For the first time in the 11-year history of the Valor Bowl, overtime was needed to determine the winner. The North, after stopping the South’s attempt to put points on the board in the extra session, wasted no time as Downingtown West’s Jared Heller scored on the North’s first play of OT to record a 20-14 win. The “W” set a record for the classic, as the North has now won four games in a row, and holds an 8-3 overall edge.

The North, which earlier in the evening had set another record with an 99-yard touchdown drive (Heller’s first touchdown, a one-yard run), needed to go 78 yards late in the game to force overtime. The 14-play march was closed out by Kenny Wylie’s (Coatesville) one-yard run with just two minutes, 30 seconds remaining in regulation time.

Although the North defense was able to virtually eliminate any South offensive threat, limiting the South to a record low 49 yards, the North didn’t have a clue for Conestoga’s Bryan Barley (South Offensive MVP). His 80-yard punt return gave the South possession at the North one yard line, only to have the North recover a fumble on a bad exchange on a center snap, leading to the North 99-yard drive. He later scored on a 15-yard reverse, courtesy of an Anthony Verderame (Rustin, South Defensive MVP) interception, and his 71-yard interception return set up the go-ahead touchdown by Unionville’s Jon Gill.

Phoenixville’s Khalil Ervin, who caught a key 32-yard third-down pass to keep the 99-yard drive going, was the North’s Offensive MVP. Downingtown East’s Phil Nicholaides was named North Defensive MVP.