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By Michael Beaven
Special to the Beacon Journal
POSTED: 10:08 p.m. EDT, Jun 28, 2009
CANTON:The opportunity to dominate presented itself and 45 American teenagers did just that.
The United States displayed the talent, skill, confidence and swagger of a champion in its 78-0 victory over France in a first-round game in the inaugural International Federation of American Football Junior World Championship tournament Saturday at Fawcett Stadium in Canton.
''It was really great to represent my country and play well with all my new friends,'' Hudson's Brian Winters, a guard, said of the experience. ''We recently met each other and we came out and played hard. There was a bunch of people here chanting USA. It was really cool, a great feeling.''
The Americans were superior to the French in every aspect of the game — speed, size, quickness and strength.
''I don't like games getting like that, but I don't know how I can change that when you only have 45 guys on your squad,'' said Team USA coach Chuck Kyle, who has led Cleveland St. Ignatius to 10 Division I state titles. ''Some of the first-round games were high scores, and I am so glad the second and third rounds aren't going to be. There should be some closer football games.''
Team USA, made up of 19 or younger players, rested Sunday in anticipation of playing Mexico in the second round at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Fawcett Stadium.
''Overall, this was the first time in the week and a half to almost two weeks where I didn't have a whistle on,'' Kyle said. ''That was fun. I didn't have to say 'Stop, don't hit him' [like in practice]. I vowed I would get 45 kids into this game and 45 kids played.''
Virginia Tech recruit David Wilson rushed for four touchdowns and Western Michigan recruit Brian Fields rushed for two touchdowns to lead the Americans on offense.
''I was motivated to have a great game, but nothing like this,'' said Wilson, who rushed for 181 yards on 12 carries. ''You only dream about playing against another country and scoring four touchdowns. This is almost like the Olympic competition when they bring countries together to play in a tournament.
''We have a team full of talent. As Coach said, we only have 45 guys on the team. They are 45 great players. It is hard to keep the game from getting out of hand when you can see all 45 players are capable of getting the job done.''
USA held an advantage in several statistical categories, including total yards (610-7) and first downs (27-5).
''We're going to continue to play aggressive defensively,'' Kyle said. ''Offensively, we are running the ball, but we also want to work on a passing game. We have to work on penalties (11 for 110 yards). I guess there is a little bit of a difference between high school and the international game. I've got to figure it out, because that many penalties is absurd. My kids would say to us, 'I don't know, we're blocking like we normally do.' I am going to have to talk to a couple of officials and ask them some questions.''
South Carolina recruit Chris Payne (eight tackles, one sack), Virginia Tech recruit Tariq Edwards (six tackles, one sack) and Virginia recruit Corey Lillard (two interceptions) led the Team USA defense.
Saturday ''was really the first time where I could tell the kids 'All right, go ahead play at 100 percent gear,' '' Kyle said. ''In a week and a half, we had a lot to teach.''
Ohio players Winters (Hudson/Kent State), Brian Smith (Walsh Jesuit/Northwestern), David Herman (Cincinnati St. Xavier/Holy Cross), Pat Hinkel (Cleveland St. Ignatius/ Miami, Ohio), Jack Mewhort (Toledo St. John's/Ohio State) and Storm Klein (Licking Valley/Ohio State) participated in the game for Team USA.
''You can't even describe it,'' Smith, a tackle, said of the experience. ''There is nothing in the world that you can compare it to. That is why it is so hard to really put into words what it is like to wear red, white and blue and get to play on that football field [Saturday night]. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that only 45 kids in this country get to enjoy. It's incredible.''
The four-game total attendance Saturday was 10,145 fans.
The gold-medal game will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Fawcett Stadium.
''I get just as excited and maybe even more excited when one of the other guys makes a nice play than I would if I made the play myself,'' Klein said.
CANTON:The opportunity to dominate presented itself and 45 American teenagers did just that.
