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Sports Local Sports East all-stars shut down West
East all-stars shut down West
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 BRAIN-IAC: Cove’s Justin Brainerd breaks loose a 21-yard run for a touchdown during the East’s 26-6 win over the West Saturday. Observer photos/BARRETT HENDERSON Usually all-star games are offensive showcases filling up the scoreboard with points and the stat sheets with yards gained. But Saturday the East all-stars defeated their West counterparts 26-6 in a defensive battle. “Honestly we knew this would be about the defense,” East head coach Rusty Eschler sa id. “We only had four days to try and put an offense in. We kind of figured we’d struggle offensively. “We have some very good defensive players. So we knew that defense would be our strength.” After leading Joseph to the Class 1A state championship game, Eschler was selected as the East head coach. “It’s an honor to be able to coach in this game,” Eschler said. “They’re a great bunch of kids and we had so much fun all week. “It feels great to be undefeated in 2009. Beating the West side feels great. I know a lot of the coaches over there and we’re all friends, but anytime you can beat them its good.” The annual game has become a source of bragging rights with the two sides of the state, but a chance for usual foes to become friends. “We all gelled very easily on the first day,” East’s Nick West said. “It was just all fun. We went out to the movies. We went bowling. We played numerous games of ping pong. “It’s funny because you play with so many guys you learn to not get along with. I see Bo Lewis who I played in the semifinals, I hated Bo. But now to play with these guys and get to know them, it was a real good thing.” After almost not being named a participant in the game, West was be named the game’s Most Valuable Player. “It was funny how I got to be a part of the game, they called me Wednesday afternoon at 3 and asked if I could play and I was here by 7,” West said. “This game is kind of like the cherry on top. The only thing that could make it better is if the East wins the Shrine game.”
 ROAD BLOCK: Crane’s Ray Thompson creates some space for teammate Dallen Davies with a block on Perrydale’s Daniel Lee. West began Saturday’s scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run four minutes into the game. After a turnover, the East scored quickly again when Cove’s Justin Brainerd broke open a 23-yard run for a touchdown with 6:40 left in the first quarter. Both teams failed to score until West gave the East another touchdown with a 24-yard touchdown run with 4:49 remaining in the third quarter. Two minutes later, St. Paul’s Jeff Annen gave the West its first points of the game with a 12-yard touchdown run. Despite a momentum turn in the fourth quarter, the West failed to score anymore points and watched the East run out the clock. Crane’s Dallen Davies sealed the victory for the East with a 27-yard touchdown scamper as time expired. Davies finished with a game-high 93 yards on nine carries and threw for 25 yards, completing three of his six passes. He was named the East’s most inspirational player and offensive player of the game.
West 0 0 6 0 – 6 East 14 0 6 6 – 26 First Quarter E - West 2 run (Brainerd run), 8:01 E - Brainerd 23 run (run failed), 6:40 Third Quarter E - West 24 run (run failed), 4:49 W - Annen 12 run (run failed), 2:09 Fourth Quarter E - Davies 27 run, 0:00 Individual statistics RUSHING – East, Davies 9-93, West 7-39, Brainerd 12-65, Casiano 9-43, Peterson2-6, McFarlane 1-(minus 1), Thompson 4-15, Lewis 3-4. West, Annen,4-27, Rux 14-63, Cardwell 6-41, Thorpe 2-7. PASSING – East, Davies 3-6-0-25, McFarlane 2-7-1-31; West, Lee 5-7-0-17, Annen 0-1-0-0. RECEIVING – East, Johnson201-15, Ellsworth 1-16, Baynes 1-12, Morter 1-8, Thompson1-5; West, Ueland 1-17, Rea 2-4. Most Inspirational player: East, Dallen Davies; West, Matt Crookshank. Defensive Player of the Game: East, George Ellsworth; West, JeffAnnen. Offensive Player of the Game: East, Dallen Davies; West, SamRux. MVP: Nick West. |
