Lehighton’s Bradley-Chambers shines in All-Star game

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN – TaQuan Bradley-Chambers had himself a mini-Thanksgiving feast Wednesday at Rotary Field, the site of the annual Schuylkill County Coaches’ All-Star Game.

Lehighton’s dynamo senior running back, who helped lead the Indians to the District 11 championship game and the Schuylkill Football League Division I title, picked up some more late-season accolades.

Bradley-Chambers scored an MVP award for the North Stars, but was unable to carry his team to victory, as the South’s MVP — Blue Mountain product David Krewson — guided his squad to a 28-21 victory.

Still, the defeat didn’t dampen Chambers-Bradley’s spirit. He scored on two kickoff returns, the first from 92 yards out, and a second (with time running down) from 85 yards away.

“Sure, I wanted to win, but the (all-star) game was so much fun to play with guys you go up against in the (league),” he said with a wide smile.

“He had a great week of practice; he was one of our leaders,” said Tamaqua head coach and North mentor Sam Bonner.

Perhaps the South stars were more entrenched with its line play, which time and again controlled the North on a windy, nippy evening where a better-than-average crowd of fans attended.

The South’s defense held the upper hand throughout the highly-charged evening, as a game that usually is for fun turned into a spirited affair.

“We wanted to win badly,” said Bradley-Chambers.

The North never led, as the South punched in the game’s first score with 6:48 left in the first quarter.

Krewson targeted his high school teammate Nate Caldarone with a 22-yard touchdown toss before the North came back to tie the contest.

Lanky 6-5 Tamaqua receiver Casey Rother latched onto an 8-yard fling from teammate Thad Zuber. Another Tamaqua product, Mitch Kurek, booted the first of his three PATs for the equalizer, 7-7.

The South thundered right back on the ensuing series when Pottsville’s Ian Murhon bolted 49 yards for the go-ahead score, and midway through the third frame Murhon added another touchdown on a 5-yard run for a 21-7 lead.

Then it was time for Bradley-Chambers to shine. He would zip 92 yards to paydirt following Murhon’s third score of the evening.

While there was still more to come from the South, there was also another shot of lightning from Bradley-Chambers.

Krewson drove his team on a time-consuming, 78-yard march that came after the North looked touchdown-bound but fumbled away the pigskin on the South 22. Krewson capped the final scoring for the Black-clad winners with a blistering 15-yard TD run.

But Bradley-Chambers fired up the engine with his second kick return.

Time, however, wasn’t on the side of the North team as only 1:11 remained on the clock and they couldn’t complete the comeback.

THE TEAM NUMBERS … The South had 16 first downs to the North’s five; the winners out-rushed the North, 232-57. North had a slight edge in receiving yardage 111-104.

LEADERS … Bradley-Chambers rushed for 64 yards on seven touches. South had great balance with Murhon (8-85), his Pottsville teammate Sam Seminitus (7-28); and Krewson (7-77).

CATCHING IT … Rother had a big night with three catches for 75 yards; Mahanoy Area’s Matt Lewandowski had one catch for 31, and Jim Thorpe’s Shawn O’Toole had a catch for five. Caldarone led the South (4-44), while Ian Renninger finished with one catch for 27 yards.

HONOREES … Former North Schuylkill standout Gino Capone (1999) was an honorary North captain. Capone was a three-year starter at linebacker for Penn State; Tony Kelly, a 2011 Pottsville grad, represented the South.

WHERE THEY CAME FROM ... Jim Thorpe players included were Nick Rosahac, Justin St. Hill, Trevor Keefer, Jason Scott Lucas Boyle, and O’Toole; Lehighton players were Cody Scherer, Luke Becker, Dane Frantz, Nolan Wentz, Nate Petit-Clair, and Bradley-Chambers; Tamaqua players included Zuber, Rother, Kurek, John Burns; and Marian participants were Ryan Cappel, Max Nolter, Carter Eckman, and Zack Falls.