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By Scott Huff
FRANCONIA – The scoreboard at Souderton High School showed a 27-17 victory for the South over the North in the 2010 Montgomery County All-Star football game.
But it really was a game without losers.
The Souderton-Telford Rotary Club listed as a benefactor of the proceeds from the game to the Children’s Tumor Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to ending neurofibromatosis through research.
“This is a wonderful place to play a football game, and a wonderful cause,” said South head coach Joe Gro [Cheltenham]. “This game provides a great opportunity for the kids, and we have a ball preparing for the game.
“We have a great nucleus of kids on the team this year,” added Gro – a veteran of coaching in this charity game. “This game is for the kids – and it was great that we could come away with a win.”
One of the ‘kids’ was Springfield senior running back Tonye Johnson. Johnson – who stands 5-foot, 4-inches and weighs in at 145 pounds – finished his career as the second leading rusher in Spartan history with over 2300 yards.
“This was a great way to end my high school career,” said Johnson who was the only player selected to the squad from Springfield. “I had more fun playing football the last few weeks than I ever had.”
Springfield plays its football at the Class AA level. Yet Johnson took the field against players from the elite Quad-A programs such as North Penn.
“Football is football,” insisted Johnson who will play his football next season at Moravian College. “You go full speed, run the football, and take the hits.”
Another South running back that was playing ‘up’ in competition was Upper Moreland running back Chris Smallwood.
The Golden Bears – who compete at the Class AAA level in the playoffs – did face some Quad-A teams last fall.
“This level of competition was a lot different,” said Smallwood who led the South in rushing with 52 yards and scored a fourth quarter touchdown. “All of the players on both of these teams earned their way on the team because they were good high school football players.
“I really wanted to score that touchdown at the end of the game,” smiled Smallwood who may have convinced South offensive co-coordinator Tim Sorber [Abington] to call his ‘wedge’ play. “I didn’t want to let the team down.”
Smallwood will carry the ball for the Crimson Hawks of Indiana University of Pennsylvania next fall.
The South MVP was Abington quarterback Sam Kind who threw for an impressive 225 yards and two scores on just eight completions.
“It is really great to go out with a win,” said Kind who is hopeful of continuing his football career at the University of Pennsylvania next fall. “We ran a simplified version of the offense that we ran at Abington, and we were comfortable running it.”
South got on the scoreboard first in the initial period. Smallwood rushed the ball for 38 yards on two carries, and Kind capped the scoring drive with an 8-yard TD pass to tight end Giuliano Presta [Abington].
“He always complained that during our season that I never got him the ball enough in the end zone,” said Kind. “So I made sure that I gave him a good look on that series.”
South took advantage of a North turnover to take a 10-0 lead as La Salle place kicker Mike Bennett boomed a 35-yard field goal.
The North closed to within 10-3 when Mike Kirkpatrick [Upper Perkiomen] blasted a 45-yard field goal.
However, the South responded quickly as Kind fired a gorgeous 68-yard scoring strike to Warren Gillis [Academy of the New Church].
The North again closed the gap as North MVP Todd Smolinsy [North Penn] threw a 20-yard TD dart to Cole Parkinson [St. Pius X]. Kirkpatrick’s PAT made the score 17-10 at the half.
The South took advantage of another North fumble to set up the first score of the second half.
Bennett – the only La Salle player on the roster from the PIAA Quad-A state champions – once again was perfect on a 37-yard field goal.
The North closed to within 20-17 on its next possession. The Smolinsky-to-Parkinson touchdown connection was repeated – this time from 16 yards out.
The North went on a 14-play drive that consumed much of the fourth quarter, but the South did not allow them to score.
Kind threw a pair of clutch completions – one to Ronye Dennis [Upper Moreland] for 47 yards and the other to Jake Biel [Germantown Academy] for 29 yards – to set up Smallwood’s clinching touchdown.
South All-Stars 10 7 3 7 - 27
North All-Stars 0 10 7 0 - 17
Scoring:
S: Presta 8 pass from Kind (Bennett kick)
S: Bennett 35 FG
N: Kirkpatrick 45 FG
S: Gillis 68 pass from Kind (Bennett kick)
N: Parkinson 20 pass from Smolinsky (Kirkpatarick kick)
S: Bennett 37 FG
N: Parkinson 16 pass from Smolinsky (Kirkpatrick kick)
S: Smallwood 1 run (Bennett kick)
South All-Stars:
Rushing: Chris Smallwood 10-52-TD; Damian Finley 7-10; Tonye Johnson 4-8; Sam Kind 2-5; Brandon Gunn 1-(minus 4). Totals 24-71-TD.
Passing: Kind 8-20-225 yards – 2 TD.
Receiving: Finley 3-40; Jake Biel 2-62; Warren Gillis 1-68-TD; Royne Dennis 1-47; Giuliano Presta 1-8-TD. Totals 8-225-2 TD.
North All-Stars:
Rushing: Todd Smolinsky 13-81; Derek Brown 12-49; Sheldon Mayer 9-42; Preston Hamlette 3-22; Angelo Berry 1-25; Chase Fleming 2-9; Cole Parkinson 1-8; Connor Brokenshire 1-2. Totals 42-238
Passing: Smolinsky 6-14-78 yards – 2 TD.
Receiving: Parkinson 2-36-2 TD; Berry 2-26; Mayer 1-8; Kyle Connolly 1-8. Totals 6-78-2 TD.
This video was provided by EasternPAFootball.com
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