Classical’s Smith closes career with bang

LYNN – Playing in the Agganis All-Star Football Classic is a big honor for most players. But when you go to Lynn Classical, wearing that jersey has a little more meaning.Strapping on the pads one final time at Manning Field was special enough for Cam Smith. But getting two interceptions in a game that already holds special meaning for a Classical player ? that was icing on the cake.Smith was one of many heroes for a South team that rattled off 21 unanswered points in the second half to turn a 20-7 deficit into a 28-20 win in the 48th playing of the North Shore’s premier all-star event.”Getting two picks in a game like this is great,” Smith said. “This is a team filled with all-stars, and to come back like we did was great.”Smith certainly picked the right time to come into the spotlight.His first stellar play came late in the third quarter with the South clinging to a 21-20 lead. Newburyport’s Joe Clancy, who led the North with 104 yards passing and a touchdown, was leading his team down the field to steal away the momentum the South had gained when Smith stepped in front of a pass along the sidelines and made a stellar toe-tapping catch for the interception.That play would lead to South MVP Melikke Van Alstyne’s second touchdown of the game midway through the fourth quarter to make it an 8-point difference. Arlington Catholic’s Corey Spencer then began driving the North back down the field to try to tie the game.A long pass to Kevin Anderson got the ball into South territory with just over three minutes left. Smith then stepped up and made the game’s biggest defensive play when he snared an overthrown pass on the right sideline and returned it 57 yards to the North 17 with 2:04 left to effectively salt away the game.”I saw that one the whole way,” Smith said. “I saw (Spencer) drop back and read the play the whole time. The corner was right there also to get it.”The Curry College-bound Smith also was very keenly aware of what it meant to be a part of the game as a Classical graduate.”You see things about Harry all over the halls and his jersey hanging in the trophy case at school,” Smith said. “It really means a lot to me to be here as a Classical kid and Coach (Matt) Durgin was telling me that it would be great to do something special in this game.”