Final Score: North 32, South 14
HILLSBORO - Several thousand rabid fans braved a chilly evening on Saturday to watch the top graduating high school football players battle for bragging rights in the 62nd annual Les Schwab Bowl on Saturday night at Hillsboro Stadium. The game separates the athletes and coaches into two teams-- the North and South-- and operates with high school rules, except for quarter length.
The game started with the North team taking an early 12-0 lead behind the legs and arm of Jack Lomax, before the North got on the board with a touchdown run from West Albany's Matt McHenry. Lomax led the North on another touchdown drive later in the quarter to take a 18-7 lead into halftime.
In the second half, the North struck first when Lomax found former and future teammate Micah Hatfield for a 24 yard toucdown, but the South would later counter with a 19 yard touchdown from Tym Pearson to Mitch Singler. The North would then seal the game when Malcolm Johnson rushed 52 yards over the left side for a touchdown.
The game featured several players headed to Oregon State in the fall to play football. They included quarterback Jack Lomax and receiver Micah Hatfield out of Lake Oswego, linemen John Braun from West Albany and Michael Beatonfrom Dallas, and receiver Mitch Singler from South Medford. Levi Levasa of Tualatin, Laurence Calcagno of Canby, and Danny Urness of Thurston round out the players headed to Corvallis to play football in the fall.
Jack Lomax, who was selected Oregon's 6A Offensive Player of the Year for his performance in leading Lake Oswego to the 6A State Championship game, led the North team in passing, completing 18 of 28 passes for 178 yards. He threw two touchdowns on the evening, one to Lincoln's Ryan Lacey, and the other to teammate Micah Hatfield. Lomax ran for another two touchdowns on the ground, and was selected the Most Valuable Player of the game. Hatfield finished the game with four receptions for 40 yards.
The South, who was quarterbacked by Brian Widing of Canby and Tym Pearson of Thurston, struggled at times to move the ball against the North defense. Mitch Singler, who reeled in 2,700 yards during his career at South Albany, finished with a game-high 144 receiving yards.
Several other players headed to Division 1 colleges also had notable performances in the game. Malcolm Johnson, who is headed to Boise State in the fall, rushed the ball nine times for 121 yards for the North. His lone touchdown of the game was a 52-yarder, one that sealed the game for the North All-Stars.
Tym Pearson, who is headed to Portland State in the fall, finished the game 7-of-14 passing for 68 yards but threw two interceptions. More impressively, he gained 83 yards on the ground on 12 rushes.
Paul Tuma of Southridge and Tou Caspino of Corvallis were named Most Outstanding Linemen of the game, and Malcom Johnson of Barlow and Mich Singler of South Medford earned Most Outstanding Back of the game.
--Jake (jake.buildingthedam@gmail.com)