North triumphs at 60th Agganis all-star football clash

The 60th annual Agganis all-star football game turned out to be a mostly one-sided affair, as the North all-stars exploded for 28 first-half points and never looked back in an eventual 49-12 runaway victory Wednesday evening at Manning Field in Lynn. It was the most points scored by one side in the history of the event and the largest margin of victory.

The win was also the fifth straight for the North team. The South last emerged victorious in 2016. Swampscott star running back Xaviah Bascon gained over 100 total yards (41 of those via the rush) from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns, including one on a long kickoff return. He was named the Most Valuable Player for the North team.

Piero Canales of Kipp Academy received the MVP honor for the South. He ran for a late touchdown and ended up with 89 yards on the ground. The North scored one first-quarter TD before breaking the contest open in the second quarter.

Bascon was on the receiving end of a 36-yard scoring pass from Swampscott teammate Cam O’Brien to make it a 14-0 game. The South tallied on a short blast by Lynn English quarterback Jesse Maggs (139 yards passing) to briefly make it a 14-6 affair.

From there, the North squad took control. Bascon returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards to increase the North’s lead to two TDs, and O’Brien later went in from one yard out to make it a 28-6 contest by halftime.

Peabody’s Jordan Tompkins rambled for a 16-yard score in the third quarter to stretch the North’s advantage to 35-6 before Canales scored for the South to begin the fourth. The North would respond with two more scores to account for the final margin.

Four players from Revere were members of the South squad in Wednesday’s all-star event.  Guard and defensive tackle Elmahdi Elkaouakibi got the starting nod on both sides of the ball and played well. Fellow Patriot players Addison Diaz and Anwar Marbouh saw regular action, and Augusto Gonclaves was also a member of the South team.