Junior World Football Championship!

[Deehntr56]

Something new for us to watch.

I think it will be an interesting read and watch!

Team capsules for Junior World Championship
by Tim Rogers, Plain Dealer Reporter



Team USA coach Chuck Kyle listens for a reply from the sidelines during his team's practice this afternoon at Walsh University in preparation for the inaugural Junior World Championship, which begins Saturday.

MEET THE TEAMS

What: Inaugural eight-team, 19-and-under Junior World Championship football tournament run by the International Federation of American Football.

When: Saturday-July 5.

Where: Fawcett Stadium, 1835 Harrison Ave. NW, Canton.

Team Canada

Seed: 1.

Coach: Glen Constantin, eighth year.


Road to Fawcett: 419 miles (mileage is based on distance from each country's capital city); Automatic qualifier via Pan-American Federation of American Football.

Players to watch: Kirby Fabien, OT, 6-6, 287; Steven Lumbala, RB, 5-11, 190; Chris Rossetti, QB, 5-11, 190; Taylor Nill, WR, 5-10, 175; Byron Perez-Archambault, LB, 6-0, 215.

Notable: Constantin is the head coach at Laval University and has won four national championships. Fabien, Lumbala and Nill are all University of Calgary recruits. Lumbala has an older brother in the CFL. Rossetti was 36-0 as a starter at St. Michael's College School in Ontario.


Team USA

Seed: 2.

Coach: Chuck Kyle, first year.

Road to Fawcett: 266 miles; Automatic qualifier as host country.

Players to watch: Tyler Dippel, DL, 6-4, 250; Chris Henderson, DT, 6-1, 280; Jack Mewhort, C, 6-6, 285; Chris Norman, LB, 6-2, 225; David Wilson, RB, 5-11, 192.

Notable: This is America's first trip to the Junior World tournament but coach Kyle is savvy enough to know that preparation is the key. The Yanks will not be unprepared when they take the field on Saturday against France. Speaking of the U.S. and France, OSU recruit Mewhort speaks fluent French.


Team Mexico

Seed: 3.

Coach: Ernesto Alfaro Del Villar, second year.

Road to Fawcett: 1,816 miles; Third place, Pan-American Junior Championships.

Players to watch: Javier Bierney, QB, 6-2, 195; Jiovanni Carrillo, LB, 6-1, 203; Juan Carlos Maya, RB, 5-4, 154; Jair Viamontes, WR, 5-10, 165; David Vallacis, OL, 6-0, 236.

Notable: American football has been played in Mexico since the 1920s and the Aztec Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned Division III postseason game, has been played there intermittently since 1950. The country has produced five players that spent time or were members of NFL practice squads.


Team Japan

Seed: 4.

Coach: Takao Yamazaki, first year.

Road to Fawcett: 6,539 miles; Automatic qualifier, via Asian Federation of American Football.

Players to watch: Yuichirou Araki, QB, 6-1, 205; Shoma Endo, PK, 5-11, 176; Shu Inoue, RB, 5-7, 143; Shun Kitagawa, RB, 5-5, 163; Jyunpei Yoshimoto, WR, 5-6, 139.

Notable: The five players listed above all participated in a 38-21 victory over a team from America in the second annual Global Challenge Bowl in March. Araki was the game's MVP, completing 9 of 12 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown and running for another score.


Team Germany

Seed: 5.

Coach: Peter Springwald, 11th year.

Road to Fawcett: 4,237 miles; Won the European Junior Championship, defeating Sweden, 9-6, in the title game.

Players to watch: Robert Demers, QB, 6-2, 205; Lukas Muller, DL, 6-9, 254; Mark Nzecho, DB, 6-2, 194; Randall Payne, RB, 5-8, 187; Bjorn Werner, DT, 6-4, 258.

Notable: Outscored its opponents, 70-20, in four qualifying games. Werner attends the Salisbury School in Connecticut, and is ranked as the 10th best tackle in the USA by Scout.com. Payne was the MVP in the European Junior championship game.


Team Sweden

Seed: 6.

Coach: Jan Jenmert, fifth year.

Road to Fawcett: 4,149 miles; Runner-up, European Junior Championship.

Players to watch: Hampus Hellermark, WR, 6-1, 207; Andre'e Jenmert, QB, 6-1, 223; Sebastian Johansson, OL, 6-5, 282; Filip Jonnson, LB, 5-10, 218; Damien Scannella, WR, 5-9, 168.

Notable: Scannella lived in Dallas until age 13 and played in youth events hosted by the Cowboys. Jenmert is the son of the head coach and is one of several players who attend high school in the States.


Team France

Seed: 7.

Coach: Olivier Moret, third year.

Road to Fawcett: 3,394 miles; Third place, European Junior Championships.

