Blue-Grey All-American Bowl: West 52, East 42

Missouri Valley Football Conference target ShunDerrick Powell was among the well-known prospects to participate in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl. Photo courtesy of Underground Sports Network.

A barnburner. No other way to explain it. Back and forth. Big play after big play. In what proved to be the highest scoring encounter in the game’s history, West defeated East, 52-42, at the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl on Jan. 25 at Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium.   

Missouri Valley Football Conference target ShunDerrick Powell was named Co-Offensive MVP after scoring on a 13-yard run in the fourth quarter for the West and finding the end zone on a 101-yard kickoff return in the second quarter. Simply, he couldn’t be stopped.  

Similarly, Conference USA target Jared Smith of the East was on a different level than most everyone and earned Co-Offensive MVP. He scored on a 75-yard touchdown and 28-yarder in the second half, both of those coming after an 81-yarder and 8-yarder in the first half.      

Also in running for the Offensive MVP, Missouri Valley Football Conference target Cam’Ron McCoy had more than 300-all-puprose yards for the West, with a 26-yard touchdown pass to UTSA commit A.J. Gonzaque and a 45-yarder to Big Sky Conference target Jack Pospisil.  

Not to be outdone, Ohio Valley Football Conference target Jalen Macon had himself a day for the East. He finished with more than 300 passing yards and four touchdowns. On and off the field, he was a leader who earned the respect of his many high-profile peers. 

Fresno State commit Emari Pait of the West delivered an interception with 10 tackles and was Defensive MVP. Nevertheless, Patriot League target Matthew See of the East received consideration for the award after his sack and 20-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown.   

There was no shortage of talent on the East, with names such as Cincinnati commit Brady Lichtenburg, Memphis commit Tharon Davis, North Dakota State commit Barika Kpeenu and Western Kentucky commit Adam Crider. That’s naming a few of the many, too. 

Louisville commit Grant Goodman and Eastern Illinois commit Matthew Spofford were others, along with the likes of Mid-American Conference (MAC) target Jaylen Castleberry, Big Sky Conference target Dayton Ford and Ohio Valley Conference target Julian Noble.   

On the other side of the field, for the West, Oklahoma commit Trent Robinson, Kentucky commit Lucas Padgett, Texas Tech commit Imari Jones, Kansas State commit Andrew Schwinn and South Dakota State commit Stefan Coleman were among the marquee names. 

Can’t forget to mention the efforts of Stephen F. Austin commit Jalen Davis, Colorado State commit Duante Davis, San Diego commit Justus Del Rio, Alabama A&M commit Denim Brown and Jacksonville State commit Levi Garner. The list goes on and on.  

Missouri Valley Football Conference target Daylon Powell, Southern Conference target Gunnar Shoemaker, MAC target Jaden Hurd, Conference USA target Joe Malone and Southern Conference target William Rudeseal turned the head of NFL veteran and West coach George Teague. 

Conference USA target Clayton Godwin, Southland target Heston Edwards, MAC target Trey Nuzum, Pioneer Football League target Tabian Dale, Southern Conference target Dawson Duncan and Big Sky Conference target Ryo Kano opened the eyes of NFL veteran and East coach Ken Stills.