A select group of seniors from San Diego Section high schools engaged the Mexican national U19 football team in the inaugural American Bowl last Friday at Otay Ranch High School. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the players, according to Derek Dahlen, who served as head coach of the San Diego Stars and Stripes team.
“In rugby, I’ve been involved in a number of international contests and felt this would be a good idea for our kids to get some international experience,” Dahlen explained.
The contest was considered akin to a soccer “friendly.”
According to Dahlen, the game served two purposes: to provide local players with the experience of playing in an all-star game against international competition and a high-level training experience for the Mexico team as it prepares for the upcoming 2016 U19 World Championship in China.
The United States is the defending world champion.
Organizers on both sides of the border worked hard over the past 45 days since the game was announced to provide a fun and fan-friendly experience.
Pre-game festivities included a skydiving exhibition and a ceremonial coin toss by former NFL standout Eric Metcalf.
Agina, from “The Voice USA” and “La Voz Mexico” sang the national anthems of both the United States and Mexico.
The Torrey Pines High School cheerleaders performed at halftime.
Many on the San Diego Stars and Stripes coaching staff professed college or professional experience. The staff included Cree Morris (offensive coordinator), Akili Smith, Martin Bayless (linebackers and special teams), Burt Grossman, John Carney, George Jackson, Rey Hernandez and Ruben Sanchez of Intercalifornia’s Youth Athletic Association, which helped organize the event alongside Mexico’s Federation of American Football.
American-style football is said to be the fastest-growing sport in Mexico.
“This was a great experience to share this with our brothers from across the border,” Dahlen said.
The game proved to be extremely competitive.
The local team burst out to a 20-0 lead but held on to win by a score of 27-21.
The San Diego team, which had only four practices to prepare for the game, included several notable South County players on its roster. They included Eastlake running back Traylon Reed, Metro-Mesa League Defensive Player of the Year Nate Sweat and running back/cornerback Milton Earls from Eastlake; quarterback Garry Cannon, wide receiver Paul Thompson Jr., outside linebacker/tight end Jorge Lazo and tight end/linebacker Antonio Riggins from Olympian; tight end Ennovy Halton, receiver Adrian Rodriguez and defensive specialist Janken Autele from Otay Ranch; defensive end Alberto Olmos, quarterback/defensive back Angelo Trujillo and running back Miguel Flores from Castle Park; and receiver/free safety Nick Sexton and running back Adrian Petty from Christian.
Other section standouts included Christian quarterback David Todd Jeremiah, Valley Center quarterback Rhett Reilly and Grossmont receiver Khaleed Davis.
Reed rushed for 1,045 yards and scored 10 rushing touchdowns for the Titans, who qualified to compete in this year’s Open Division playoffs.
Cannon passed for 993 yards with six touchdowns and rushed for 617 yards and eight scores. Thompson had 36 catches for 502 yards and four touchdowns. The Eagles advanced to the Division I playoffs. (Cannon played a wide receiver role in the bowl game.)
Rodriguez, who helped the Otay Ranch reach the Division II semifinals, had 27 catches for 66 yards and 10 touchdowns. Halton had 14 catches for 294 yards and five TDs.
Sexton had 68 catches for 1,389 yards with 13 touchdowns. He helped lead the Patriots to the City Conference City League championship and a berth in the Division II quarterfinals.
Also for Christian, Petty rushed for 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns while Jeremiah passed for 2,750 yards and 26 TDs.
Stars and Stripes
Otay Ranch’s Rodriguez was credited with a fumble recovery and 63-yard interception return to highlight the Stars and Stripes defensive showing while Kenidy Malauulu (El Camino) also was credited with a fumble recovery. Both fumble recoveries took place in the first quarter as the local team took a 6-0 lead on a pair of field goals by Carlsbad’s Collin Riccitelli.
Valley Center’s Reilly threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Christian’s Petty with 32 seconds elapsed in the second quarter to boost the hosts to a commanding 13-0 lead.
Grossmont’s Davis then caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Christian’s Jeremiah later in the quarter to extend the Stars and Stripes lead to 20-0.
But the Mexican team regrouped at this point and out-scored the Americans 21-7 over the balance of the game.
Team Mexico used a trick halfback pass to carve into the Stars and Stripes lead 4:56 prior to halftime. Hector Alexis Rodriguez caught the 37-yard pass.
Team Mexico came up short on a 46-yard field goal attempt as time expired in the first half.
Eastlake’s Reed scored on a 37-yard sideline run with 6:06 remaining in the third quarter to extend the Stars and Stripes lead to 27-7.
Team Mexico scored the final two touchdowns of the game. Quarterback Johan Leonel Lopez Guerrero, whose fleet feet and deep passing ability brought the Mexicans back in the game, was named MVP.
Stars and Stripes managed to run out the clock over the final 3:02 of the game, ending the contest in Team Mexico’s red zone in victory formation.
Reed gained 96 yards on 17 carries to highlight the Americans’ rushing attack.
“With only four practices, we looked a little helter-skelter at times,” Dahlen explained. “I’m proud of this team and proud the kids chose to play in this all-star game among the many all-star games out there. I’m also proud of Mexico. They played hard.”
The San Diego players were proud to participate in the game.
“It was a huge honor,” noted Christian’s Sexton, an Eastlake resident. “It was a culture challenge playing a team like Mexico. It was just different. It’s great I got to be a part of this. Their quarterback had some speed. He was a huge part of their offense.”
The four Christian players who participated in the game wore “88” emblazoned on their helmets in tribute to teammate Jason Lyon, a three-sport athletes who died during the 2015 season.
Sexton said Lyon’s death left an indelible mark on the Patriots this season.
“The whole season we dedicated to him,” Sexton explained. “It’s a shame we didn’t go farther in CIF.”
Dahlen said tentative plans are to play the American Bowl every two years. “At some point in the future, it would be neat to take the game over and play it in Mexico,” Dahlen noted.
