Steve Turchetta, who coached the North team, said meeting players he once coached against such as Bellefonte’s David Radziak and Chris Irwin developed into the best thing about last week.

“It’s the kids that you meet,” Turchetta said. “You watch them, you scout them and you see them making plays. But in this game, you get to know the kids. There are some great kids. The biggest thing that I will take are the memories and the experience I had working with the kids.”

Turchetta said the team’s first practice last Monday included some awkward moments. By Tuesday, former opponents realized they were on the same side.

When it comes together, the results can be convincing. The North’s defense allowed just one touchdown and less than 150 yards.

After the game, the stats seemed irrelevant. As players from the North team prepared to clutch their parting gifts and trophy, the depth of the relationships established during the week meant more than the anything else.

Inside linebackers A.J. Robinson of Bald Eagle Area and Chance Gaines of State College knew little about each other besides what they might read on these pages. They found out last week what maked the other successful in high school.

“Chance and I became close friends because we were in the middle,” Robinson said. “The friendships were unreal. I couldn’t believe how quickly we all jelled together like we did. It was like we all went to high school together.”

Robinson and Gaines headed their separate ways after the trophy presentation.

Gaines is taking his aggression and heady instincts to Kutztown. Robinson is taking his strong left-arm to the pitcher’s mound at Allegany (Md.) College.

For one night, they played in a game where strangers shared shirts.

“I will remember the guys,” Gaines said. “You look around. …You have friends you made for life.”

The same relationships will be forged next year when the game moves to Huntingdon’s War Vets Stadium.

Try telling the group of players who relish the experience their last high school football games should be played in November or December.

Champs on the way

Circle Friday, Aug. 28 on the high school football calendar.

State College’s second scrimmage could foreshadow the Little Lions’ 2009 fate as District 11 Bethlehem Liberty visits Memorial Field. The Hurricanes defeated Bethel Park, which wrecked State College’s perfect 2008, and are the defending PIAA Class AAAA champions.

Liberty features one of the state’s best players in quarterback Anthony Gonzalez.

Some other giants, most notably Cumberland Valley, Harrisburg and Bishop McDevitt, are visiting Memorial Field for regular-season games in 2009. Bishop McDevitt wide receivers Salath Williams and Jeremy Cornelius orally committed to Pitt and Purdue, respectively, last week.

Guy Cipriano can be reached at 231-4643.