NAZARETH – The 40th Annual McDonald’s, Lehigh Valley All-Star Football Classic was played Thursday night. The game saw six turnovers and two of those turnovers set up each of the scores.
Terrell Drayton (Saucon Valley) of the Gold team intercepted a Red pass and returned it 42-yards to the one-yard line. Drayton said about his play, “I was tired. I’m not going to hear the end of coming up just short.” On the next play, Adam Hardy of Palisades went in for the touchdown making the score 7-0.
The Red All-Stars answered on their next opportunity. A Gold team fumble by Drayton on a punt return setup the Red All-Stars. The drive would take only four plays. Brady Knerr of Emmaus hit Kellan McCants of Parkland over the middle for the 16-yard touchdown pass. Tyler Sickler (Pocono Mountain East) added the extra point and tied the game up at seven with 5:25 left in the third quarter.
The Red All-Stars had one last chance in the end to pull out the win. On the drive Robbie Moyer of East Stroudsburg South hit McCants for a 27-yard reception. Moyer added a seven-yard run to set up the field goal attempt by Sickler. The 32-yard field goal attempt from Sickler went wide left.
The game ended in a 7-7 tie. This was the second tie in the game’s history. The other tie occurred in 1990.
Mike Cousar of Easton Area said, “At first we were a little disappointed it was a tie. But maybe we were fortunate since they had the last shot.” Rich Adams of Pocono Mountain West and Luke Texeira of Pius X were named team MVPs. Proceeds from the game will benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities at Lehigh Valley Hospitals to help kids and families battling cancer.