Players to watch: Geoffrey Dieny, LB, 6-2, 190; Steven Joacin, FB, 5-10, 207; Giovanni Nanguy, LB, 6-3, 207; Thomas Ruiz, RB, 5-9, 154; Maxime Sprauel, QB, 5-11, 187.

Notable: The first game of American football played in France was in 1919 by U.S. soldiers who stayed in France after World War I, but the French Federation of American Football was not established until 1983.


Team New Zealand

Seed: 8.

Coach: Michael Mau'u, first year.

Road to Fawcett: 8,459 miles; Won the Oceania Federation of American Football, defeating host Australia, 12-7, in the title game.

Players to watch: Matt Gandy, RB, 5-11, 190; Gus Hellesoe, LB, 5-11, 205; Mitch Crossland-Scott, PK/P, 5-11, 182; Pati Sale, DE, 6-1, 331; Dan Tavaga, RB, 5-5, 155.

Notable: Hellesoe and Gandy are accomplished rugby players and Tavaga scored both touchdowns in a 12-7 win over Australia that clinched New Zealand's appearance in Canton.

[GMbuck]

I think I'm going to go. My 4 year old son would be better suited for the early games, but the US team plays late. I'll probably go to the late game. Get him all jacked up on Mountain Dew and candy....

[OhioBoy86]

I think this will be a great thing for the Canton community and the world. It only gives us more exposure to the world and shows how important football is to Canton and the state of Ohio. We usually take it for granted that the football hall of fame is right in our back yards, this is just another neat reminder that it is here for our enjoyment.

[Deehntr56]

Good Games this past weekend.....:biggrin:

USA earns victory after classic Kyle speech: Junior World Championship
by Tim Rogers Sunday June 28, 2009, 1:49 AM

CANTON -- He gathered his team around him in the middle of the home locker room in Fawcett Stadium, and you just knew it was going to be vintage Chuck Kyle.

"Listen up very carefully, fellas," Kyle said in his pregame pep talk to Team USA before it dismantled France, 78-0, in the IFAF World Junior Championship on Saturday. "Listen up very carefully. Got this?"

The room grew quiet. Hear-a-pin-drop quiet.

"I want you to look on your jersey," the St. Ignatius coach continued.

"See those three letters?" Kyle asked, pointing his finger at the USA stitched across the jersey of the player standing in front of him.

"Yes, sir," some answered.

Pausing slightly, the coach who was chosen to lead America's first venture into international football went on.

"Listen very carefully," he repeated. "Earn this. It's a simple statement. I talk too much. It's a simple statement. Earn this! Earn this!"




Another slight pause.

"You earn it before the whistle and you earn it after the whistle. There are a hell of a lot of people who fought and died for those three letters. We can win a football game. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," they responded.

One more time, "Earn this. Let's go."

With that the room exploded in noise, and 45 kids dressed in red, white and blue pushed toward the door, yelling and screaming as only 18-year-old football players can.

It wasn't the longest pregame speech Kyle has ever delivered. But, it was classic, nonetheless.

Beyond the lines: There is more to the JWC than winning and losing. New Zealand coach Michael Mau'u put it in perspective shortly after his eighth-seeded team was thumped by top-seeded Canada, 55-0, in the opening game of the nine-day tournament.

"At the end of the game, all of our kids were still smiling and were still happy to have made the trip," he said. "Give ultimate props to Canada. They deserve their ranking, but the game was played in the spirit of the tournament.

"We saw them at their best, and we knew when they eased off on us, and that's the true spirit of why we're here. Not for the winning of the tournament, but to make sure everyone gets the most out of it."


Clap on, clap off: German fans, equipped with inflatable plastic sticks called "clappers," kept up a steady beat and were very vocal during their team's 10-7 loss to Japan.

T-shirt of the day: "You bet your schnitzel we're German."

Old school: Sweden's Jan Jenmert was a refreshing sight, coaching his team in a suit and tie in its loss to Mexico.

Injury report: Japan defensive lineman Gendai Takechi and Sweden's 6-11 wide receiver Filip Persson were taken off the field on stretchers after suffering injuries. Takechi suffered what was described by team officials as a minor knee injury, and Persson suffered a broken left arm in the loss to Mexico.


Game 1: Canada 55, New Zealand 0

Game 2: Japan 10, Germany 7

Game 3: Mexico 41, Sweden 0

Game 4: United States 78, France 0

Wednesday

10 a.m. -- Game 5: New Zealand vs. Germany

1 p.m. -- Game 6: Sweden vs. France

4 p.m. -- Game 7: Canada vs. Japan

7 p.m. -- Game 8: Mexico vs. United States

Saturday, July 4

1 p.m. -- Seventh-place game: Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser

4 p.m. -- Fifth-place game: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner

7 p.m. -- Bronze-medal game: Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 loser

July 5

1 p.m. -- Gold-medal game: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner

Tickets: All-day general admission tickets are $10, reserved tickets are $15. Call 1-800-574-5874. Tickets also will be sold at Fawcett Stadium on game days.

