Dowell's Late TD Run Lifts North To 3rd Straight All-Star Game Victory
By: Ed Weaver / June 20, 2026 / Photo: Ed Weaver
MILTON - Loyalsock's Danny Dowell scored the go-ahead touchdown for the North with 43 seconds remaining en route to being named the Russ Manney Outstanding Player of the Game, helping the North win 44-36 to capture their third straight Max Dell Cup in the District IV UPMC North-South All-Star game.
Dowell accounted for 298 yards of the North's 467 yards of total offense and 4 touchdowns, all on the ground, to rally the North to victory. He completed 11-of-14 passes for 171 yards and rushed 8 times for 127.
While Dowell racked up the yards, the South took the game's opening lead as Milton's Monty Fisher came up on the receiving end of a Kaiden Maurer (Line Mountain) 33-yard pass just 16 seconds in. The South went and completed the two-point conversion, putting them up 8-0. The North answered back right away, however, on 74-yard run from Montoursville's Christian Banks. A two-point conversion tied things up at 8-all just 20 seconds later.
The South squad retook the lead four and a half minutes later on a 1-yard run from Bloomsburg's Wyatt Brosious, then added to their lead on a 5-yard run by Fisher with 2:12 left in the opening quarter, making it 22-8.
The second quarter belonged to the North squad as Dowell scored his first touchdown on a 13-yard run with 10:15 left in the half, cutting the lead down to 22-16. Later, with 58 seconds remaining, Loyalsock's Jalil Coates scored from 4 yards out, knotting the score at 22-all. Dowell converted the two-point try, putting the North back in front, 24-22 at the intermission.
The North struck midway through the third quarter to increase the lead (30-22) on a Dowell one-yard run, but the South squad wasn't phased as they tied the game back up with 10 seconds left as Mifflinburg's Landen Murray caught a 19-yard pass from Brosious. The two-point conversion was good, and the game was tied at 30-all setting up an exciting final frame.
With 7:33 left to play, Dowell broke free on a 53-yard run down the North sideline, breaking the tie and putting the North squad up, 36-30. 90 seconds later Murray caught his second touchdown pass of the game, this one being a 63-yarder from Brosious, knotting the game back up at 36-all. On the North's final drive Dowell solidified his MVP status, hitting pay dirt for the 4th time on the evening, from 4 yards out. Dowell also made the two-point conversion to put the North squad up, 44-36.
Down 8, the South had one final chance to play for overtime. On second down at the North 46, Brosious got the North to commit a pass interference penalty to move the ball down to the 31. After back-to-back incomplete passes, and with 8 seconds remaining, Brosious and the South squad had one more crack a the end zone. Brosious lofted a pass beyond the goal line, but it was broken up by Coates, sealing the North's victory.
Banks rushed 8 times for 123 yards and a score while Jersey Shore's Bo Sechrist, carried the ball 11 times for 32 yards. Coates caught 3 passes for 52 yards and Loyalsock's Nahmir Thomas hauled in two passes for 48 yards.
Sechrist and Williamsport's Lucas Naughton both recorded 5 tackles. Sechrist also added two sacks and Athens' Karson Sipley intercepted a pass and returned it for 17 yards.
Brosious completed 7-of-15 passes for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead the South. Maurer finished 8-of-17 for 96 yards and a score through the air. Brosious ran for 39 yards on 9 carries while Fisher carried the ball 7 times for 31 yards. Murray led the receiving corps with 4 grabs for 87 yards. Line Mountain's Bryce Smeltz (19 yards) and Danville's Carter Raup (35 yards) also caught three passes each.
Maurer and Warrior Run's Maxwell Fogelman led the South's defensive efforts with 6 tackles apiece while Southern Columbia's Ethan Makowski had 5 stops.
Game MVPs
Jack Young North Coaches Awards: Bo Sechrist (Jersey Shore) and Hunter Shaffer (Montoursville)
Max Shnyder South Coaches Awards: Wyatt Brosious (Bloomsburg) and Monty Fisher (Milton)
Ken Robbins North Offensive Player of the Game: Christian Banks (Montoursville)
Ray Raffin North Defensive Player of the Game: Bo Sechrist (Jersey Shore)
Joe "Jazz" Diminick South Offensive Player of the Game: Landen Murray (Mifflinburg)
Bill Scott South Defensive Player of the Game: Ethan Makowski (Southern Columbia)
Ed Weaver is the founder and owner of Circle W Sports, a Pennsylvania-based digital media and technology company specializing in athletic website development.
