CANTON, OHIO – As the Star Spangled Banner echoed throughout legendary Fawcett Stadium on Wednesday night, Team USA’s gifted offensive lineman Jack Mewhort raised an American Flag in the air and waved it back and forth.
Mewhort, a 6-foot-6, 285-pound Ohio State recruit out of Toledo St. John’s Jesuit, was standing tall and proud after leading his team onto to the field for a second-round game against Mexico in the IFAF Junior World Championship.
Twelve minutes later, all 45-players on the United States roster were standing taller than the opposition from Mexico, as Coach Chuck Kyle’s squad powered its way to a 27-point first quarter and went on to dominant third-seeded Mexico, 55-0.
With the victory, Team USA advances to the game most veterans of international competition have been anticipating – a Gold Medal matchup with Canada, the tournament’s No. 1 seed.
Seeded second in the eight-nation event, the United States will face Canada on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Fawcett Stadium. The game will be televised by Fox College Sports.
“This is going to be a true championship,’’ said Coach Kyle of Sunday’s game. “That’s a very, very good football team, Canada. The Canadian kids play football. They play it like our kids. We’re going to have to play better than we have been playing.
“Looking at these penalties (15 for 160 yards against Mexico), that could really haunt us. I like our talent and everything, but we have to correct that.’’
In a game that was strikingly similar to Saturday night’s 78-point, opening-round triumph over France, Team USA set the tempo behind another brilliant performance by Virginia Tech recruit David Wilson.
A multitalented tailback from Danville (VA) George Washington High School, the 6-0, 192-pound Wilson took the handoff on the first play from scrimmage, cut through a huge hole over the left side, bounced outside and went untouched into the end zone from 50 yards. Mike Loftus, an SMU recruit out of Anaheim (CA) Servite High School, kicked the extra point and the rout was on with the game just 16 seconds old.
Wilson, who has been featured on “The Corner’’ from the first day of practice, added another athletic and graceful TD run of 36 yards with six minutes, 42 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. The United States then silenced the Mexican faithful with a 53-yard scoring pass from quarterback Bryce Petty to linebacker/fullback Robert Bell and a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown by cornerback Shamarko Thomas with 3:34 left in the quarter.
Petty is a Baylor recruit out of Midlothian (TX) High School, Bell is an East Grand Rapids (MI) graduate headed for Toledo and Thomas, the pride of Ocean Lakes (VA), will play his college football at Syracuse.
Team USA left no doubt in the second quarter when Wilson, who has accounted for seven touchdowns and 327 yards rushing in two games, powered and spun his way up the middle, broke three tackles and went 25 yards into the end zone. Sixteen seconds later, Bell tacked on his second TD – a 10-yard effort off a fumble recovery.
Wilson, whose highlight-reel runs were described by Petty as “freakish,’’ carried the ball seven times in the first half for 131 yards and finished with 146 yards rushing on 11 carries. The United States totaled 433 yards on 50 plays and Mexico managed just 35 yards on 43 plays.
“They were packing the box up front and trying to prevent David Wilson from getting out and running the ball,’’ said Bell of the early defensive strategy by Mexico. “That’s why that draw pass (to me) worked. When they pack it in defensively, I go right to the middle in the seam.’’
Bell said his fumble return, one of three defensive scores by Team USA, came off a blitz from the outside. He emphasized that Mexico never saw the blitz coming and that he just picked up the ball and scored.
“The Gold Medal, the first Gold Medal ever played for in the United States in football,’’ Bell said of Sunday’s championship game. “And we’re going to bring it home.
“Yeah, the best is yet to come. Come back Sunday, and you’ll find out.’’
After Team USA tacked on two more touchdowns in the second half – a 27-yard interception return by Oregon State recruit Jordan Poyer out of Astoria (OR) High School and a 27-yard pass from Petty to Marshall recruit Aaron Dobson from South Charleston (WV) – Petty emphasized that he and his teammates have all of the incentive they need heading into Sunday’s game.
“As a team, we’ve been gunning for Canada this entire tournament,’’ said Petty, who completed 6 of 8 passes for 136 yards and two scores. “With them being ranked No. 1 and us No. 2, that’s put a big star on them for us. We’ll be ready for them. That’s for sure.’’
ONE TO REMEMBER: In what was easily the tournament’s most entertaining matchup so far, Canada, trailing by four points with 1:27 remaining, scored on a 33-yard pass from quarterback Jeremie Doyon-Roch to tailback/wideout Alex Anthony with 16 seonds left and turned back fourth-seeded Japan, 38-35.
Anthony made a sure-handed catch, spun away from would-be tacklers and, in an impressive display of heart and second effort, dragged defenders with him into the end zone.
The teams combined for 837 yards, including 461 by Canada. Japan will face Mexico in Saturday’s 7 p.m. Bronze Medal Game.
SWEDEN BOUNCES BACK: After being outplayed by Mexico in the opening round, Sweden responded with a 24-14 victory over France on Wednesday afternoon. France finished with 202 total yards to Sweden’s 200 yards and had 16 first downs to Sweden’s 12.
Trailing, 6-0, Sweden outscored France, 17-0, in the second quarter. Both of Sweden’s touchdowns in those decisive 12 minutes came off turnovers – a 42-yard interception return and a 51-yard return with a fumble recovery.
Sweden, seeded sixth, will face fifth-seeded Germany on Saturday at 4 p.m. The winner will garner a fifth-place finish in the tournament.
Wednesday's official attendance was 11,218.