City defeats County in Erie City/County All-Star Football Game

Jack Foht and RJ Benedict haven’t taken many days off as the two prepare for college football in the coming days.

Foht, a Cathedral Prep graduate, scored three goals for the City All-Stars as City beat County 4-3 on Saturday night at the McConnell Home Stadium in Gannon.

Benedict scored two goals for the county side.

Foht’s next stop in competitive football will be with the John Carroll Division III program in Cleveland. Benoît has signed up to play for Division II Gannon.

“I’m very ready,” Foht said. “I trained all summer. It was a tough year, but I worked hard. I trained. I’m excited for the next level.”

The girls’ match, a 1-0 win for City, was decided by McDowell graduate Alayna Wicker. Like the aforementioned boys, Wicker also trains to play collegially. She is engaged in Division II Clarion.

“It was definitely part of my conditioning for Clarion,” Wicker said. “It prepared me and allowed me to see what I could do.”

The players were just beginning to put their legs under them when Wicker planted his goal in the second minute. This score held the rest of the game.

“It was really shocking,” Wicker said of the early goal. “I put it on my left foot and put it in, and that was it.”

Benedict opened the scoring in the boys’ game, picking up a rebound and hammering it into the net to give County a 1-0 advantage.

Foht responded quickly for the City side around four minutes later, tying the game at 1-1.

City’s side took the lead with a pair of goals late in the first half. Foht scored 2-1 and then Mercyhurst Prep graduate John Kerner gave City a 3-1 advantage.

The teams then traded goals. McLane general Dominic Shrader pulled the County team down to 3-2 before Foht made an impressive run down the left wing to complete his hat-trick.

Benedict scored with around two minutes left for the game’s final goal.

“It was nice to be here on the pitch that I will be playing on for the next four years,” Benedict said. “There’s nothing better than coming here one last time before everyone goes off in their own direction.”

Kerner and his cousin, Robert Kerner, a McDowell graduate, were able to line up on the field as teammates. The two, sons of twin brothers, plan to go to Penn State together in the fall where they could return to the field together.

“I could play inside the walls with him up there,” John Kerner said. “I played with him at St. George in elementary school, so it’s been a while since I played with him. It was great fun to play again.”

Contact Josh Reilly at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ETNreilly.