The blue and gold proved to be too fast and too big for the blue and white. The only time Kentucky threatened to score was late in the second half after an interception. With the ball on West Virginia’s one-yard line, Kentucky had four downs to push the ball into the end-zone but the Mountaineers’ powerful line held and the Bluegrass All-Stars walked away with nothing.
Former heavy weight boxing champion of the world, Buster Douglas conducted the coin toss at the start of the game. West Virginia won
the toss and elected to kick. Their strength on defense was obvious from the beginning as Kentucky was quickly forced to punt.
West Virginia’s Cody Varney from Tug Valley High School returned the punt to the 22-yard line. After marching into Kentucky territory, quarterback Ryan Crum from Man connected with Derrick Earnest, also from Man, for a 25-yard touchdown. Earnest’s PAT attempt was good and with 9:14 left on the clock in the first quarter, West Virginia took a 7-0 lead.
The Mountaineer All-Star’s defense would prevail once more regaining the pigskin for the offense. Crum quickly led his team down the field.
However, a sack by Kentucky All-Star Hunter Crowder from Allen Central forced West Virginia into 3rd and long. But Crum would again connect with his former Man teammate, Earnest, for a first down on Kentucky’s 7-yard line.
West Virginia muscled the football to Kentucky’s one-yard line and with 3rd and goal, Gilbert’s Cameron Ellis hit pay-dirt. Earnest’s PAT was no good and with 4:22 left in the first, West Virginia extended their lead 13-0.
During the remaining minutes of the first half neither team was able to put points on the scoreboard. The only opportunity came from West Virginia when Earnest’s 40-yard field goal attempt fell short.
The second half was marred by penalties with the only points coming at the beginning of the third quarter on a 48-yard run by Hurricane’s Dustin Wilkerson for West Virginia. The PAT by Earnest was good and the score West Virginia 20, Kentucky 0 would be the final points on the scoreboard.
Head coach for the blue and gold, Matt Stanley, said he appreciated the opportunity to coach this group of boys.
“I think both teams did a great job representing their states,” Stanley said. “The communities these boys represent have a lot to be proud of.”
While Kentucky coach Jonathan Parsons would like to have had more time to prepare, he said if asked to come back, he would coach the Kentucky All-Stars again.
“Every year, if I was asked, I would do it,” he said.
A few Pike County schools refused to nominate players to represent the Bluegrass. Parsons said that decision was “their choice.”
“I hate that it happened,” he said. “But the fact they didn’t send anyone meant that others got to play.”
Parsons said during the week of practice preparing for the game, he never had all of his players together at one time. “It showed out there,” he said after the game. “We just didn’t click.”
Matewan High School’s assistant football coach John Fry worked hard pulling everything together for the bowl. He reminded coaches that in the past several years players have been offered college scholarships after participating in the bowl.
“Coaches should encourage the kids to play,” he said. Fry said this year’s bowl went “really well. He empathized with the two head coaches.
“From doing this game four times, I know all the work these guys (Stanley and Parsons) had to put into this,” he said. “It is very time consuming and challenging. Both did a great job getting their teams ready in a short timeframe.”
“It was an enjoyable week hanging out with wonderful kids from wonderful communities,” Stanley said.
Fry stressed his apprecia-
tion to Massey Energy saying “without them, there would be no bowl.”
Earnest was chosen as offensive MVP from West Virginia while BJ Roberts of Shelby Valley was selected from Kentucky.
Defensive MVPs were Westside’s Michael Harless for West Virginia and Kentucky’s Austin McKinney from Prestonsburg.
West Virginia’s Chris Carter and Kentucky’s Chris Stumbo each received $500 scholarships after the game. During the halftime activities, Audrey Allen of Phelps was crowned Miss Massey Energy.
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