GROVE CITY — Father's Day came a week early for the Markle family.

Karns City graduate Aaron Markle played his final football game Saturday night at Forker Field and was named MVP of the South team in the 20th annual West Penn Football Coaches All-Star Classic.

Markle made a team-high nine tackles from his outside linebacker position, stopped a running back short of a first down on a fourth-and-1 play and recovered a fumble to curtail another North scoring drive.

And he was coached in his last game by his father, KC assistant head coach Brian Markle, who guided the South squad in place of vacationing Gremlins' head coach Ed Conto.

"It was a thrill for me to be able to do this," Coach Markle said. "Aaron and I have been on the sidelines together for a lot of games."

The final score of Markle's final game — a 24-0 loss — did not epitomize his career. As a two-year starter at linebacker, he was part of Gremlin teams that won 22 of 27 games during that stretch, including two District 9 championships.

Markle's performance Saturday did epitomize his career, however.

"I play wherever I'm needed," he said. "I've always been one of those kids who is willing to fill in any hole on the field."

A Butler Eagle Sweet 16 selection on offense last fall, Markle rushed for 1,299 yards and 17 touchdowns. He threw two TD passes as well.

His only action offensively on Saturday was at guard, where he blocked for other backs.

"We had a shortage of guys up front, so I went in there," he said. "I played guard a few years ago, so it wasn't completely foreign to me."

The South offense struggled all night, generating only three first downs and 58 yards.

"We were hoping to get more offensive linemen on the team than we did," Coach Markle said. "We paid the price there."

And his son paid the price in effort, just as he did every time he donned a football uniform.

"It didn't matter to me what the score was or how the game was going," Markle said. "This was my last game and I was going to go all out on every play.

"This was fun. I met some new friends and got to enjoy the feeling of playing a football game one last time.

"I'm going to miss this," he added.

The 6-foot-0, 190-pound Markle had offers to play college football as a linebacker. He considered an offer from Clarion University while still sorting out his immediate future.

Instead, he'll be attending Butler County Community College and will study to be an electrician.

"I was hoping Aaron would play college ball," Coach Markle admitted. "But it's his life and he has to make decisions that are best for him. He knows the direction he wants to go."

Brian Markle knows the direction he wants to go as well — becoming a head coach in high school football. He has been Conto's assistant head coach for all 13 of Conto's seasons at Karns City.

"Any coach wants to be a head coach," Brian Markle said. "I'm no exception to that. We'll just have to see how the circumstances play out."

Coach Markle has been a teacher in the Karns City School District for 26 years. He has coached in the WPFCA All-Star Game four times.

Watching his son win an MVP award made the fourth one the most special one.

"Aaron played tailback, fillback, tight end, linebacker ... He's been all over the field for us at Karns City," he said. "I'm proud of how hard he played this game, but it's the same way he played every game."

Markle walked off the field for the final time, holding a plaque in his hand for his efforts.

"We didn't win, but being named MVP with my dad as coach is a nice way to end it," he said.