New bonds formed, old ones rekindled at Lezzer Lumber practices

State College defensive tackle Kam’ron Walker can still remember the fresh face in his sixth grade homeroom.

Bellefonte defensive end Eli Lipscomb was a newcomer at the time, joining Mount Nittany Middle School after moving from New York. “He sat right beside me,” Walker said of his future rival, “and we became friends.”

Friends that for the first time in years will play football together.

Walker, Lipscomb and 14 more Centre County seniors are set to represent the North team in the 33rd Annual Lezzer Lumber Classic All-Star Football Game on 7 p.m. Friday at Altoona’s Mansion Park.

As the players from State College, Bellefonte, Penns Valley, Bald Eagle Area and Philipsburg-Osceola practiced at Clearfield’s Bison Stadium all week, bonds like Lipscomb and Walker’s were rekindled — and new ones were formed.

Rams quarterback Andrew Tobias, whose father played in the first-ever Lezzer Lumber game back in the 1980s, described it to him as a “fun experience.”

“You get to know a lot of new people,” Tobias said. “It’s a great time.”

Fellow Penns Valley classmate Christian Rudolph is using the time to learn more about a future college teammate.

Rudolph and State College defensive end Peyton Edwards, as well as Central Mountain’s Patrick Barner, will play football together at Juniata College next season.

The three are set to be roommates, too, but Edwards didn’t even know Rudolph until a couple months ago.

When Edwards committed on May 1, the Penns Valley tight end reached out on Twitter to congratulate and welcome him to Juniata.

Ever since, Edwards and Rudolph have been a part of a Juniata freshman group text and found out two weeks ago at new student orientation that they’d be on the same Lezzer Lumber team.

“We thought it’d be fun to play together,” Rudolph added.

And the past few days have lived up to their expectations.

For the first time, Rudolph and Edwards strapped up the pads together, conversed in the locker room and lined up against each other as the North team prepped for Friday night.

They got an early taste of what it’ll be like the next few years at Juniata. “It’s great to build that bond already,” Edwards said.

Joining Edwards on the North team’s defensive line are Walker and Lipscomb, who were once teammates before going their separate ways.

Sure, the two were friends before football, but being on the same team as freshmen at St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy made them closer. It was the Wolves’ first-ever season, and Lipscomb and Walker were the team’s lone freshmen.

“We had to stick together,” Walker said.

Off the field, they’d often hang out with mutual friends, playing video games and whatever else ninth graders do.

Their situations changed a bit after that first year at SJCA. Walker transferred to State College, and Lipscomb switched to Bellefonte after his sophomore year.

It’s been three years since the two played together, making practice at Clearfield this week all the more fun.

“He’s still a goofball,” Lipscomb said with a smile. “Always will be a goofball. But I love the kid to death.”

The only thing Lipscomb would love more is a win on Friday night.

Lipscomb, Walker, Edwards, Rudolph and the rest of the North team players are eager to beat the South squad and play alongside their friends — some for the first, others for the final time.

This story was originally published June 22, 2017 at 7:07 PM with the headline "New bonds formed, old ones rekindled at Lezzer Lumber practices."