MOBILE, Ala. — A 17-point first half outburst was enough to propel the South squad to a 24-10 win over the North in the 2011 Senior Bowl on Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile.

The South team, led by former Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder’s 132 yards passing and two scores, rebounded from a 31-13 loss to the North last year.

Ponder, who won the game’s Most Valuable Player award, threw touchdown passes of 18 yards to Miami’s Leonard Hankerson and 23 yards to former TCU receiver Jeremy Kerley.

The South scored in the first quarter on a 23-yard field goal from former LSU kicker Josh Jasper. Ponder’s touchdown pass to Hankerson came later in the first after an 11-play 70-yard drive that took 6:08 off the clock. The South held the ball for 35:58 to the North’s 24:02. Three of the South’s four scoring drives were of 10 plays or more.

Former West Viriginia Mountaineer Noel Devine scored the South’s second touchdown on a 1-yard run in the second quarter. The score was set up by a 12-yard screen pass from former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy to Devine that set up first-and-goal at the North 3.

UCLA’s Kai Forbath put the North on the board in the third quarter with a 24-yard field goal. Washington’s Jake Locker led a six-play 66-yard drive capped by 1-yard touchdown run by Da’Rel Scott.

Ponder’s touchdown pass to Kerley capped the scoring in the fourth quarter.

Game Awards

Former Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Miami’s Leonard Hankerson, who had five catches for 100 yards and a touchdown, was named the Offensive Player of the Game. Texas A&M’s Von Miller was the game’s Defensive Player of the Game. North Carolina’s Kendric Burney was the North’s Outstanding Player of the Game, while former Texas Longhorn Sam Acho was the South’s Outstanding Player of the Game.

Senior Bowl records

The South’s win gave it a 30-26-3 record all-time against the North.

Cincinnatti coach Marvin Lewis, who coached the North squad, is 0-3 as a Senior Bowl coach, while Buffalo Bills coach Chan Gailey won his first Senior Bowl on Saturday.

Tide, Tigers play in Senior Bowl

Former Alabama players Greg McElroy (QB), Preston Dial (TE) and James Carpenter (OL), along with Auburn Tigers Zac Etheridge (DB), Lee Ziemba (OL) and Josh Bynes (LB) participated in the 2011 Senior Bowl.

Etheridge had two solo tackles, while Bynes had an assist.

McElroy completed 5-of-8 passes for 36 yards, and Dial had one catch for five yards.

Smith represents Jags in Senior Bowl

Former South Alabama wide receiver Courtney Smith became the first Jaguar player to play in the Senior Bowl on Saturday.

Smith had one catch for 10 yards and received the the loudest ovation of any Senior Bowl players during the pre-game ceremony.

“It was great to be the first player ever to come out here and represent my team,” Smith said. “To come out here and compete with some of the best guys from around the country.

“We came out here to win. Even though the competition from the North was tough, we did what we had to do.”

Spanish Fort student sings National Anthem

Spanish Fort High School student Rebecca Womack sang the National Anthem to open the 2011 Senior Bowl.

Womack, 17, beat out 80 other singers in a contest to sing the anthem.