It was not a pretty game, it was not a high-scoring affair and it was not one for the ages. But for the guys that played in the 41st Annual North South All-Star Football Classic game it was a memory they will never forget.

The North took a 10-0 lead at the half, then held off the late-charging South to win the game 10-8 on Friday night at Pioneer Valley in Santa Maria.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Righetti graduate Mike Alexander. “Definitely something that I'll always remember.”

Sponsored by the Santa Barbara Suburban Kiwanis Club, the game featured the best graduating seniors representing high schools in the county.

The North now leads the series 19-18 with one tie. No game was played in 1970.

“The kids were great,” said winning head coach Greg Dickinson of Pioneer Valley. “They really worked hard - but it's tough to put in a scheme in nine days.

“I thought we played fairly well in the first half, but they gave us all we wanted in the second half.”

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Winning the Sam Cathcart Award as the most valuable player of the game was St. Joseph quarterback Chase Sanders. He was 7-of-11 passing for 74 yards and ran the offense well throughout most of the game.

Cathcart, the legendary coach from Santa Barbara High, was the winning coach of the very first all-star game played in 1968. He was at the game to watch his grandson, St. Joseph receiver and defensive lineman Scott Cathcart play, along with several relatives and friend who have also participated in the game.

The Offensive Player of the Game for the North was Alexander after he rushed for 39 yards on 11 carries, including a 10-yard touchdown run up the middle for the first score of the game. The North's defensive player was Pioneer Valley graduate Justin Buchon who spend most of the night in the backfield of the South.

For the South, Dos Pueblos quarterback Gary Braun was the Offensive Player of the Game. He opened the game taking a pitch from starting quarterback Blake Dubois of Santa Ynez and completing a 45-yard pass to Mychel Prieto. He finished 6-of-13 for 76-yards and ran the ball 10 times for 38 yards. Braun scored on a 4-yard quarterback sneak in the third quarter.

Christian Winnewisser from Bishop Diego was the top-ranked QB in Southern Santa Barbara County, but played exclusively at linebacker in the all-star game. For his efforts he was named the South Defensive Player of the Game.

After a scoreless first quarter, the North struck first. With 7:15 on the clock, Alexander took a hand-off up the middle and scampered into the end zone, completing a drive that began at the North 20-yard line.

On a second-and-two at the South 37, Braun pitched the ball that got away from the running back. Andrew Gonzales from Pioneer Valley recovered the fumble at the South 19.

Alexander ran for eight and Bennie Garrett from Cabrillo was stopped for no gain. Sanders kept the ball in a scramble but the North was called for an illegal block, which moved the ball back to the 29.

After a screen pass to Steve Rucobo from Pioneer Valley failed to get the first down, Panther's kicker Andres Montiel nailed a 29-yard field goal, giving the North a 10-0 that it took to the intermission.

Sanders hit former St. Joseph teammate Cathcart for an apparent 14-yard touchdown with under two minutes remaining in the second quarter, but it was nullified by a holding penalty.

“We rotated a lot of guys and gave everybody a chance to play,” explained Dickinson. “We did some decent things and we did some ugly things.

“But overall they are going to have some great memories. I can honestly say that all the way from Cabrillo up here to Pioneer Valley and all the schools in between, the kids were very respectful and worked extremely hard.”

In the third, a snap went over the head of the North quarterback and was recovered on the North 4-yard line by Carpinteria's Alan Pottkotter.

Braun ran in for the score on a quarterback sneak, but a bad snap on the point after attempt did not allow a kick.

Things got dicey in the fourth quarter for the North after it took the ball at its own 35 with 7:29 on the clock. The South defense held it to a three-and-out.

After the punt the South had the ball on its own 36 with 6:01 remaining. It went on a 13-play drive that got the ball to the North 18.

Braun was the catalyst of the drive, completing a 20-yard pass to San Marcos running back Andy Segal. He then completed a screen pass to Aaron Skinner of Bishop Diego.

On a couple scrambles and on a couple called plays, Braun ran the ball four times for 17-yards.

Then the North defense stood tall. On a third-and-eight, Daniel Segoviano hit Braun as he was starting to pass and the ball fell to the ground for an incompletion. Then on fourth-and-eight, Braun lifted a pass into the endzone for 6-foot, 2-inch Jeremy Kjar, but Greg Watson from Cabrillo (5-9) was able to jump up and bat the ball away to preserve the win.

The final score came on a fourth-and-five from the North 31-yard line with three seconds remaining. Punter Daryl Aguilar took the snap and raced backwards into the end zone for a safety, killing the last ticks on the clock and keeping the ball away from the South.

Alexander enjoyed his last high school football game.

“It felt good - I haven't done it in a while,” he said. “And coming out here and getting the victory in my last game with all my buddies is good.”

And Alexander made some new friends during practice.

“It was weird, because coming out to practice, you know I used to bump heads with these guys,” he said. “You know Pioneer is Righetti's rival - but we are all buddies now.”

July 26, 2008