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North All-Stars shine

MARQUETTE Sometimes, all it takes is one play and a team’s fortunes can turn around.

That was the case for the North team at the Upper Peninsula All-Star Football Game.

After blowing a two-score lead in the third quarter, the North took a gamble midway through the fourth that ended up winning the game.

On fourth-and-14, Munising quarterback Austin Kelto found Gogebic-Bessemer’s Jess Mazzon for a 34-yard touchdown. Mazzon caught the ball with his fingertips at the one-yard line and held on as he was tackled into the end zone.

“The (offensive) line gave me time and they were shading on Coop (Andy Cooper), so I looked off the safety and Zone (Mazzon) made a great catch over those guys,” Kelto said with a big smile on his face. “It came in place really well.”

With the play designed for Cooper, Mazzon wasn’t expecting to haul in what turned out to be the winning score.

“I was surprised to see the ball come my way,” he said. “I was off the ball pretty quick and I made an inside move and (the defender) kind of bit on it. I just sprinted after that and it was a great throw.”

The score gave the North a 28-25 lead and another touchdown late in the quarter put the game away as the North defeated the South, 35-25.

Cooper (Munising) and the South’s Justin Brilinski (Menominee) were named the Offensive most valuable players.

Dominic Suardini (Ishpeming) and Luke Wahoviak (Kingsford) were the Defensive MVPs, while Mazzon and James Cryderman (St. Ignace) were given the Character Awards.

After finishing with a receiving touchdown to go along with five extra point kicks, Cooper was happy to go out with a strong performance before suiting up for Northern Michigan University in the fall.

“It feels awesome to put in all the work this week and come up with a trophy,” he said. “I thought my career was done with track winning a U.P. championship, but then to come here and win the U.P. football championship is awesome.”

Munising head coach Jeff Seaberg, who had seven players on the North team – the most of any school – is sad to see the kids go.

“They’re unbelievable,” he said. “They brought a lot of excitement to the town and the program and that will play dividends in the future with getting kids out to play football.

“You hate to see them leave the program, but they’ve been wonderful for us and did a great job today, as well.”

Turnovers were the main story of the game as four South miscues turned into four North touchdowns.

“I thought we did a good job in the first half controlling the line of scrimmage,” North and Negaunee head coach Paul Jacobson said. “Our defense did a great job forcing some turnovers and putting the ball back in our offense’s hands. That kept us in the game.

“Our offense punched the ball in, but our defense gave us great field position.”

“I’d like to say it was all coaching, but we had some great performances by some great kids today on both sides of the ball,” he added.

It appeared the South would take the early advantage as Brilinski marched his squad down the field deep into North territory. But Westwood’s Ryan Anttila sacked Brilinski twice and snuffed the scoring opportunity.

The two teams exchanged the ball a couple of times during the first quarter before a mistake turned the game into the North’s favor.

On second down on the South 17, Brilinski threw into double coverage and his pass was intercepted by Cooper.

The North struck quickly after that as Marquette quarterback Brett Place hit Cooper for a 32-yard touchdown. Cooper then drilled the extra point and the North led 7-0 with 24 seconds left in the first.

Another crucial turnover on the ensuing drive, this time a fumble, helped put the North up by two scores. Ishpeming’s Ozzie Hakkarinen plunged into the end zone from five yards out and with the extra point, the North led 14-0.

Needing a score before the game got out of control, the South put together a long drive highlighted by a 20-yard run by Forest Park’s Lee Graff.

Graff later capped the drive with a 4-yard scamper and the South was only down 14-6 with 8:34 left in the second quarter.

However, late in the first half, the South committed its third turnover of the game. After an 18-yard run by Graff, a pitch to the outside was intercepted by Anttila and returned to the South 10.

L’Anse’s only representative, Brandon Kemppainen, then ran the ball in for a 3-yard touchdown and with the extra point, the North went into the break up 21-6.

The South cut its deficit to nine points on its first drive of the second half, thanks to a pounding rushing attack led by Graff and Brilinski.

Milking the clock down to 5:52 remaining in the third quarter, Brilinski ran the ball in for the score from three yards out and the South was down 21-12.

The South then caught a huge break as the North fumbled the ensuing kickoff and a few plays later, North Central quarterback Rob Granquist Jr. found Iron Mountain’s Jake Thomann in the corner of the end zone for another score.

The extra point was good and the South pulled within two points of the North at 21-19.

Things continued to go the South’s way for the rest of the third quarter. After forcing a quick three-and-out on defense, the South stayed hot offensively as Brilinski and his squad easily moved the ball into North territory.

The QB then finished off another nice drive with a 28-yard untouched touchdown up the middle and the South took its first lead of the game at 25-21.

With the South seemingly in control, the North caught its first big break of the half on the touchdown heave from Kelto to Mazzon.

The South then put the nail in its own coffin on the next possession. A fumble after a first-down pass was recovered by Westwood’s Mitchell Messing. With 3:13 left in the fourth quarter, Hakkarinen notched his second touchdown of the game with a 15-yard scamper, sealing the win for the North.

Many of the participants in the game put on pads for the final time and it hit home for some as they stood with their teammates at the 50-yard line.

For the North players, they were happy they could end their careers on a high note.

“It’s amazing to end my career as a U.P. Champ,” Ishpeming’s Alec VanHorn said. “I didn’t think this would happen and I never thought that a state championship would happen, either.

“This one’s a little closer to home for me. It’s the last game I’ll play as a high schooler and it was just an honor to be here.”

Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 246. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.

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