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High School Football:
Fourth Quarter Proves To Be The Difference For Blue

Friday, June 27, 2003

By Vincent Lewis
SJSports Staff Writer

It was their last chance to showcase their talents for South Jersey as a high school football player. Seniors from area schools participated in the Adam Taliaferro Foundation All-Star Football Classic that was held at Rowan University. The two teams, Blue and White, played evenly for three quarters before the Shawnee connection of quarterback Bill Kurtz and wide receiver Dan McDonald continued their success they had all season long for the Renegades. The two hooked up for two touchdowns and highlighted the Blue team’s victory over the White team by a score of 25-10.

This game is important to the area for several reasons, some of them personal. But it was a chance for those players who are moving on to the next level of their football career to begin that learning stage of playing with new players. The challenge is up to the coaching staff to get their players to performance on the same page and execute their plays. By the results of the final score, it looked as if the players understood their roles in this game. This year’s football classic game was much more competitive that last year with Blue dominating that game for four quarters.

This game started out quickly, literally right from the opening kickoff. Kingsway’s Dorian Bryant received the football and ran 95-yards for the touchdown. After the extra point was successful, Bryant’s score gave the White team an early 7-0 lead. The Blue team would respond with their next possession as they marched down the field and eventually scored from 7-yards out. Kurtz found McDonald over the middle in the endzone cutting their deficit to one after the extra point attempt failed. Bishop Eustace’s John Nauss expanded the White team’s lead to 10-6 in the second quarter with his 37-yard field goal.

The White team looked as if they were about to score again when a fumble recovery by Aharon Kiett from Oakcrest stopped that threat. Kurtz connected with McDonald for big yardage gave Blue possession deep in their opponent’s territory as time was ticking away right before the half. Burlington Township’s Keith Holland capitalized on their field position and scored from 2-yards and Blue took a 12-10 lead to the locker room.

When the second half started, the fans would have to wait until the fourth quarter before either offense would get their team more points on the scoreboard. McDonald would score his second touchdown of the game pushing the Blue team’s lead to 19-10. The final score of the game came by Lower Cape May’s Matt Dicken scored from 9-yards out.

Photos by Mark Fletcher

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