The United States displayed the talent, skill, confidence and swagger of a champion in its 78-0 victory over France in a first-round game in the inaugural International Federation of American Football Junior World Championship tournament Saturday at Fawcett Stadium in Canton.
''It was really great to represent my country and play well with all my new friends,'' Hudson's Brian Winters, a guard, said of the experience. ''We recently met each other and we came out and played hard. There was a bunch of people here chanting USA. It was really cool, a great feeling.''
The Americans were superior to the French in every aspect of the game — speed, size, quickness and strength.
''I don't like games getting like that, but I don't know how I can change that when you only have 45 guys on your squad,'' said Team USA coach Chuck Kyle, who has led Cleveland St. Ignatius to 10 Division I state titles. ''Some of the first-round games were high scores, and I am so glad the second and third rounds aren't going to be. There should be some closer football games.''
Team USA, made up of 19 or younger players, rested Sunday in anticipation of playing Mexico in the second round at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Fawcett Stadium.
''Overall, this was the first time in the week and a half to almost two weeks where I didn't have a whistle on,'' Kyle said. ''That was fun. I didn't have to say 'Stop, don't hit him' [like in practice]. I vowed I would get 45 kids into this game and 45 kids played.''
Virginia Tech recruit David Wilson rushed for four touchdowns and Western Michigan recruit Brian Fields rushed for two touchdowns to lead the Americans on offense.
''I was motivated to have a great game, but nothing like this,'' said Wilson, who rushed for 181 yards on 12 carries. ''You only dream about playing against another country and scoring four touchdowns. This is almost like the Olympic competition when they bring countries together to play in a tournament.
''We have a team full of talent. As Coach said, we only have 45 guys on the team. They are 45 great players. It is hard to keep the game from getting out of hand when you can see all 45 players are capable of getting the job done.''
USA held an advantage in several statistical categories, including total yards (610-7) and first downs (27-5).
''We're going to continue to play aggressive defensively,'' Kyle said. ''Offensively, we are running the ball, but we also want to work on a passing game. We have to work on penalties (11 for 110 yards). I guess there is a little bit of a difference between high school and the international game. I've got to figure it out, because that many penalties is absurd. My kids would say to us, 'I don't know, we're blocking like we normally do.' I am going to have to talk to a couple of officials and ask them some questions.''
South Carolina recruit Chris Payne (eight tackles, one sack), Virginia Tech recruit Tariq Edwards (six tackles, one sack) and Virginia recruit Corey Lillard (two interceptions) led the Team USA defense.
Saturday ''was really the first time where I could tell the kids 'All right, go ahead play at 100 percent gear,' '' Kyle said. ''In a week and a half, we had a lot to teach.''
Ohio players Winters (Hudson/Kent State), Brian Smith (Walsh Jesuit/Northwestern), David Herman (Cincinnati St. Xavier/Holy Cross), Pat Hinkel (Cleveland St. Ignatius/ Miami, Ohio), Jack Mewhort (Toledo St. John's/Ohio State) and Storm Klein (Licking Valley/Ohio State) participated in the game for Team USA.
''You can't even describe it,'' Smith, a tackle, said of the experience. ''There is nothing in the world that you can compare it to. That is why it is so hard to really put into words what it is like to wear red, white and blue and get to play on that football field [Saturday night]. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that only 45 kids in this country get to enjoy. It's incredible.''
The four-game total attendance Saturday was 10,145 fans.
The gold-medal game will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Fawcett Stadium.
''I get just as excited and maybe even more excited when one of the other guys makes a nice play than I would if I made the play myself,'' Klein said.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Akron, OH
Posted 12:11 AM, 06/29/2009
No surprise. . . the French usually run the other way.
Posted 01:49 AM, 06/29/2009
7 yards of total offense? That was not a football game-not even a scrimmage, it's an embarassment of talent. At least the French team got an exciting vacation.
Posted 08:25 AM, 06/29/2009
What kind of a farce is this tournament?
