Statistics can be deceiving.

In Friday night's 29th annual Penn-Ohio All-Star Game, Pennsylvania outgained Ohio 285-240 and held the ball for 27:47 of the game's 48 minutes.

But the most important numbers of all went in favor of the Buckeye State: 14 points for Ohio, eight for Pennsylvania.

Two big plays in the first half led to Ohio touchdowns, while Pennsylvania could only muster one score despite dominating the second half, giving the Buckeyes their third win in the last four years, 14-8, at West Branch High School in Beloit, Ohio.

The Pennsylvania defense, which featured Quaker Valley defensive tackle Mitch Soman in its starting lineup, was in command after trailing 14-0 at halftime, holding Ohio to just two first downs on 14 offensive plays after the break.

The visiting offense only had one breakthrough of its own, a 1-yard run by New Brighton fullback Eric Walker with 2:31 remaining, allowing the hosts to hold on to their lead.

"We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times," Soman said.

"We played hard, but we didn't play as well in the first half as we did in the second. I think if we had played like we did in the second half for the first half, we'd have won the game."

Ohio got its lead with 1:22 left in the first quarter, after recoving a fumble deep in Pennsylvania territory. On the first play after the turnover, Ohio's Charlie Lengyel hauled in an 18-yard pass from Ethan Russell, making the score 7-0.

A bruising 10-yard run by Beaver quarterback Manny Cutlip, selected as the Pennsylvania Most Valuable Player, ended the quarter and brought life back to the Pennsylvania sideline.

That life would disappear as the team was again forced to punt, sending the contest back into a defensive struggle.

With just :58 left in the half, Ohio doubled its advantage, after a blown coverage allowed Jimmy Phillis to bring in a pass from Russell and streak 47 yards down the field for the score.

"We had bad field position to start with, and with the turnover, we gave up one," Pennsylvania coach Jim Wilson said.

"Then it's pretty even until the end of the half when we gave up a stupid one. You take those mistakes away, and it's a heck of a football game at the end."

Pennsylvania twice drove into field goal range for Moon kicker Aaron Hassett during the second half, but each time elected for a fourth-down conversion attempt that failed.

Finally, the Keystone State team got its touchdown, then added two points when Freedom's Mitch Meyers snagged a tipped pass by Hassett for the conversion, all the result of a bad snap on the play.

But Ohio held the ball for the game's last 2:31, getting its only fourth-quarter first down to run out the clock.

For Soman, the game wasn't a complete loss, as he was one of eight Pennsylvania players to receive scholarships during a halftime ceremony.

His award, a $500 scholarship from the Midwestern Athletic Conference Coaches Association and Heritage Valley Health System, came as a bit of a surprise to the Robert Morris-bound lineman.

"They told me on the sideline just before halftime, they said stick around," Soman said. "So that was pretty exciting, getting some money."

And even with the loss, which dropped Pennsylvania's record in the game to 20-9 all-time, Soman was happy to take part in the annual event.

"It was an experience of a lifetime. I wouldn't have traded these two weeks for the world."