South avoids scare in Agganis football win

Mark AboyounLYNN — For the first time since December, high school athletes took the gridiron for one last football game. The best players were on show, and a show they put on as South escaped North, 27-16, in the Agganis All-Star Football Game at Manning Field. Despite a slow start, South found its footing to lead, [...]The post South avoids scare in Agganis football win appeared first on Itemlive.

LYNN — For the first time since December, high school athletes took the gridiron for one last football game. The best players were on show, and a show they put on as South escaped North, 27-16, in the Agganis All-Star Football Game at Manning Field. Despite a slow start, South found its footing to lead, 13-0, at halftime.

Peabody High kicker Domenic Scalese drilled 22- and 29-yard field goals. The only touchdown in the first half came from another Peabody Tanner, Jaden Roman, who ran one in from 7 yards out. In the second half, however, North came with a newfound energy and picked up a big fourth-down conversion from Lowell’s Ebeneer Annan Jr.

Moments later, North’s Max Sanchez, of Amesbury, broke a 42-yard rush to get to the 3-yard line before Annan finished it off with a rushing touchdown. The 2-point conversion was successful to cut North’s deficit to 13-8. And on South’s next offensive play, bad went to worse.

Quarterback Brian Vaughan Jr. of Lynn Classical mishandled a snap and the ball was recovered by Amesbury’s Christian McGarry to give North possession back at the 36-yard line. North scored within minutes, thanks to a 12-yard rushing touchdown from Sanchez with four minutes to go in the third quarter.

“He can really run the ball and we leaned on him today,” North coach Jim Rabbit, of KIPP Academy, said of his halfback. Sanchez earned North’s Most Valuable Player Award. After the touchdown, Rabbit decided to go for two again – and it was successful.