So, the Loyalsock graduate took one last opportunity and reminded everyone he is quite a good quarterback, too. A converted one no less.

Channeling his inner-Lamar Jackson and Tom Brady, Dowell topped both 100 yards rushing and passing, while leading a game-winning 88-yard scoring drive which he capped with a last-second 4-yard touchdown run. A former receiver who moved to quarterback two years ago earned game MVP honors and the North produced a thrilling 44-36 District 4 All-Star Game win Friday night at Alumni Field.

Montoursville’s Christian Banks ran for 125 yards, earning North Offensive MVP honors and Jersey Shore’s Bo Sechrist was Defensive MVP, collecting two sacks, a tackle for loss and forcing a fumble as the North erased a 14-point second quarter deficit. Dowell totaled 301 yards (173 rushing, 128 passing) and scored four touchdowns as the North won its second consecutive thriller in this series and third straight overall.

“I felt amazing. That’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had,” Dowell said. “I don’t know if it was the work I’ve been putting in at Bloom or whatever else was going on but everything clicked tonight.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Bloomsburg's Wyatt Brosious slips past Jersey Shore's Bo Sechrist during an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.

That goes for the entire offense. The North produced 472 yards, 299 rushing, and the line was overpowering at times, while Banks punished tacklers the way Sechrist did ball-carriers. Loyalsock’s Jalil Coates ran for a 4-yard second quarter touchdown and sealed victory with a pass break up in the end zone as time expired.

Jersey Shore’s Carson Watkins and Wellsboro’s Marek Mascho also made big late-game defensive plays. The North limited the South to 14 points over the final three quarters after the South had looked like the 1989 49ERS early when it scored three straight first quarter touchdowns and led, 22-8.

“It was super fun. It’s awesome being out here with your friends one last time and making so many new friends with your teammates,” Sechrist said after also winning the North Coach’s Award. “It was a great way to go out.”

“Honestly, I was questioning playing beforehand, but now I’m really happy that I got to play,” Banks said. “It was so fun out there, and I’m really happy with how I was able to play and help the team.”

The North scored 16 straight second quarter points and took a 24-22 halftime lead, extending it to 30-22 on Dowell’s one-yard score midway through the third quarter. South Offensive MVP Wyatt Brosious and Landen Murray, however, tied the game at 30-30 and then, 36-36 on scoring connections of 19 and 63 yards.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Southern Columbia's Talon Piatt (4) finds a way past Hughesville's Carson Stackhouse during an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.

That set the stage for a dramatic ending as Dowell entered the offensive huddle, commanding the unit for a final time. Nearly five minutes remained, but the end zone was 88 yards away. It was the kind of moment football players dream about and, for the final time at the high school level, the North owned the moment, going 88 yards on 10 plays.

“It was just leave it all out on the field. This is the last time I’m playing quarterback; I’ve got nothing to lose,” Dowell said. “I just wanted to give everything I had.”

“We just wanted to go down and score and win,” Banks said. “We knew we couldn’t have any penalties and had to keep everything under control and keep going and don’t stop.”

They didn’t.

Banks ripped off a 14-yard run on his final carry, fanning the flames which Dowell and Loyalsock teammate Nahmir Thomas was turn into an inferno three plays later.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Bo Sechrist (11) slips past Milton's Monty Fisher (32) during an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.

Thomas enjoyed a big breakout season last fall and made his final high school catch a memorable one, adjusting on a Dowell deep ball and hauling in a beautiful 48-yard catch on 3rd-and-8. Dowell was nearly sacked on the play, but kept it alive, eluded multiple defenders and spotted Thomas breaking down the sideline. The throw and catch had to be perfect and they were, giving Loyalsock a first down at the South 35.

“That’s the connection we had for the last two years,” Dowell said. “I knew he was going to deepen it a little bit more, and he made a great catch.”

Sechrist ran twice for nine yards, then made his own excellent catch, hauling in Dowell’s 22-yard strike. A 10-yard Dowell run followed, setting up a second-and-goal at the 4. There, Dowell turned on his jets one last time, followed a tremendous Sechrist block and scored the go-ahead touchdown before adding a two-point conversion in which he beat containment to the right pylon, making it, 44-36 with :43.7 seconds to go.

“Danny is a great player. He’s fast and I knew he was going to roll out that last play,” Sechrist said. “I just chipped both those guys and that was enough for him to speed on in there. It was awesome.”

All it needed was an ending and that was exciting as well. Murray nearly took the ensuing kickoff to the house, but Watkins saved a touchdown with a well-timed tackle at the North 46. He then broke up a deep ball at the last second inside the 10. A pass interference call moved the ball to the 31, but an intermediate pass attempt was off the mark.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Milton's Monty Fisher pulls in a pass and goes on to put South on the scoreboard to start an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.

