BROCKWAY — The 2017 high school football season marked the final year of the storied Allegheny Mountain League. On Friday night, fans got one last taste of the old AML, as the AML All-Stars won the Third Annual Frank Varischetti All-Star Game 40-14 over the Keystone Athletic Shortway Conference (KSAC) All-Stars.
Reed Williams of Kane earned Offensive MVP honors for the AML as he finished 13-for-19 for 221 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Ridgway’s Johnny Mitchell was named Defensive MVP, notching several key tackles as well as an interception in the third quarter.
The AML offense came out guns blazing, as Williams hit Neil MacDonald (Ridgway) and Ray Maze (Kane) for scoring strikes of 71 and 60 yards, respectively, in the first three minutes of the game. Williams added another scoring strike to Noah Vokes (Brockway) for 13 yards to give the AML a 19-7 lead after one quarter.
For AML head coach Nick LaBella of Otto-Eldred, it was exactly the kind of performance he wanted to see in an All-Star game.
“We got a couple good matchups and (Williams) threw a couple good balls,” LaBella said. “Then Vokes kind of went up and got that corner (pass) and got into the end zone. Reed’s a really intelligent kid. He’s had three great years in a row at Kane, and just has gotten bigger and more physical. He made great plays like he did for Kane all year.”
It was a welcome change of pace for LaBella, whose last memory of Kane’s football team involved the Wolves blanking the Terrors 33-0 in the 2017 AML title game.
“You play against these guys and the Kane guys beat you up (in the regular season). We only scrimmaged with Ridgway this year, and Brockway’s tough,” LaBella said of getting to play with the best the AML has to offer. “You put all those guys together that fight so hard for that AML title in the South, and then the same thing with the Smethport guys in the North, it’s really nice to come together and see that team click in a week.”
It was a similar story on the other side of the ball, where the AML defense intercepted KSAC quarterback Brenden Makray (Clarion-Limestone) three times (Josh Terry of Curwensville and Jared Green of Coudersport also had interceptions).
LaBella was in awe of the sheer amount of talent he was able to put out on the field.
“You start looking at the corners that we put out there to start the game, and they would’ve been an excellent basketball team,” LaBella said with a smile. “(Johnny) Mitchell’s out there, Vokes is pressed up, Dylan LeCates, and (Neil) MacDonald… it’s a long list. There’s a ton of athletes out there, and it’s just a matter of trying to get everybody touches. There’s never enough time or footballs.”
While the AML allowed 361 yards of offense, they only had two major breakdowns: a 46-yard touchdown catch by Spencer Miller (Clarion) in the first quarter and a 77-yard scoring run by Colton Rapp (Clarion) in the second quarter.
The AML was able to hold the KSAC offense scoreless in the second half, a feat LaBella credits to the defense put in place by Kane’s Todd Silfies.
“We had a lot of good athletes, but we had a great system too,” LaBella said. “Coach Silfies ran the defense all week and had a good plan going in. Guys were talking about it, it’s fun to watch an all star game and watch how well our guys tackled tonight. I really thought we tackled very well.”
It was a dream ending to a week that started out as a nightmare. During a practice in Kane on Monday, Bradford’s Isaac Gralak collapsed on the field and was rushed to UPMC in Pittsburgh, where he remains in stable condition.
It was a sobering moment for the team — but also one that proved the power that football has in bringing people of different backgrounds together.
“We obviously had a rough night on Monday night with Isaac,” LaBella said. “But he certainly inspired some kids. We had kids come together that night that saved a kid’s life. I don’t think anybody will ever forget that night. Hopefully they’ll remember this night as well.”
Gralak’s teammate John Eakin was the lone Bradford representative for the AML, and the Slippery Rock commit showed why he belonged on the big stage, running for 54 yards on 10 carries and scoring twice on runs of 1 and 13 yards.
“It was nice to break away for a couple,” Eakin said. “That’s football… you just keep running.”
Eakin added how exciting it was to play with, and against, the best player in the area.
“When you bring all the best kids together, it’s a good time,” he said.
Curwensville’s Nick Stewart added a four-yard touchdown run for the AML.
Clarion’s Rapp earned Offensive MVP honors for the KSAC, finishing with 132 rushing yards and 44 receiving yards as well as a his 77-yard TD run. Spencer Miller of Clarion was named Defensive MVP for the KSAC.
As part of the Varischetti All-Star Game, seven players from each team received a scholarship totaling $1,000 each. The scholarship recipients from the AML were Angelo Costanzo (Kane), Alan Weible (Brockway), Brandon Reed (Elk Catholic), Nick Stewart (Curwensville), Noah Vokes (Brockway), Pierce Yahner (Brockway), and Reed Williams (Kane).
