North Stops South’s Late Surge

It looked as if it was going to be just another nondescript, shake-hands-and-thanks-for-coming all-star game.

As the North built a 13-point halftime lead in Friday’s Orange County North-South all-star game behind strong defense and special teams play, yawns could be seen and heard all around.

Then South defensive lineman Steven Fifita, a hulk of a player with tufts of black hair billowing out from under his helmet, put a charge into a game that needed one.

He darted through the line and put a mammoth hit on North quarterback Brian Bartczak, causing him to fumble. The South’s Steve Casciotti scooped it up and raced 77 yards for a touchdown that brought the South to within six points midway through the third quarter.

And the South wasn’t done.

After taking over at its 20 with just over a minute to play in the game, still down by six, the South moved the ball to near midfield as quarterback Evan Whitaker completed two desperation passes.

But when Whitaker’s fourth pass of the drive fell into the arms of North linebacker Jeremy Ellis, the South’s resurgence was finished and the North held on for a 13-7 victory before about 6,000 at Orange Coast College.

The North, led by running back Josh Herrera’s 99 yards in 17 carries, stopped the South’s three-game winning streak. The North leads the series, 21-17-3.

“It was real important for us to beat them and show them what all the little schools are about,” said Herrera, who’s headed to Oregon. “I’m from La Habra. They don’t think I can do anything, but I’ll show them.”

It was not a game for offensive purists. Besides Herrera, no one from either team amassed eye-catching numbers. North receiver Ryan Murray of Esperanza made a one-handed grab falling out of bounds and caught another ball while being yanked to the ground, but he finished with five catches for 69 yards.

The numbers were worse for the South. Whitaker, of El Toro, completed six of 19 passes for 63 yards with an interception. Running back James Allen of San Clemente ran the ball nine times for 11 yards.

The North built its 13-0 lead by limiting the South to zero for seven on third-down conversions and one for three on fourth-down conversions.

After South running back Branden Malcom of Tustin (nine carries, 41 yards) was stuffed for a two-yard loss on fourth and two at the North 32-yard line midway through the first quarter, the North marched 70 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead. Running back Will Ruffin of Western cut back up the middle on a reverse for a 29-yard touchdown run with 3:07 to go in the quarter.

North kicker Chris Kluwe of Los Alamitos booted field goals of 37 and 34 yards in the second quarter, but missed on second-half attempts of 50 and 45 yards.