Akron, OH
Posted 08:57 AM, 06/29/2009
Where's the article? All I see is we beat France 78-0 at something. Then I see " By Michael Beaven
Special to the Beacon Journal
POSTED: 10:08 p.m. EDT, Jun 28, 2009 ". No article, no nothing.
Independence, OH
Posted 08:58 AM, 06/29/2009
Really, does anyone care about American football outside of the United States and maybe Canada? That's like American Soccer or Cleveland Hockey. They show up, yeah, they show up.
Columbus, OH
Posted 09:26 AM, 06/29/2009
Wow, great article, I really like the attention to detail........like showing the story!??
Posted 10:21 AM, 06/29/2009
I can write headlines like that. Maybe I qualify for an ABJ job.
Stow, OH
Posted 11:20 AM, 06/29/2009
What satisfaction can there be in beating the French at American football? When I read the article and some of the players joy at beating the French kids, it struck me that this was about the same reveling after beating up a little old lady or guy confined to a wheel chair. This tournament is fundemantally flawed.
Akron, Oh
Posted 01:42 PM, 06/29/2009
I see the French haven't changed, still taking it lying down...
akron, oh
Posted 01:52 PM, 06/29/2009
It is obvious that the french did not put up a battle here. What were they doing, collaberating?
Richfield, OH
Posted 02:50 PM, 06/29/2009
This story is a little late.
Oldsmar, FL
Posted 02:56 PM, 06/29/2009
American football was introduced to Europe some time ago. But it will be years, decades before any team from overseas can compete against us......as France has kindly demonstrated:) It reminds me of what that arrogant French swimmer said at the Olympics. "The Americans? We'll smash the Americans."
Yeah.......right:)
Posted 04:42 PM, 06/29/2009
4-game total attendance of 10,145? 3 of the 4 first round games decided by at least 41 points? Why does this merit any coverage at all?
Anti-Politically Correct & Anti-GOP, OH
Posted 06:24 PM, 06/29/2009
The Browns couldn't score 78 total points in a whole season.
Akron, OH
Posted 06:55 PM, 06/29/2009
Is the French team logo a white flag?
alliance, oh
Posted 07:25 PM, 06/29/2009
I think what's cool is that the different countries that play each other didn't even know that France or Japan and other countries but Canada had a high school football team, I may be not in tune with other counties sports programs, I think the US should be alright until we play Canada.
Kandi, SL
Posted 08:05 PM, 06/29/2009
At least the USA can compete against the world in global, or "real" football. Witness the Yanks runner-up finish in the Confederations Cup. However, that's a sport -- no, THE sport that rules the world. American football on the other hand is based in North America, and has little to no interest outside that geography.
Kent, OH
Posted 10:52 PM, 06/29/2009
Didn't I see this score when Ohio State beat Rice? I believe it was back in the John Cooper days.
Antioch, Fl
Posted 07:57 AM, 06/30/2009
Over the past couple weeks there have been quite a few articles about this tournament, the teams involved and the International federation etc. Just look back through the sports archives.
Contrary to an earlier post, these teams and their countries are well aware of the level of competition the other teams can compete at. They not only DO know that "other countries but Canada had a high school football team", they know that several of the nations have a well established collegiate program.
This earlier link from the Beacon might help some.
http://www.ohio.com/sports/49321777.html
Waponi , Wu
Posted 09:23 AM, 06/30/2009
Cheese eatin surrender monkeys! (said with a Scottish Accent)
Oldsmar, FL
Posted 09:36 AM, 06/30/2009
"Didn't I see this score when Ohio State beat Rice? I believe it was back in the John Cooper days."
No, Cuddy, combined that's what Appalachian State and Toledo beat meeeeCHIGan by. Sorry......you walked right into that one:)
The, US
Posted 12:50 PM, 06/30/2009
Muck Fichigan
Kent, OH
Posted 09:04 PM, 06/30/2009
^Ah yes, true "class" by Buckeye fans...always knew you lacked in that area.
