Western Reserve’s Chris Truitt earned MVP honors for Ohio.

Western Reserve’s Chris Truitt earned MVP
honors for Ohio.

By MARK MILLER

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. — Craig Bunney of Ambridge High returned the second-half kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown and added the extra-point kick to snap a 7-7 tie and launch the Pennsylvania All-Stars to a 27-13 victory over the Ohio All-Stars in the 28th Penn-Ohio Stateline Classic football game Friday night at Geneva College’s Reeves Stadium.

Pennsylvania added two more scores on a 36-yard scamper by Michael Battles and a 30-yard pass to Antonio Reddic from Dan Camp, as the Keystone team snapped a two-game losing streak to the Buckeyes to improve their series record to 19-9.

Ohio’s only second-half score came from Joe Winters (Columbiana High) on a 4-yard run and Chris Lovell’s placement. Lovell is from Poland.

Ohio runs out of gas

“We lacked a little energy in the second half,” said Ohio coach Mike Kopachy of Western Reserve. “We played hard but they kind of wore us down.

“This was a great group of kids and I am proud of them. It was a pleasure to coach them.”

Lovell and Brandon Moherman of Western Reserve split quarterback duties for Ohio. Moherman, bound for Baldwin-Wallace, was 8-for-17 passing for 128 yards and one interception. Lovell, who is also going to B-W, was 8-for-19 for 93 yards and one interception.

Moherman hit Maurice Bogard (Steubenville) on a 4-yard TD pass in the second quarter, while Lovell kicked the extra point.

Truitt is Ohio’s MVP

Tight end Chris Truitt of Western Reserve, who is headed for Youngstown State, caught seven passes for 112 yards and was named Ohio’s MVP.

Bunney was named Pennsylvania’s MVP.

Shane Reed from East Liverpool rushed for 29 yards in three carries for Ohio. He is going to Grove City College.

Ohio was held to 26 yards rushing in 23 carries while Pennsylvania compiled 130 yards in 36 attempts. But Ohio had a 14-10 first-down advantage.

Truitt’s observation

“It came down to the fact that they had bigger plays and that kind of drained us and took the momentum away from us the second half,” said Truitt.

But, “I enjoyed the experience and got to meet a lot of new guys and it is something that I was always will remember. And I was surprised to be named MVP because we all worked so hard together in a team effort.”

Dan Camp of Rochester was 4-for-11 passing for 101 yards and no interceptions for the winners, while Carl Farrow was 4-for-7 for 13 yards. Antonio Reddic had four catches for 87 yards..

Michael Battles of Moon High rushed for 84 yards in 16 carries and Tony Caltury of Monaca had 40 yards in eight carries.