The game ended in a tie, but the scoreboard mattered little when the final whistle sounded.

It didn’t matter that there wasn’t an extra period to determine a winner or that there wasn’t a winner.

What mattered is the fact that the players were winners by just being on the field. What mattered were the experiences they took with them from the 35th AISA All-Star Football Game played Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

Faith Academy quarterback Joseph Anderson ran for a 10-yard touchdown with 7.1 seconds remaining to give the West squad a 28-28 tie with the East in the annual classic.

“This was a great feeling,” said Wilcox Central running back/defensive back Phillip Merryman, who earned Most Valuable Defensive Back honors for his work Friday night. However, Merryman’s most impressive work came in special teams. His 95-yard punt return for a touchdown gave the West a 22-20 lead with 5:35 left in the game.

The game itself was a classic, with the teams locked in a seesaw battle that went down to the wire.

Meadowview Christian School coach Rick Jackson – one of the coaches for the East squad – called the game a “kiss your sister” affair for its outcome. But for the six area athletes who competed in the game, it was something they will never forget.

Merryman retreated to field the ball near the sideline, then followed the path cleared by his blockers in front of the West bench on the way to the end zone.

The West team had a chance to go up three points, but missed the extra point try.

East rallied and took the lead on an 8-play, 65-yard drive capped by Macon-East quarterback Dean Bolden’s 10-yard scoring toss to Edgewood Academy’s Josh Cain, who barely slipped inside the pylon for the score to give the East a 26-22 lead.

The score was set up by Shelby Academy’s Marcus Jones 9-yard run to the West 14, with Meadowview Christian offensive lineman Ryan King leading the way around the left end.

The West defense stopped the initial try for two points, but a defensive holding call gave the East another try. This time, Jones leaped over the pile of players and into the end zone to give the East a 28-22 lead with 1:10 remaining.

Merryman gave his West squad a chance with a solid 26-yard return to the 35. Anderson got the drive started with an 11-yard completion to Morgan Academy wide receiver Eric Pilcher.

Anderson had plenty of time to throw, thanks to an offensive line anchored by Wilcox Academy’s Jim Kilpatrick that allowed the signal caller plenty of time in the pocket. Blitzing was not allowed in the game, but both quarterbacks found themselves on the run at times, either on designed draws and keepers or to find an open receiver.

“It was an honor to be on the field with such great players,” Kilpatrick said after the game.

A key play of the drive came on fourth down when Anderson scrambled and found Wilcox Academy fullback Sam Mosley for a 10-yard completion to the East 38 with just 37.1 seconds remaining. It was one of two fourth-down conversions by Anderson and his West teammates that kept the drive going.

Mosley, who made several key receptions on offense and bone-shivering hits on defense, was named the Most Valuable Player for the West squad.

The other fourth-down conversion came four plays later when Faith Academy’s Alex Erobu jumped high at the East 7-yard line to pull in a toss from Anderson. The drive ended on the next play when Anderson cut to his right, then reversed field around the left end for a 7-yard scoring run to tie the game at 28. The extra point would have won it for the West, but the kicked sailed wide left, keeping the score knotted.

Central Christian Academy quarterback Tee Woods saw no playing time at his usual spot behind center, but played some at wide receiver defensive back. Despite his small amount of time on the field, Woods said he was simply happy to be here.

“I’m not disappointed at all,” he said. “I was here to have fun and that’s what I did. I had a good time playing.”