CLINTON – A 2-hour game delay Thursday night didn’t slow downLawrence County running back Kendrick Hardy and the SouthAll-Stars. Hardy earned the Most Valuable Offensive Player Award asthe South rushed past the North 30-14 in the 60th Annual BernardBlackwell High School All-Star Football Game.

Hardy, a Southern Miss signee, has been enrolled in summerschool at USM and is participating in volunteer workouts with hisfuture teammates. He rushed the football 7 times for 58 yards onthe rain-soaked artificial turf in Robinson-Hale Stadium, includinga lightning-quick, 25-yard burst that put the South up 14-0 in thefirst quarter.

“I enjoyed the game,” said Hardy as he cradled the MVP plaque.”I was ready to play more. I had some good teammates and the lineblocked for me.”

An approaching severe thunderstorm, laced with lightningstrikes, cleared the stands at 6:45 p.m., just prior tointroductions of the players. Due to safety concerns, the gamedidn’t kick off until 9 p.m.

Lawrence County’s Monterrio Taylor started at right guard andhelped pave the way for the South’s impressive 314 rushing yards.Taylor smiled and said he enjoyed the week of practice.

“I had a lot of fun,” said Taylor, a Southwest MississippiCommunity College signee. “It was good for Kendrick to get theMVP.”

South teammate Mark Seymour of D’Iberville rushed for agame-best 105 yards on just 4 carries. His 96-yard run to theNorth’s 6-yard line set up a 21-yard field goal by Picayune’s AdamHerrington, giving the South a 17-0 halftime lead.

Seymour also made a leaping, 10-yard touchdown reception fromquarterback Chucky Nichols of Northeast Jones on the final play ofthe game. The North had scored its second TD with 40 seconds leftin the game. Picayune head coach Dodd Lee sent his South team tothe airways on their final possession after the North attempted anonsides kickoff that the South recovered at the North’s 47.

Nichols hooked up with CaDarrius Stallworth of Moss Point for 37yards on first down, setting up the TD strike to Seymour. Nicholsalso ran for 2 touchdowns on runs of 10 and 5 yards. Nicholsfumbled the snap on his second score, picked up the football andraced for the corner of the end zone, putting the South up 24-zipwith 2:02 left in the third quarter.

Franklin County fullback Jordan Hunt ran the football with speedand authority, breaking North tackles up the middle. He finishedwith 9 carries for 70 yards.

“We worked hard all week and deserved to win,” said Hunt, aCopiah-Lincoln Community College signee who is expected to playoutside linebacker for the Wolfpack.

Lawrence County head coach Mike Davis coached the Southoffensive line and said he was pleased with the results. “We hadone heckuva a great week. We had a great group of kids to workwith.”

Davis said the offensive scheme employed by Lee featured anI-formation. It established a power running game and complimentedHardy. “Kendrick took it like a duck to water. He was productive.Jordan ran real well, too.”

McComb linebacker Donovan Hill received two awards last night.He was presented the game ball for selling the most advertisementsin the game program. He also received the prestigious Bill StewartAward, recognizing the athlete with the best attitude, characterand conduct on and off the field.