Pryor dazzles at All-American Bowl
At 6-6, Jeannette (Pa.) quarterback Terrelle Pryor towered over his teammates and most of his opponents while playing Class AA football the past four seasons. There were questions, however, how he would adapt to the competition of major college football.
Terrelle Pryor, USA TODAY's Offensive Player of the Year, threw for one touchdown and ran for 155 all-purpose yards and another touchdown Saturday at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, leading the East to a 33-23 win against the West and picking up the MVP trophy.
"They're bigger and faster; great players and great talent out there," Pryor said. "All Division I players were on the field. It was completely different."
While Terrelle Pryor said he's waiting for National Signing Day (Feb. 6) to announce his college choice, nine other players at the game, televised live by NBC, made non-binding verbal commitments, including defensive back Patrick Johnson of Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.) who chose LSU. Johnson had been leaning toward Miami but said LSU coach Les Miles was the difference in his choice.
"He was up front and honest and that made a major impression on me," said Johnson, USA TODAY's Defensive Player of the Year. "I wasn't feeling the same vibe anymore at Miami."
The eight other players who announced their commitments: Stonewall Jackson (Manassas, Va.) running back Ryan Williams (Virginia Tech); Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) running back Covaughn DeBoskie (California); New Brunswick (N.J.) defensive back Brandon Smith (Michigan); Ben Davis (Indianapolis) quarterback MarQueis Gray (Minnesota); Gateway (Monroeville, Pa.) linebacker Shayne Hale (Pittsburgh); Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) wide receiver Gerrell Robinson (Arizona State); Jefferson County (Louisville, Ga.) offensive tackle A.J. Harmon (Georgia); and Castle (Kaneohe, Hawaii) defensive tackle Solomon Koehler (Arizona).
Brandon's streak ends:
Saturday, Brandon (Fla.) did something it hasn't done since 1973 — lose a dual wrestling meet. South Dade (Homestead, Fla.) defeated Brandon 32-28 in Brandon's gym, ending a streak of 459 consecutive dual meet wins. "No one wanted to be on the team that got beat," Brandon coach Russ Cozart said. "But let's face it, this is a world record that just came to an end. This is not the end of the world. I always told people when the streak got beat it would be a time for celebration." The Eagles passed the previous national high school record — by a volleyball team from New York — 11 years ago. "We broke that history," South Dade senior Tico Baez told the St. Petersburg Times. "Even the guys that weren't supposed to win, they overcame their fears and won the match."
The Clash:
Eric Thompson of Waverly-Shell Rock (Waverly, Iowa) scored three takedowns to defeat Garrett Goebel of Montini Catholic (Lombard, Ill.) 6-3 in a battle of two of the nation's top heavyweights, helping Waverly-Shell Rock earn the team title at The Clash National Wrestling Duals over the weekend in Rochester, Minn. Montini Catholic was second, followed by Apple Valley (Minn.), Glenbard North (Carol Stream, Ill.), and Hastings (Minn.).
Thompson made the all-tournament team, along with Waverly-Shell Rock wrestler Mark Ballweg (135 pounds). The other all-tournament wrestlers: 103 — Eric Devos, Apple Valley, Minn.; 112 — Cody Hansen, Albert Lea, Minn.; 119 — Destin McCauley, Apple Valley, Minn.; 125 —Kody Klaus, Vacaville, Calif.; 130 — Cole Von Ohlen, Central, Jackson, Minn.; 140 — Danny Monaco, Glenbard North, Carol Stream, Ill.; 145 — Alex Zeien, Hastings, Minn.; 152 — Trent Weatherman, Ballard, Huxley, Iowa; 160 — Adam Petersen, Hastings, Minn.; 171 — Travis Rutt, Central, Jackson, Minn.; 189 — Joe Budi, Kaukauna, Wis.; 215 — Ryan Schares, Don Bosco, Gilbertville, Iowa.
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