[Deehntr56]

Boy Team USA took it to Mexico yesterday!

They have outscored their opponents by a 133-0 margin!:biggrin:

Courtesy of the PD, 7.2.09.....Buckeyes Klein and Mewhort Help USA Football Reach Junior World Championship Game


Mexico wasn't able to slow down a resilient U.S. attack, as Team USA was victorious 55-0

The United States' dominance in the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship continued Wednesday as Team USA defeated Mexico 55-0 in the second round of the inaugural tournament before a crowd of 11,218 fans at Fawcett Stadium.

"I think when the whistle blew we played with good intensity," USA coach Chuck Kyle said. "I think we accomplished our mission."

Tailback David Wilson, a Virginia Tech recruit, led USA's offense by scoring three rushing touchdowns and gaining 146 yards on 11 carries.

"It may appear easy, but I put in a lot of hard work on and off the field," Wilson said. "There are a lot of things that I go through that people don't see, the sweat and the struggle. Each time I step on the field, I want to be that much better."

Robert Bell, a linebacker/fullback headed to the University of Toledo, scored a touchdown for USA on offense and defense, and also recorded a sack.

USA (2-0) will play Canada (2-0) at 1 p.m. on Sunday in the Gold Medal Game at Fawcett Stadium after Canada defeated Japan 38-35. Mexico (1-1) will take on Japan (1-1) in the Bronze Medal Game at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Fawcett Stadium.

"I would like to apologize to the people who believe in this team," Mexico coach Ernesto Alfaro del Villar said. "This team fought a lot. We tried to improve our performance, but we faced a very solid team. USA is a big, strong team. I am proud of my players. We never quit. We tried to run the ball and we tried to throw the ball, but we were facing a lot of pressure."

USA held an advantage over Mexico in total yards gained (433-35) and first downs (17-4).

"I think defensively we played a very good ballgame," Kyle said "They spread it out offensively. I think we disrupted (Mexico quarterback Jose Miguel Garcia's) timing and that was important because he can run and he can throw. We were mixing coverages and mixing blitzes, and obviously that helped."

Wilson's display of speed, quickness, strength and power proved to be too much for Mexico's defense. Wilson has rushed for seven touchdowns and 327 yards on 23 carries through two games in the tournament, USA victories over France (78-0 Saturday) and Mexico.

"I really was concerned coming into the ballgame because our kids are not used to playing a ballgame three days later," Kyle said. "We're used to seven days between games."
Kyle said he was "delighted and thrilled" with his team's performance and added: "This is not an all-star team, we're a team. We're the United States of America."

Wilson took the first play from scrimmage 50 yards off left tackle for a rushing touchdown with 11:44 remaining in the first quarter. Mike Loftus, a Southern Methodist University recruit, converted the extra point and USA led 7-0.

"He's awesome," del Villar said of Wilson. "I remember a touchdown where half our team touched him (and he didn't go down). He's a great player."

Wilson added a second touchdown on a 36-yard run with 6:42 remaining in the first quarter. Loftus made the extra point and the Americans led 14-0.

"Clearly he's got great skills, agility and great vision," Mexico linebacker Jose Miguel Garcia said of Wilson.

The Americans extended the lead to 20-0 with 4:25 left in the first quarter following a 53-yard pass play from quarterback Bryce Petty to Bell. After running just six plays offensively, USA had scored three touchdowns and accumulated 157 yards.

With 3:34 left in the first quarter, USA cornerback Shamarko Thomas (Syracuse) intercepted a pass and returned it 32-yards for a touchdown. A Loftus extra point gave USA a 27-0 advantage. Wilson extended the Americans lead with an impressive 25-yard touchdown run with 10:29 remaining in the second quarter. Wilson broke five tackle attempts en route to the end zone. Loftus made the extra point and USA led 34-0.

"It's funny because I came off the field and I go 'I can't explain it,'" Petty, a Baylor recruit, said. "I have been around football awhile, but I have never seen anyone like him. It's like freakish."

The Americans scored 16 seconds later following a Mexican turnover. USA free safety Chris Payne (South Carolina) forced a fumble after a sack, and Bell recovered the ball and ran 10-yards for a touchdown. Loftus made the extra points to give USA a 41-0 lead.

USA led 41-0 at halftime and held an advantage in total yards gained (262-2). Wilson had seven first-half carries for 131 yards and three touchdowns.

Left Tackle Jack Mewhort led USA onto the field waving the American flag. Mewhort, an Ohio State recruit, was joined in the starting lineup along the offensive line by John Plasencia (Northwestern), Brian Winters (Kent State), Evan Swindall (Mississippi), Aaron Price (Indiana) and Oday Aboushi (Virginia).

