Jonathan Shaw’s TD caps North’s win over South in PAL All-Star Game
The 2017 Suffolk County PAL All-Star Game divided up the best football players from the county into North Shore and South Shore teams.
The North Shore prevailed, 28-19, Wednesday night at Sachem East High School.
Jonathan Shaw ran 18 yards for the North’s final touchdown with 6:38 remaining in the third quarter.
“As soon as I got the ball I kept thinking to myself I can’t stop running, I have to score this touchdown,” said Shaw, a senior from Sachem East. “I saw the hole and I just cut it up and ran.” The North opened the scoring on a 40-yard drive, capped by Huntington’s Alex LaBella catching a 23-yard pass from Sachem East’s Justin Stelmach with 2:58 remaining in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead.
The North attempted an onside kick but the South fell on it at the 50-yard line. West Babylon’s Marc Espositio took it from there, running 50 yards for a touchdown. Mark Vasquez from Bay Shore kicked the extra point for a 7-6 lead at the end of the quarter.
The North regained the lead when Northport’s Ryan Walsh threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Whitman’s Leevon Black with 2:35 left in the half. Huntington’s Samuel Bergman ran in for the two-point conversion to make it 14-7.
After back and forth interceptions, one from the North’s Andrew Sheahan (Smithtown West) and the other from the South’s Rocco Longo (West Babylon), the South ended up with the ball at the 25-yard line.
Michael Kane from Eastport-South Manor then ran 25 yards for a touchdown as the South pulled to within 14-13 with one second remaining in the half.
Early in the third quarter, Port Jefferson’s Jack Collins threw an 8-yard TD pass to Hauppauge’s Brody Walters as the North extended its lead. Tyler McAuley’s PAT made it 21-13.
“This touchdown was great because it’s my last game playing high school football and I’m just trying to enjoy all of it,” Walters said. “It’s sad but exciting. It’s a new chapter.”
The South’s final score came on a pass from Michael Kane (Eastport-South Manor) to Coad Jala (Amityville) with 10:46 left in the fourth.
