Arlington Catholic running back Charlie Bates returned to familiar territory Friday night, the field of 69,000-seat Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Bates, a recent graduate, played in the 32^nd Shriners Football Classic, an annual all-star game in Massachusetts that pits North verse South and helps raise money for the Shriners Hospital for Children.

"Not a lot of people can even say that they've seen Gillette," the North squad halfback said, "but to be able to play on the field twice, be in the locker room and have the whole experience, it's really nice."

Bates split carries with Gloucester's Conor Ressel, after the two separated themselves from a pack of seven running backs in the two weeks of practice leading up to the game. He rushed six times for 22 yards in a 13-6 North squad defeat.

Previously, he took the field as a junior for a 32-20 win over Norton in the 2008 Eastern Massachusetts Division 3 Super Bowl. In that game, he had 132 rushing yards, 50 receiving and two touchdowns.

"The first time we were out here everyone was real shaken up until the end of the first quarter," he recalled, "but then we kind of settled in and pretty much played AC football."

Although his overall production was limited, Bates, the Catholic Central League co-MVP this past fall, did pick-up a key third-down conversion in the first half to keep the North's first and only touchdown drive alive. Needing three yards, Bates bounced it outside for four, getting the first down and putting his team inside the red zone.

The North's score made it 6-0 early. However, the South squad, led by University of Connecticut-bound quarterback Gary McCummings, of Natick, and New Bedford halfback Jonathan Williams, came back and then controlled possession the rest of the way for their sixth straight victory.

At Arlington Catholic, Bates amassed 2,800 yards and 37 touchdowns, 1,574 and 23 of which came as a senior. The 5-foot, 10-inch, 185-pound Bates, who also runs track, averaged 8.9 yards per carry for his career.

"I'm more of a finesse, speed back," he said, "not much of a bruiser. I mean if I get the outside, you're probably not going to catch me."

Bates also played cornerback and had five career interceptions. Arlington Catholic won four Catholic Central League titles during his tenure.

He will begin a prep year at Bridgton Academy in Maine this fall.