USA cornerback Jordan Poyer (Oregon State) intercepted a pass and ran 27-yards for a touchdown with 6:59 left in the third quarter. Loftus' extra point made the score 48-0. The American's lead grew to 55-0 with 11:54 to go in the fourth quarter following a 27-yard touchdown pass from Petty to receiver Aaron Dobson (Marshall), and a Loftus extra point. Petty completed 6-of-8 passes for 136 yards.

Vega led Mexico onto the field prior to the game with the Mexican flag. He finished 4-for-13 passing for 57 yards. Garcia, end Fidel Guillermo Lopez and linemen Hector Ricardo Yanez and Cesar Esteban Canabal each had a sack for Mexico. Garcia finished with eight solo tackles and three assisted tackles.

"We are proud to play football," Mexico's Edgar Arroyo, who gained 128 yards on six kickoff returns, said. "The thing we have in mind is to fight every play and fight for every yard."

"Still there things we have to work on," Kyle said. "The penalties (15 for 160 yards) broke our concentration and were a distraction."

[OhioBoy86]

I went to the game last night and was pretty impressed with our boys. By the start of the 3rd quarter, they were a little disctracted as the quote said, it appeared the players were trying to do too much, but Kyle settled them down, along with some great defensive plays. Some of the Mexican players got absolutely smoked and the crowd let out some sympathetic oooohs and aaaahhs. I'm looking forward to the championship game on Sunday!

[Deehntr56]

USA Wins it!:biggrin:

Red, white & blue leads to the gold for U.S. team in Junior World Championship
by Tim Rogers Sunday July 05, 2009, 11:28 PM

Canton gets high marks as host...

CANTON, Ohio -- In retrospect, it was a possible lose-lose situation that 45 American football-playing teenagers and 10 coaches turned into a win-win.

That was the bottom line of the Junior World Championship, which came to an end Sunday with the United States beating Canada, 41-3, to win the gold medal in Fawcett Stadium. The inaugural event featured squads from eight countries, but only one real football team, at least by American standards.

A case could be made that the U.S. team overcame Canada and tons of high expectations. Can't you hear the naysayers: "So, the U.S. won. With all that all-star talent, it should win." A field day would have been had if the U.S. team had lost, and playing in its back yard.

"What you saw here, totally, this was not an All-Star team," Kyle said in his postgame news conference, flanked by quarterback Bryce Petty and linebacker Storm Klein. "I'll look you in eye and tell you that 'til the day I die. This was not an All-Star team.

"This was a team that had about two weeks to get ready for its first game," he said, his voice becoming more affirmative. "These kids came from all over America with a couple of things that bind you together, a love of the game of football and the love of their country. That's what happened. In all honesty those were the two factors. That was a team you saw, a team."

For all intents, it was the best team top-seeded Canada has ever seen. Ditto for Mexico and France, the other countries the USA beat en route to the gold medal.

It started from the opening whistle with 15,473 fans watching.

The USA, seeded second, kicked off and Klein, who will attend Ohio State, intercepted a pass and returned it 16 yards to the Canada's 17-yard line on the game's second play. On the third play, Petty threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Florida Atlantic recruit Jamal Davis.

The point-after failed -- about the only thing that went wrong for America all day -- but the lead climbed to 8-0 when Canada wisely took an intentional safety when pinned down on its 3-yard line on its next possession.

Canada, the top-seeded team in the event, ended the USA's tournament scoreless streak at when kicker Lirim Hajrullahu kicked a 38-yard field goal with 1:34 left in the first quarter.

That was as close as it got. Team USA scored on three of its next six possessions and Canada was unable to mount a sustainable drive.

When asked if being seeded second provided motivation, Klein said, "We had something to prove. Maybe the next time they have something like this, the guy doing the rankings will think about that. Our performance on the field spoke for that."

Petty, a Baylor recruit, was named MVP after competing 14 of 14 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns. He also could have qualified for the Mr. Congeniality Award, if there was one.

"What goes unnoticed in that 14-for-14 is that about 12 of those were a 5-yard hitch that were turned upfield. Basically, what I'm saying is that we have athletes. I could get my little sister out there to throw a 5-yard hitch and those guys would have done the same thing."

Running back David Wilson (Virginia Tech) once again led the U.S. ground game. The 5-11, 192-pound Virginian ran for 87 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries. That brought his three-game totals to 425 yards and eight touchdowns on 33 carries.

While thrilled with the gold medal, Kyle stressed that there was more to the game and the last 22 days than medals and trophies.

"Where do those things go?" he asked. "They go in a trophy case or the medals are hung somewhere. OK, they're gone. What stays are the memories, the friendships. These guys will be friends for the rest of their lives, they will. It's like that 'cause it's a team. All-Star teams never have that. Never. All-Star teams play to showcase talent.

"Naw, not this one. This was a team."

And a very good team.