Coates, who totaled 157 all-purpose yards, then knocked away a Hail Mary pass in the back of the end zone and the North celebrated its latest dramatic win.

Still, the South had plenty to cheer, too, including Milton graduate Monty Fisher who played one last superb game on his home field. Fisher hauled in a 67-yard scoring pass from Kaiden Maurer on the game’s first play just 16 seconds into the game.

Twenty seconds later, Banks used his own thunder and lightning combination to tie the game, 8-8.

Banks, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher who will play at Lock Haven, took the North’s first carry, burst through a big hole up the middle, then ran over multiple defenders; made a few others miss and stayed in bounds down the left sideline, capping a highlight-reel 74-yard run. It was reminiscent of Montoursville’s game at Milton last fall when Banks took the game’s opening play nearly 80 yards for a touchdown.

“I saw Monty Fisher scored and he’s going to Lock Haven, so ‘I was like I have to get him back,'” Banks said. “I went back in and got the touchdown, and I was so hyped. I was like, ‘This is going to be a great night.'”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Milton's Monty Fisher celebrates with teammates after putting South on the scoreboard to start an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.

It was, but early on it looked like it would belong to the South as it answered with two impressive scoring drives which Brosious capped with a 1-yard run and Fisher, the South Coach’s Award winner, a 4-yard score.

From there, the North defense stiffened and the offense went into turbo mode. Dowell scored the first of his four touchdowns on a 13-yard run before Coates tied the game with his 4-yard score and Dowell converted a 2-pointer for the North’s first lead, 24-22.

The first half, however, was marred but incessant personal foul penalties which played a massive role in the two teams combining for 156 first-half penalty yards. Each team’s coaching staff was able to settle down the players at halftime; they played with controlled fury from there and fans were treated to a fantastic second half.

That included former rivals coming together as Banks delivered text-book downfield blocking when Dowell swept right, beat the defense to the outside and sprinted 53 yards for a touchdown which gave the North, a 36-30 fourth quarter lead.

Rivals became friends and one more time playing under the Friday Night Lights became quite memorable.

“I couldn’t script that any better,” Dowell said. “It was perfect.”

North 44, South 36

North 8 16 6 14-44

South 22 0 8 6-36

First Quarter

S–Monty Fisher 67 pass from Kaiden Maurer (Wyatt Brosious run), 11:44

N–Christian Banks 74 run (Danny Dowell run), 11:24

S–Brosious 1 run (run failed), 6:43

S–Fisher 4 run (Maurer pass to Carter Raup), 2:12

Second Quarter

N–Danny Dowell 13 run (Bo Sechrist run), 10:15

N–Jalil Coates 4 run (Dowell run), :58.2

Third Quarter

N–Dowell 1 run (kick failed), 6:56

S–Landen Murray 19 pass from Brosious (Brosious pass to Dalton Schadel), :10.7

Fourth Quarter

N–Dowell 53 run (pass failed), 7:33

S–Murray 63 pass from Brosious (pass failed), 5:03

N–Dowell 4 run (Dowell run), :43.7

TEAM STATISTICS N S

First Downs 16 19

Rushes-yards 30-299 24-79

Passing yards 173 254

Comp-Att-Int 11-14-0 15-33-1

Total yards 472 323

Fumbles-lost 2-2 1-1

Penalties-yards 15-137 12-88

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: North, Danny Dowell, 8-128, 4 TD; Christian Banks 8-125, TD; Bo Sechrist 11-32; Karson Sipley 1-8; Jalil Coates 1-4, TD; Wes Somits 1-2. South, Wyatt Brosious 9-40, TD; Monty Fisher 7-30, TD; Landen Murray 2-15; Kaiden Maurer 4-1; Krue Wheadon 1-(-1); Nick Coleman 1-(-6).

PASSING: North, Dowell 11-13-0, 173 yards. South, Brosious 7-15-0, 145 yards, 2 TD; Maurer 8-17-1, 109 yards, TD; Fisher 0-1-0.

RECEIVING: North, Coates 3-55; Sechrist 3-43; Nahmir Thomas 2-48; Banks 2-20; Luke Kreger 1-7.

INTERCEPTIONS: North, Karson Sipley; South Murray 4-87, 2 TD; Carter Raup 3-35; Bryce Smeltz 3-21; Fisher 2-64, TD; Dalton Schadel 2-27; Kole Harvey 1-43.

SACKS: North, Sechrist 2.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Christian Banks celebrates after running a 76 yard return to put North on the scoreboard early in an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Danny Dowell (2) steps into the end zone during an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Athens' Karson Sipley is brought down by Mifflinburg's Landen Murray after making an interception during an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Nahmir Thomas bobbles the ball but retains control during an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Christian Banks is tripped up by a pair of South defenders during an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Christian Banks runs a 76 yard return to put North on the scoreboard early in an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Danny Dowell (2) is pushed out of bounds by during an All-Star football game on Friday at Milton.