County all-stars come through for Save an Eye football game victory versus Metro

Kyle Shaffer, who is bound for the United States Air Force Academy, was in midair during the final snap of his football career.

Shaffer, a County defensive back from Union City, found himself covering Metro receiver Stephen Lebron in the County's end zone after the final snap of Friday's 84^th Erie Lions Club Save an Eye game at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

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With no time left on the clock, Shaffer got in front of Lebron, an Erie High graduate. Shaffer jumped and batted down the potential 28-yard scoring pass to Lebron from Metro quarterback Jacob Skolnik of McDowell.

Had Lebron caught the ball for a touchdown, the Metro would have pulled within two points of the County and gone for a game-tying 2-point conversion with no time left.

Shaffer put such drama to rest with a pass break-up that clinched the County's 27-19 victory.

Shaffer said the play was extra satisfying because of what happened before the snap.

“Honestly, I saw their coach (the Metro's Andre Henderson) point at me. So I knew they were coming at me,” he said. “That play felt so great because it was the winning play. There's no better feeling.”

Shaffer also made five tackles and returned a kickoff for the County, which beat the Metro for the second time since Save an Eye officials switched to its current format three years ago.

The County won 23-13 in 2019 and the Metro 29-21 a year ago. There was no game in 2020 because of COVID-19 precautions.

Fort LeBoeuf star Tristin Harris' last hurrah

Shaffer wasn't the only County player with a notable performance in his farewell to competitive football.

Fort LeBoeuf graduate Tristin Harris, whose blue-and-white game uniform was similar to the one he wore as a Bison, recorded the County's first two touchdowns.

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The first was an 86-yard kickoff return, the first in a Save an Eye game since a 92-yarder by Javon Rowan (Cathedral Prep) in 2006. It was a swift counter to Skolnik's 4-yard run for the Metro's initial touchdown.

“We took special teams very seriously (during practice),” Harris said. “That (kickoff return) went just like the coaches said it would happen. I'd have one man to beat, and that's what happened.”

Harris also ran for a 3-yard score with 36 seconds remaining in the first half. That helped the County take a 14-13 halftime advantage and a lead it never relinquished.

Harris finished with 58 rushing yards. He also intercepted a Skolnik pass on the final play of the first half.

“It felt really nice to come out here one last time,” Harris said. “This was so much fun.”

Fort LeBoeuf athletes honored

While Harris was lauded for his play Friday, two fellow LeBoeuf graduates and County teammates were celebrated at halftime.

Adam Lichtinger and Dom Gentile each received $1,000 as the inaugural recipients of the Tyco Swick Legacy Foundation scholarship. They were honored at midfield, where they posed with their parents, Swick and other Save an Eye officials.

Lichtinger and Gentile were involved in a garage fire on April 14. They were staying overnight at the LeBoeuf Township home of Ben Turi, a 2020 LeBoeuf graduate, and his mother, Renee.

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Lichtinger and Gentile thought Ben Turi was in the garage at the time of the fire. They immediately realized he wasn't, but were injured as they escaped.

Gentile suffered burns to his hands, cuts to his face and stomach and stitches in a knee.

Lichtinger suffered second- and third-degree burns that left him a patient at Pittsburgh's UPMC Mercy Burn Center for several weeks.

Each, though, recovered in time to returned to class this past spring. Lichtinger, a javelin thrower, was even able to to rejoin LeBoeuf's track and field team ahead of the District 10 track and field meet.

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“I really appreciate this (scholarship). I wasn't expecting it,” Lichtinger said. “It will help me with college, so it's going to go for something good.”

Lichtinger, who will attend West Virginia, wore a compression sleeve on his left arm Friday'. However, he said he's almost at the point where he doesn't consciously think about his injuries.

Gentile will attend Slippery Rock and serve in the U.S. Army National Guard.

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New all-star game leadership

While Swick has been involved in the Save an Eye game for more than 50 years, Friday's was the first one he wasn't in charge of since 1971.

Swick, 83, stepped down as game manager this year. Joe DeMartino was his designated successor.

The creation of the Tyco Swick Legacy Foundation scholarship was announced during Thursday's Save an Eye banquet at the Bel-Aire Conference Center. Swick had no idea about it ahead of time.

“A total surprise,” Swick said. “But the thing I want to say is the bang-up job the new people in charge are doing (with the game). They've followed the pattern we set, but they've improved on it. I was told we broke a new record for advertising, which is a big part of all this.”

The game is the second-oldest high school charity football game in the country. It is dedicated to providing eye care to children in need in Erie County and supporting services for the visually impaired.

More sideline support

Friday's game featured more student cheerleaders on the sidelines. Harbor Creek cheerleaders were designated supporters for the County, while the Metro players were urged on by cheerleaders from Erie High and McDowell.

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The McDowell cheerleaders included members of its competitive spirit squad. The Trojans have won four PIAA coed varsity championships since 2017, including the past two.

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Savannah Sack was a McDowell freshman with this past season's state titlists.

“Not only is it an honor to be part of a state championship team, it's an honor to know all the members of it,” Sack said. “We have such an incredible staff."

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Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNcopper.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie Save an Eye all-star football game outcome hinges on final play