(Game Report) 54th East-West All Star game East 44 West 20

 

Last night I made my way to John Carroll University to cover the 54th East-West All Star game. The game was exciting and tight for the first quarter. Each team would score once to keep things locked at seven to seven. After that the West would dominate the 2nd quarter out scoring the East 24-0. There was no running clock rule, so the final half played out a little longer than many thought it would with both teams scoring once in the third and once in the fourth quarter giving us a 44-20 West win.

Jimmie Feaster (Wickliffe) made a leaping catch in double coverage on a pass thrown by Mike Banks (Maple Heights) to give the East a 31 yard gain and a big first down, with 11:07 left in the opening period. Banks would be thrown down for a loss of three by Patrick Fallenstein (Amherst Steele) and Emanuel Moore (Clearview) at the 10:23 mark. The first score of the game came on a 40 yard pass from Robert King (Garfield Heights) to Banks. After Harrison Horvath (Chagrin Falls) mailed the P.A.T. the East led 7-0, with 7:19 left in the quarter. The drive lasted for 6 plays and went for 80 yards.

Burke Lowry (Fairview) would show everyone in the stands he came to play as he immediately took charge of the West offense when he threw a dime to Savijan Harris (Fairview) for a 32 yard pick up, with 7:19 showing on the clock. Later on the drive facing a fourth and one Lowry used the work of his offensive line to pick up 5 yards and move the chains. Lowry ended the drive finding a wide opened Chauncey Watson (Lutheran West) for the 6 yard touchdown. Big leg Caleb Zolkowiski (Padua) tied the game up a seven with his P.A.T. with 5:14 left in the quarter.

With 3:15 left on the clock Cade Yondo (Lakewood St. Ed) and Denison commit was picked off by Darrius Coleman (Cleveland Heights). With 1:00 left in the quarter Antonio Pride (Elyria) was stuffed by Ray Wicks (Lutheran East) of the East for a loss of six. Giving the East All-stars the momentum heading to the 2nd quarter.

Nine seconds into the 2nd quarter Cy Christensen (Amherst Steele) rambled for a gain of 10 yards. The 8 play, 46 yard drive came to a climax with Jimmy Boehnlein (Bay Village) and a Hiram commit scored from 5 yards out to make this a 14-7 game, with 10:06 left in the half.

Moore would get to Banks and slam the Marietta recruit down for a loss of five. From there the West defense would quickly force a punt. Lowry would throw a strike to Matt Joyce (St. Ignatius) and an Ohio Wesleyan commit for a gain of 37, with 6:36 left in the half. Lowry, who is a Muskingum commit ended the drive with an 18 yard touchdown pass to Harris, who is headed to Baldwin Wallace to make this a 21-7 game, with 6:01 showing on the 2nd quarter clock.

Cooper Walker (Solon) made a nice catch but put the ball of the turf after getting hit and making the recovery for the West was Joyce at the 6:05 mark. Yondo came in and made up for his earlier pick when he threw a 60-yard missile to Chris Rogers (Elyria) and a Wooster commit) to make this a 28-7 game, with 5:57 left in the half.

Arvell Nelson Jr (Glenville) and Central State commit was hit for a short loss by Fallenstein, who is headed to Baldwin Wallace and James Moore (Normandy) who is headed to (Heidelberg) The loss was mainly due to a bad snap, which was a common occurrence for the East all-starts. Nelson was brought down for a 10 yard loss with 3:29 left in the half this time it was by Ronnie Morian (Valley Forge) who is headed to TRI C Fire Academy. 

The half came to a close when Zolkowiski, a Clarion commit easily nailed a 51-yard field goal to give the West a 31-7 lead.

Lowry and the West all stars needed just two plays to make this a 37-7 game. Lowry hit Noah Ratchford (St Ed) for a 20-yard gain. Ratchford is headed to Wheeling University.) He ended the drive hitting Antonio Pride (Elyria) for the 31-yard score. Pride is taking his talents to Wittenburg University).

King, who is headed to Lake Erie got things moving for the East all stars with a 15- yard strike to Brady DeVito (Chagrin Falls) who is heading to Miami, Ohio. The 5 play, 80 yard drive ended with King finding Banks for a 50-yard score making this a 37-14 game, with 9:43 left in the third quarter.

With 6:02 left Joyce made a leaping interception on a pass thrown by King. There were two other notable plays in the third frame. King was hit for a 7 yard loss after a bad snap. Doing the deed for the West were, Fallenstein and Ethan Mays (Valley Forge) Mays is headed to Heidelberg. King would also be picked off by Rogers.

This became a 44–14 game just seven seconds into the final stanza, when Cy Christensen (Amherst Steele) and Ohio Bobcat commit plowed in from 3 yards out. The drive went for 11 plays, and 62 yards.

Banks threw a halfback pass DeVito for a gain of 60 yards with 11:24 left in the game. Hunter Thorns berry (Amherst Steele) got to Nelson for a 10 yard loss and forced a turnover on downs, with 9:36 left.

The final two plays of significance came from Darrius Coleman (Cleveland Heights) who picked off Lowry, with 7:03 left. Coleman is headed to Lake Eire. The final play came on a 6 yard touchdown run by King giving us our 44-20 final.

Unofficial stats

East

48 plays

252 yards

Passing 14-26, 2 TDs, 2 Ints

West

54 plays

433 yards

Passing, 18-28 4 TDs 2 Ints