Houston, TX (Dec 30)- The 7th Annual Offense-Defense All-American Bowl was nothing short of exciting as the National Conference defeated the American Conference 20-9 in Houston, Texas at Reliant Stadium, home of the Houston Texans.
The National Conference won the 7th annual Offense-Defense All-American Bowl behind a strong defensive effort led by a back seven that picked off four American passes.
The National team was led by O-D Bowl Game MVP quarterback Trent Hosick from Staley High School in Missouri (committed to Missouri) as was responsible for two touchdowns in the 20-9 victory for head coach Larry Brown.
Hosick scored on his team’s first offensive play with a 67-yard touchdown on an option keeper to give the National Conference a 7-0 lead. Later in the first half he hit a 70-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Dominic Walker (committed to Nebraska during game) to give them a 14-0 lead with 9:36 left in the first half.
The American Conference finally got on the board with 7:19 left in the third quarter as QB Zach Allen from Temple High School in Texas (committed to Syracuse) hit uncommitted tight end Mitch Parsons in the endzone for a 7-yard scoring strike to cut the National lead to 14-7.
The National Conference thwarted an American Conference drive with an interception returned 32 yards down to the American two-yard line by Florida State commitment linebacker Do’Derrick Hoskins.
The National Conference then scored on a tw0-yard touchdown run by Denham Springs High School running back Kaleb Blanchard (undecided) to give them a 20-9 lead as the extra-point attempt failed with 7:26 left in the game.
A comeback fell shorter as the American Conference was only able to put two more points on the board after a safety by linebacker Shane Jones (committed to Michigan State) capped the scoring of the game with 4:23 left in the fourth quarter.
The National Conference then held the American Conference scoreless the rest of the game to win by a final score of 20-9.
“This was another proud day for Offense-Defense Sports with a tremendous amount of talent and great coaching, “said Offense-Defense President Rick Whittier, “We are already looking forward to a great game in 2014 and another strong year of seeing bowl alumni take their talents to the NFL.”
The Offense-Defense All-American Bowl is part of the largest Youth All-American Event in the country known as Offense-Defense Bowl Week, a series of events taking place during the last week of the year that culminates in the All-American Bowl. The game has in the past seen the on-field talents of a wide array of football stardom including Dez Bryant, Earl Thomas, Cameron Newton, David DeCastro, Cordy Glenn, Stephen Hill, Brandon Boykin, Carlos Dunlap, Derek Sherrod, Golden Tate, Rolando McClain, and Joe Haden among many others. The O-D Bowl led all high school All-America games with nine players selected to the 2012 Senior Bowl and former O-D Bowl participant Cameron Newton was the No. 1 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2011 NFL Draft, named to the Pro Bowl, and was named the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2011 while Earl Thomas was selected to his second straight Pro Bowl in 2013.
The National Conference was led by head coach Larry Brown, a former Super Bowl MVP for the Dallas Cowboys and the American Conference was led by former Cowboys Pro Bowl safety Bill Bates.
During the game several players committed to programs on national television as WR Dominic Walker committed to Nebraska, CB Dashon Hunt committed to Oregon State, DT Derrick Calloway committed to Louisville, and LB Jeremy Benjamin committed to Marshall.
For the second straight year the Offense-Defense Bowl took place in Texas after playing in Dallas at Cowboys Stadium last year
The Houston Texans front office was in attendance as a member of the personnel department watched from a suite and the sidelines before leaving in the third quarter. It’s believed this is the first time in the history of high school All-American games that at least one NFL team had officially been credentialed to evaluate potential future NFL prospects.
This was also the first time in the history of high school All-American games that a game went away from traditional east/west or north/south formats and put players on the same teams from all over the country.
Another first-time in the history of high school All-American games was the Offense-Defense Bowl Draft Special that took place on December 26th as rosters were announced. No game has ever had a draft to divide up the talent.
GAME MVPS
OVERALL MVP: QB Trent Hosick, Staley HS, MO (Missouri)
NATIONAL OFFENSE: RB Kaleb Blanchard, Denham Springs HS, LA (Undecided)
NATIONAL DEFENSE: CB Ranthony Texada II, Frisco Centennial HS, TX (TCU)
AMERICAN OFFENSE: TE Mitch Parsons, Chaparral HS, CO (Undecided)
AMERICAN DEFENSE: DE David Kenney, Pike HS, IN (Indiana)
