West Boca's Robert Lockhart helps National top American in football all-star game

Saturday, January 22, 2011
by Matt Porter

Photo by Bruce R. Bennett / The Palm Beach Post

Glades Central's Jamarious Rowley runs past Boynton Beach's Jonathan Durant for a touchdown Saturday.

BOCA RATON -- West Boca Raton wide receiver Robert Lockhart had four catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns - including the winning score with 1:52 remaining - leading the National team to a 20-19 victory over the American team in a matchup featuring the area's top football players Saturday night.

Played on a cold evening, the Lytal Reiter Smith Ivey and Fronrath Trial Attorneys High School Football All-Star Game - the seniors-only showcase formerly known as the Outback Game - was mostly a lackluster affair.

Until a back-and-forth finish, that is.

Trailing 13-12 with less than two minutes remaining, Lockhart hauled in a 9-yard touchdown from Boca Raton's Cameron Lewis. After Lockhart drew a pass-interference call on the two-point conversion, Lewis covered the shortened distance to the goal with a somersault, giving the Nationals a 20-13 lead.

Lockhart, who has scholarship offers from Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, FIU and Kansas State among others, was voted MVP for the National team, comprised mostly of players from southern Palm Beach County.

With West Boca teammate Alex Prakas (7-for-17, 97 yards) throwing his way in the first half, Lockhart had a 20-yard reception, hauled in a 32-yard jump ball, dove to catch an errant 11-yard pass and bounced off a defender for a 9-yard score.

"He trusts me catching the ball and I trust him throwing it," Lockhart said of the connection. The soft-spoken receiver called the MVP award "just another accomplishment."

"I'm glad I got it," he said.

But the Nationals almost didn't hold on. With 40 seconds left, American quarterback Jamarious Rowley, of Glades Central, threw deep to Dwyer's Shawn McClaine for a 39-yard touchdown. But Jensen Beach running back Tevin Wilson (7 carries, 21 yards) was stopped on the 1 on the two-point conversion.

Rowley, who is weighing a scholarship offer from Hampton, was named the American team's MVP. Rowley threw for 140 yards and two scores on 10-for-15 passing, and ran for a 17-yard score.

"That's the way Glades Central plays," Rowley said. "I'm gonna miss my team but I had to come out and do what I do in my last high school game."

Glades Central teammate Jaqavein Oliver was the recipient of several of Rowley's pinpoint throws. He hauled in four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown.

American defensive lineman Daevonte Barnett, of Dwyer, had four tackles for loss, including a sack. He was the most disruptive member of a defense that held the Nationals to just 3 yards on 25 carries. Also contributing: Wellington's Chris Thomas (fumble recovery, tackle for loss) and Alex Dinardo (two sacks), and Martin County's Matt Diekman (two sacks).

Boca Raton kicker David Bicknell booted field goals of 32 and 29 yards for the National squad.