North wins 54th Agganis All-Star Football Classic

LYNN?The 54thannual Harry Agganis Football Classic provided a climactic finish to Agganis All-Star Week Thursday night, with the North beating the South, 20-12, at Manning Field.
North Andover?s Robert Shkliew, who took the opening kickoff 91 yards to the house, set the tone for the electric night. Shkliew was named MVP for the North team, while Winthrop quarterback Dylan Driscoll took MVP honors for the South.
?We conditioned the hell out of them this week,” said North coach Mark Bettencourt of Peabody High. “We didn?t start off light. They hadn?t played football in nine months so we had to get them in shape. And I think you saw that pay off tonight.”
Some of the area?s top senior football players came out for the game, including Lynnfield quarterback Dan Sullivan and Bishop Fenwick running back Rufus Rushins on the North team and Driscoll and Lynn English defensive back Miguel Martinez on the South team.
Following Shkliew?s return for the TD, the North added another score when Belmont Hill quarterback Harry Kraft hit 6-foot-4-inch Amesbury receiver Patrick Scanlon over the top for a 32-yard touchdown. After a missed extra point, the score stood at 13-0.
The South really couldn?t get anything going in the first quarter. Their next two drives went eight total plays for 19 yards and included an interception from Haverhill?s Patrick Yale. On the third drive, the South couldn?t convert on a fourth-and-1.
The South started the second half with a bang, a 15-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in a 19-yard touchdown pass from Driscoll to Boston English receiver Emmanuel Almonte.
Yale blocked the extra point attempt, and the score stood at 13-6 in favor of the North.
After doing a nice job on the defensive end, the South got the ball back and went to work on the ground. Connor Sakowich rushed for 51 yards on the drive and Driscoll punched one in from 3 yards out to give the South a chance to tie it up.
But a decision to go for 2 and the lead didn?t work, so the score stood at 13-12 North.
The North came right back to threaten, moving right up the field into the red zone. Then, on first and goal from the 3, the North coughed up a fumble that was recovered by Mystic Valley?s Trevor Bonaccorsi. The South couldn?t capitalize and punted it away.
The South forced a three-and-out to create another chance with about three minutes remaining. But they couldn?t get anything going and gave the ball back to the North inside their own 20.
After three great runs by Rushins, he scored the North?s final touchdown and put the game out of reach with just over a minute remaining.
Driscoll completed a few big passes in one last-ditch effort to grab a touchdown, but in the end the South just ran out of time.
Sean Driscoll of Winthrop, whose son Dylan was the South MVP and will continue his career at Plymouth State College, had a great time coaching the game.
?It?s a great group of kids here,” he said. “I?m really proud of all the kids and how they stepped up late.”
On coaching his son in his last high school game, Driscoll said, “It was good to do it, I?m glad I got the chance to. Now he?s off to college.”Mike Alongi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @m_alongi.