By Brandon Koch
The Tonawanda News
DEPEW —
Heavy thunderstorms and torrential rain toppled Western New York Wednesday evening before clearing up just in time for gun-slinging state champion quarterbacks Mike Tuzzo of North Tonawanda and Pat McMahon of Sweet Home to put on an aerial display of their own.
University at Buffalo bound Adam Redden and a stout South defense had different plans.
Redden intercepted a McMahon pass deep inside South territory, taking it a record 85 yards to pay dirt in the fourth quarter to help lift the South all-stars past the North squad 7-0, in the Ad Pro Sports 35th annual Kensington Lions All-Star game held at Depew High School.
“I was just thinking, since I dropped passes (on offense), let’s make up for it and help the team out,” said Redden, a St. Francis standout. “Big players have to make big plays and they have to score.”
The contest is usually dubbed a high-scoring thriller, but both defenses, with the help of some drizzle and a soaked turf field, held opposing offenses scoreless.
“Give a lot of credit to the defenses, they both came out strong,” North Tonawanda linebacker Steve Kijowski said. “It’s supposed to be more of an offensive game and I think it’s harder to put a defense together.”
Lancaster’s Justin Juda and the South offense tried to open up the game early on with a flea flicker but the pass was incomplete, a trend that turned out to be the story of the game.
Each side threatened inside opposing territory in the opening half, including a big drive by North in the final minutes.
McMahon drove the North down the field before being picked off by Nick McLean in the final minute to kill the drive.
Tuzzo, who alternated drives under center with McMahon, started the second half off with a hand off to Grand Island’s Andy LaLonde, who ripped off a 29-yard scamper to start the half.
North crept all the way inside the South 10-yard-line, but the white shirts stuffed McMahon on a fourth-and-goal scramble on the 5-yard-line.
McMahon and the North would get several more shots to score, but the Redden interception was all the South needed.
Cory Davis of South led his squad with a game-high 16 tackles to go along with a recovered fumble which he corralled after a McMahon botched snap.
Kijowski, a team captain, led a relentless North defensive bunch with nine tackles, while Jalen Gayle of Niagara Falls wracked up 10 tackles, a pair of sacks, a forced fumble and an interception.
Tuzzo was held to minimal offensive production and was limited to very few passing plays. The NT product was used mostly in a Wing-T option formation.
Nonetheless Tuzzo said he was grateful for the opportunity.
“I’ve always wanted to play in this game and to get out here and take a few snaps – I got to punt, too,” he said. “I’m happy I got to get out on the field.”
“It was different, but it’s an all-star game and you have to know that there’s other great players out here,” Tuzzo continued. “Pat McManhon is a great quarterback, and when he was out there on the field, I wasn’t upset at all.”
Kevin Wagner of Kenmore East was named the North squad’s most valuable player on offense. Wagner was one of McMahon’s top targets throughout the contest. Rich Massaro of Williamsville East took top lineman honors, while Gayle earned defensive MVP recognition.
Defensive end Dave Natowora was named South’s defensive MVP. Ryan DiFlavio of West Seneca West was named South’s top-offensive lineman. Juda was named South’s offensive MVP.
The 7-0 score was the lowest score in the annual game since the South beat the North 7-6 in 1983.
Extra points
The game was dedicated in memory of both Lou Reuter, the former Kenmore East football coach who died of cancer in August of 2009, and Marine Lance Cpl. Timothy G. Serwinoswki, a 2007 NT graduate killed in Afghanistan last month.
