The Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl continues to be the San Diego region’s college football bowl extravaganza. The 2010 edition, the 33rd in the series, was played in front of 57,921 fans Dec. 30 at Qualcomm Stadium and featured a treasure trove of community-minded events and presentations, topped off by the University of Washington’s 19-7 upset of the 18th-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The El Cajon-based Sycuan Band of Kumeeyav Nation presented lavish pre-game festivities that featured performances by both college marching bands, a precision landing at midfield by the Navy Seals LeapFrogs parachute team and the unfurling of the Big Flag by area military personnel.
Former Helix High School and NBA basketball legend Bill Walton served as the 2010 bowl game’s honorary chairman and grand marshal of the annual San Diego Bay Balloon Parade.
The three members of the Dr. Pepper All-Inspiration high school football team included St. Augustine lineman Eddie Medrano, San Pasqual lineman Ben Hofstetter and Steele Canyon receiver Trevor Snipes.
Medrano, a Bonita resident, earned the offensive award while Hofstetter received the defensive award. Snipes was named most inspirational teammate.
Medrano, an offensive center and defensive lineman, listed his most memorable moment of the just completed 2010 season as facing the challenge of going up against Cathedral Catholic monster senior nose guard Mustafa Jalil (6-4, 301) in the teams’ annual Holy Bowl contest played Nov. 12 at a sold-out Mesa College.
“It was for the league title, the stadium was packed,” said Medrano, who stands 6-4 and weighs 296 pounds.
The Saints won that game, 28-21, to earn an Eastern League co-championship with the Dons, who would eventually go on to claim their fourth consecutive San Diego Section Division III title.
Top-seeded St. Augustine (9-3) ended its season with an upset loss to Lincoln in the semifinals.
A two-year varsity performer, the 5-foot-6, 140-pound Snipes finished the 2010 season with three carries for 16 yards. His most memorable moment during was scoring a touchdown on his birthday in a 56-7 non-league victory over Serra on Sept. 17.
“It feels great,” said Snipes, a senior, of the honor. “I’m very happy. It definitely gives me motivation for the future.”
The Cougars finished 9-3 with a trip to the San Diego Section Division II semifinals.
The Bridgepoint Education and the Bridgeport Education Holiday Bowl also presented a check for $60,000 to the Promises 2 Kids as its new charity of choice. Promises 2 Kids is a non-profit organization leading the fight against child abuse and neglect in the county. One dollar from each ticket purchased was presented to the organization, founded in 1981 as the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation.
As for the game, Washington sophomore running back Chris Polk was recognized as the 2010 Holiday Bowl most valuable offensive player while Huskies senior linebacker Mason Foster received the game’s defensive MVP trophy. Polk carried the ball 34 times for 177 yards and one touchdown while Foster recorded 12 tackles and two sacks.
