South takes weather-shortened Classic
WAYNESBURG – For just the second time in its 12-year history, the ProGrass Football Classic, presented by the Tri-County Football Coaches Association, was called early because of inclement weather. However, before the lightning that struck around the area caused the game to end after halftime, the South Squad managed to win its third straight all-star game by the final score of 14-10. WAYNESBURG – For just the second time in its 12-year history, the ProGrass Football Classic, presented by the Tri-County Football Coaches Association, was called early because of inclement weather. However, before the lightning that struck around the area caused the game to end after halftime, the South Squad managed to win its third straight all-star game by the final score of 14-10.
The game, which featured some of the top players from Greene, Fayette, Washington, Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, was held at Waynesburg Central High School on June 21. The last time the contest ended early was in 1998, the second year for the classic.
Throughout the night, local recent grads played a major role in the event, beginning with the coin toss. One of the three captains for the South Squad, which had players from Carmichaels, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown and WCHS on its roster, was former Mighty Mike Ethan Virgili. He was joined by Beth-Center’s Josh Sabatini and Uniontown’s Josh Malenke.
Virgili also had a solid night on the field as he carried the ball three times, all on one drive, for 20 yards. His high school teammate (and future Marietta football player) Cody Andrews also had a big night, but on the defensive side of the ball. The future Pioneer, who will major in sports medicine, sacked North quarterback Tyler Porco and also forced him into an intentional grounding penalty while dragging him down a second time.
The biggest offensive performer of the night was recent California graduate Donte Valentino. The quarterback, who will attend Citrus Community College in California this fall, scored both touchdowns for the victorious North Squad.
In the first quarter, Valentino hooked up on a 56-yard touchdown catch-and-run with recent Charleroi grad and soon-to-be Waynesburg University freshman Ethan Hank. Another future Yellow Jacket, Monessen grad Roger Brandemarte, tacked on the extra point to make the score 7-0.
The North responded on the ensuing drive when Washington High School graduate Shawn Vaughn took off on a 19-yard touchdown run. Bethel Park kicker Deacon Talbot tied the game at 7-7 with an extra point.
With 8:49 left in the half – and the game – Talbot gave the North its only lead of the night when he drilled a 40-yard field goal, running the tally to 10-7.
However, the South put the game away with 1:06 left in the second quarter when Valentino recorded his second score of the night. The speedy Trojan scrambled and sprinted for a 45-yard touchdown run. Brandemarte’s second extra point of the night brought up the final score of 14-10.
The decision to end the game came around a half-hour after the players had left the field.
Afterwards, the MVPs for both the North and South were named. Valentino was the choice for South offensive MVP and Laurel Highlands’ Eric Yarbrough II earned the defensive award for his efforts, which included an interception with :28 left in the second quarter.
A pair of former Washington Prexies earned the offensive and defensive awards for the North. Vaughn was named top offensive player while Ramonte Barfield earned top defensive laurels.
Along with the MVP awards, four scholarships, two for each team, were given to competitors in the game based on their athletic, academic and extracurricular accomplishments. An essay written by each of the players was also part of the criteria.
A pair of county grads, Virgili and Jefferson-Morgan’s Scott Bogdan, earned the scholarships for the South. Porco and Bethel Park’s Rich Doolin took home the awards for the North.
North head coach Joe Kuhns, who is also the head coach at California High School, was upset to see the game end when it did.
“The kids were really disappointed because we were finally starting to click offensively,” Kuhns said. “They worked hard for that game.”