INDIANAPOLIS - Jake Lazar of Western kicked two field goals and two extra points, providing the difference as the North beat the South 20-13 Friday in the Indiana High School North-South All-Star Game.
"We came in knowing it would be a close game," said Lazar, who will play for St. Francis College, a NAIA Division II college in Indiana. "Our kicking net was broken, so I had to get warmed up. When I got warmed up, everything came together."
The North win reduced the South's lead in the series to 23-20.
North coach Rich Dodson, who is retiring from NorthWood High School, said kickers and defense made the difference in the game at North Central High School.
"Our kicker was able to put it between the uprights," he said. "Our punter (Brandon Williams of NorthWood) changed the field position for us."
Williams, who will play at Northwestern, averaged 44.4 yards on five punts, with a long of 56 yards. North defenders intercepted four passes, including two for 28 yards by cornerback Greg Heban of Delta.
"That was a pretty good secondary we had out there," Dodson said. "They could break to the ball so well they made our quarterbacks better in practice."
North quarterback Skyler Titus of NorthWood earned MVP honors by completing 5-of-10 passes for 43 yards and one touchdown and gaining 45 yards on seven rushes.
South quarterback Morgan Newton completed 5-of-18 passes, with one interception, for 103 yards. Eric Williams of Warren Central and an incoming freshman at Ball State University was the South's leading rusher with 70 yards on 12 carries.
The North capitalized on South turnovers to score two touchdowns in a 58-second span midway through the second quarter. Following a fumble recovery, Kevin Piet of Valparaiso caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Titus with 10:09 remaining.
After a short South punt, Lazar kicked a 30-yard field goal with 36.4 seconds remaining in the half. He later booted a 17-yard field goal with 10:50 to play in the game to give the North its final margin.
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