BRADFORD, Pa. – For a special group of recent graduates in Warren County, the Big 30 All-Star Charities Classic represented one final time to put on the pads, step out on the football field and compete as high schoolers.
And boy did they ever.
The group of Eisenhower’s Brody Porter, Zane Alexander, Dillon Benson, Jared Beers and Owen Trumbull, as well as Sheffield’s Jake Davidson and Warren’s Alex Borger and Donovan Fiscus played a big role in Pennsylvania’s 35-0 blanking of New York.
The shutout was the fourth all-time for Pennsylvania and the first since 2008.
“We worked hard all week and the boys came out and put on a show,” Trumbull said. “Honestly pretty much everything (was working). If we had a mess up, we went right back to it, fixed what we needed to fix, and it was there.”
Trumbull had a huge game, throwing for two touchdowns – which went to Benson and Fiscus – Benson’s a 5-yarder in the second quarter and Fiscus’ a 41-yard strike early in the fourth quarter that, coupled with the 2-point conversion, put the mercy rule in effect.
Alexander and Beers were part of the stalwart defensive effort, and they did it in front of a packed house at Parkway Field.
“That’s huge,” Borger said. “You miss that energy from the crowd and you really feed off that especially in high school football. It was awesome.”
The domination on the field was a culmination of two weeks of hard work.
“I’m just incredibly thankful to get the opportunity, with last year and the kids not getting a chance, I’m just grateful that everyone rallied around us,” Borger said.
And they had a ball.
“It was so much fun,” Beers said. “We were working hard for two weeks of practice. And the coaches were saying all week, if we’re going to work for it, we’re going to win it.”
And they all made lasting memories in the process.
“It’s been amazing,” Beers said. “It gets you ready for college. I met some guys I’ll get to play against, so that was fun.”
Beers, along with Trumbull, will be continuing his playing career at Thiel.
Catch Trumbull’s interview along with Kane’s Zuke Smith below.
Borger, who had a decorated high school career in his own right, will be going to the University of Pittsburgh.
“I’ll just remember the friendships, hanging with my new brothers and making new friends,” Borger said. “And the car rides. It’s those little things that you remember.”