06/20/2026
Photos by Tim Weight
By Kenny Varner
LEWISTOWN - The football season returned with the Annual Lezzer Lumber Classic was held for the first time at MIfflin County’s Chapman Stadium.
Centre and Clinton County County were well represented as a total 19 players filled the North’s team roster.
It was Friday night lights in a rare June contest as players from all over Central Pennsylvania had its last football contest for the seniors.
The game entered its 42nd season with the North holding onto a 21-19 lead before the event.
Make that 22-19.
What started out to look like a high scoring contest early on turned into a defensive battle in the second half with the North taking home a hard fought 16-8 victory.
MIfflin County’s Gavin Herrington captured the Defensive MVP for his team while the Offensive MVP went to Eli Woomer.
Picking up the MVP hardware for the North was Offensive MVP Colton Ryan and Defensive MVP went to Charlie Hepfl.
The North won the toss but deferred it to the second half.
It would be the South that would get the ball to start out the contest.
The momentum started out favoring the visiting North team as they got on the scoreboard on their first possession.
Immediately, quarterback Trey Wingard went to the air and found his favorite receiver State College’s Colton Ryan. Wingard and Ryan hooked up for three passes for 40 yards in the first half.
Ryan also had 48 yards on the ground in the half as well.
Ryan finished with 72 yards rushing and 40 yards receiving. Teammate Colton Chapman finished his night with 62 yards rushing.
Quarterback Wingard went 9-14 for 95 yards passing.
But it would be Logan Skebeck that put the North ahead as he muscled his way to a 1-yard touchdown run. Braylen Phillips connected on a 2-point extra point to go ahead 8-0 with 5:39 to go in the first.
Back rallied the South as they went on a 11-play 85-yard drive which culminated on a 19-yard touchdown grab from Cole DeLattri to Eli Woomer with 0:29 left in the opening stanza.
Offensively, the North would have the last score of the half when Dante Lezzer 10-yard TD pass to Daimear Coad. With the Phillips’ kick, the they upped their lead to 16-6 with 8:34 left in the second.
Defensively, both sides were able to hold strong.
Coming out of the intermission both teams defenses took center stage as
they bent but didn’t break and was able to get the stops when both needed it.
After exchanging multiple possessions in the third quarter, the South went knocking on the door thanks to two long completions from DeLattri to Brayden Parsons.
The South found themselves down into North territory at the 10.
However, Charlie Hempl stepped in front of a Parson pass into the end zone for the interception.
As the game went into the final stanza, the South defense returned the favor when Colin Gibbons made a diving interception, giving the South a chance to get back into striking distance.
The South would get into long field goal range but the 48-yard Kaiden Snare kick was unsuccessful.
From there, the North grinded out a time consuming drive that would take them down to the South’s end zone before the South’s defense would stand up and kept the visitors from adding to the scoreboard as the time ran out.
In the end, the fans were treated to all the talent that Central Pennsylvania could provide in the very competitive contest.
