Ethan Wenner And Ashton Rex Have Strong Showing For The South In 8th Annual Frank Varischetti All-Star Football Game
Photos courtesy of the Rex’s: Above Ethan and Ashton after their last game together.
Central Clarion Wildcats, Ashton Rex and Ethan Wenner both had very solid outings in the South Squad’s 44-34 victory in the 8th Annual Frank Varischetti All-Star Football Game, on Friday, June 30th, at Frank Varischetti Field in Brockway. The game is part of the Brockway’s multi-day “Old Fashioned 4th Of July” celebration.
Ashton had a number of fine plays on offense, including throwing for a touchdown and Ethan had real solid night on defense.
The game is mainly an inter-District Nine Football League matchup. The dividing line of between the South and North basically follows: former Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference (KSAC) football schools on the South and former Alleghany Mountain League (AML) football programs on the North, with other schools on each.
This was the last high school football game for the Central Clarion duo and the last time they represented the Wildcats. This is the second All-Star game they participated in together in the last several weeks, as they were on the North Squad in the Central Pennsylvania Football Coaches Association (CPFCA) Lezzer Lumber Classic on on Sunday, July 11th, at Gray Veteran’s Memorial Field in Tyrone.
The South opened the scoring at 7:39 of the first with Punxsutawney’s Zeke Bennett taking a pitch from Karns City’s Eric Booher and going around the left side for a 7 yard touchdown. Punxsy’s Peyton Hetrick was good on the point making the score 7-0 South. Ashton had a nice reception for the South near the end of the drive.
Then two quick South touchdowns at the start of the second, to move the South’s lead to 21-0. Booher hit Gremlin teammate Micah Rupp with a 57 yard touchdown strike at 10:52 and just nine seconds later, Keystone’s Tyler Albright intercepted a pass and took it in for a 35 yard score. Hetrick was good on both PATs.
The North dented the scoreboard at 8:13 of the second, with Port Alleghany’s Drew Evans hitting St. Marys’ Carter Chadsey on a 5 yard scoring pass, cutting the South lead to 21-6. But Hetrick hit a field goal from 22 yards out as time ran out in the half and the teams went to the locker rooms with the South up 24-6.
Shortly into the third, Union/A-C Valley’s Mike Card picked up a North fumble returning it to the North 17 yard line. On the South’s first play, Rex took a handoff on a double reverse and rolled to the right. From there he found Booher in the endzone for the touchdown and with Hetrick’s point after the South led 31-6 with 9:40 on the clock.
Evans hit Kane’s Ricky Zampogna with an 8 yard touchdown for the North and with a successful two-point conversion, the South held a 31-14 lead at 7:52. There was no more scoring in the third.
The fourth quarter was wild and wooly. The South went up 37-14 at 11:14, with Booher hitting Rupp with a touchdown on the right side of the endzone. That score held till 4:52, when Zampogna took a pitch around the right side from 3 yards out, followed by a pitch to Moses for two more North points. The score sat at 37-22, South.
Redbank Valley’s Cole Bish ran the ball over the middle, from the one at 2:45. Hetrick was good again moving the South lead to 44-22. But the North scored on a 25 yard pass from St. Marys’ Charlie Coudriet with :07.7 left for the North, closing the gap to 44-28.
The South took the ensuing kickoff and started lateralling the ball to run out the clock, but St. Marys’ Logan Moser snagged the ball out of the air at about the 15 yard line and ran it in, setting the final at 44-34, South.
Rex received the the Guardian Healthcare Scholarship, one of a number of scholarships awarded.
Albright was the South’s Defensive MVP, while Booher was the Offensive MVP. For the North, it was Zampogna capturing the Offensive MVP award and Archer being named Defensive MVP.
Wildcats Head Coach Davey Eggleton had high praise for his Central Clarion duo. “I thought both Ashton and Ethan had great games. Ashton had multiple catches and actually threw a Td pass on a double reverse pass. That gives him a hand in a Td in all three All-Star games he played in (also including the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association [PSFCA] East/West Class 1A-3A All-Star Game and the Lezzer Lumber Classic).
“Ethan made several big tackles and seemed to be in the North’s backfield all night.
“Ashton took home one of the many $1,000 scholarships given away. Congratulations to Coach Rottman and the South Staff on a great win!
“I would also like to thank the Varischetti family for putting on such a great event! It is becoming one of the best All-Star experiences in the state!”
Ethan had a wonderful experience. He said, “The Frank Varischetti all-star game was a lot of fun. It was cool to go against all the other players throughout the season and being able to build a team with them and see how good we could all be.
“It’s also cool to have a different coach, and seeing what they do different from your own coach. The game was a lot of fun I’m glad we brought the win for the last football game most of us will ever play.
“Thanks to all that make this game possible.“
Ashton had a great time as well. He said, “It was fun playing with guys they play against all year and the format let them call their own plays and just have fun.
“Throwing a touchdown wasn’t my mind so that was fun too!
“While this is my last high school game, I look forward to being a big contributor at Juniata.
“I received the Guardian Healthcare Scholarship as well which I am really excited about!”
Congratulations to Ethan, Ashton and the whole South Squad on the win!!!! Congratulations to all the players on both squads on being selected to the Varischetti All-Star Game!!!! And to Nick Hoffman and all involved in another great game!!!! Thanks to the Rex’s for the photos!!
(Special thanks to Billy Splain and Pennsylvania Football News for permission to use their broadcast and site for doing this article.)