Unlikely hero pushes North to win
By By Laurence Hilliardspecial to The Star
July 20, 2002
MADISON A player who wasn't originally chosen and a kicker proved to be the difference as the North beat the South 20-7 in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Classic Friday night.
When the rosters were first announced, defensive back Leron Yarbrough was not on the North team. "I was disappointed, but I wasn't crying. I knew there were other guys who deserved to be here." he said. But he was added to the team 10 days before the game.
Yarbrough had five interceptions for Louisville, but had never returned one for the touchdown. Friday night, he picked off two passes by South quarterback Kalvin Woods of Pass Christian and brought both back for scores.
Yarbrough was named the game's top defensive player. The offensive award went to kicker John Skelton of Madison Central, who was playing on his home field.
Skelton's first field goal attempt from 53 yards in the opening period had enough distance to be good from 60 yards, but it just missed to the left.
With the game still scoreless, he had another chance from 53 yards in the second period, and this one went through the uprights. It was the longest he had ever kicked in a game (he has hit from 67 yards in practice) and a record for the 53-year history of the all-star game.
Skelton added a 49-yarder in the fourth quarter, made both of his extra point attempts and put four of five kickoffs into the end zone.
The North was up 3-0 late in the first half when Woods attempted to hit Marcus Gatlin of McComb, the smallest player on either team at 5-8. Gatlin leaped, but the ball went off his hands, directly to Yarbrough, who returned it 45 yards for the score.
Neither team scored an offensive touchdown, although the South had two nullified by penalties. Just a minute after Yarbroughs first TD, Woods and Gatlin hooked up on a 51-yard TD strike that was called back by a motion penalty.
A special team play enabled the South to pull within 10-7 early in the third quarter. Lynn Terry of Starkville dropped a punt at his own 15, picked it, was hit by Tyrus Ownes of Collins and fumbled again. Lee Fairchilds of Morton scooped up the loose ball and went 11 yards for the touchdown.
The South appeared to take the lead later in the third quarter when tailback Daniel Rustin of Northeast Jones went 35 yards around left end. This time it was a holding call that cost the South dearly.
He said the hold was called on the fullback "so it must have been in front of me."
On the second play of the third quarter, Rustin got his first carry and went 32 yards up the middle, the South's longest play of the game.
Yarbrough iced the victory midway through the final period with a 27-yard return for a touchdown. This time, Woods led his receiver too much on a quick slant.
Yarbrough's addition to the North roster was totally overlooked in pregame discussions, while the addition of running back Jamal Pittman of Columbia to the South team drew plenty of publicity. Pittman, an all-state running back and Ole Miss signee, was chosen for the MIssissippi team that lost to Alabama last month, but was dropped from the team after missing an initial practice.
When there was a vacancy on the South team this week, he was the choice of the coaching staff to fill it. But he struggled, gaining only 16 yards on 9 carries.
The South's Bodie Jones of Wayne County received the Bill Stewart Award, presented to the all-star player whose attitude, character and conduct on and off the field best exemplifies the life and endeavors of Bill Stewart "athlete, gentleman and sacrificial patriot." Stewart, from McComb, was killed during the Korean War while serving with the U.S. Marines.
Jones, a linebacker, also served as one of the South's captains. Past
winners of the award include Archie Manning, Reggie Collier and Perry Lee
Dunn.
