Casino Bowl XI
West 20-East 14

By: Greg Skowronski

Casino Bowl XI was played at Sam Boyd Stadium home of UNLV on a fast track that featured some big plays in a game dominated by two tough defenses. Six of seven game MVP’s played on the defensive side of the football. Carlos Lattimore of the Kankakee (IL) Seminoles distinguished himself by scoring on a 64 yard run early in the game and on a one yard plunge with 1:02 remaining in the fourth quarter to solidify the West Squad’s win.

In the first four minutes of Casino Bowl XI there were three touchdowns scored and the game seemed destined to be a high scoring event. Jason Spang of the USFA, National Championship Mid State (IL) Steel returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown. The PAT was no good and the West immediately posted a 6-0 lead.

With 11:31 left in the first quarter, Lattimore broke several tackles and sprinted up the sideline for his first 64-yard TD. Again the timing was bad and the PAT failed but the West held a lead with a 12-0 score. This score only held up for 22 seconds as QB John Kennedy of the Scranton (PA) Eagles completed a 70-yard scoring strike to WR Greg Campbell of the Baltimore (MD) Warriors. Steve Moser of the Penn Ohio Raiders kicked the extra point and the East was back in the game but trailing by five points as the West held on to a 12-7 lead. East QB, John Kennedy played in Casino Bowl I and looked sharp in his Casino Bowl XI appearance.

The scoring settled down for a while as the defenses started to dominate the game. Linebackers Mark McCutchen of the Central Penn Piranha played a very strong game and Nick Parlanti of the Scranton (PA) Eagles picked off a pass and scored a defensive touchdown on a 24 yard run with the intercepted pass. Steve Moser added the extra point and the East led at half time by a 14-12 score and went into the locker room with momentum.

The second half was a defensive struggle. RB/LB Deron Adams of Hamilton Ontario played both offense and defense and contributed greatly to the East holding on to their 2 point lead during the third and into the late fourth quarter. The defensive line of the West was determined to stop the momentum of the East and dominated the line of scrimmage. Fred Robinson of the St. Louis (MO) Bulldogs played both defensive End and tackle and made some impact plays. Darryl Richard of the Cedar Valley (IA) Vikings put great pressure on the East offense as a determined edge pass rusher and contain run stopper. Together, Robinson and Richard started to turn the tide for the West.

Offensively, the West Squad was determined to run the football in the second half and succeeded by putting together a relentless 67-yard scoring drive late in the game. Lattimore was the featured running back behind an inspired offensive line led by guard Stan Johnson of the St. Louis Bulldogs and offensive linemen Ralph Gillespie and Paul Malavolti both of the Mid-State (IL) Steel. Willie Staple, West QB, from the MN Lumberjacks directed the attack using Lattimore behind the blocking of lead backs FB, Brian Davis of the Mid-State Steel, and Running backs Phil Norsweather, Force of Illinois and Ulises Martin of the Leydon (IL) Lions.

Staples concentrated on making each first down on the eight play drive with short play-action passes and runs by workhorse Lattimore who twisted, spinned and hustled his way to his second touchdown on a one yard plunge with 1:02 remaining in the game. The West went to a fake extra point and holder and punter Chad Lusche of the Colorado Wildcats completed a pass to TE Wendell Mosley of the St. Louis (MO) Bulldogs in the corner of the endzone for the two-point conversion.

With the score West 20-East 14, it was time for Kennedy to lead the East down the field in the two minute drill. The west defensive backs rose to the occasion and Leon Friend of the Southern California Steelers intercepted a pass with under one minute to play. Casino Bowl XI was an exciting game that went down to the wire.

Head coaches Greg Moore of West Squad (St. Louis (MO) Bulldogs and East Squad coach Jordan Kopac of the Racine (WI) Raiders did an outstanding job along with their staffs to prepare for Casino Bowl XI.

In 2006, Casino Bowl XI featured 76 football players from 35 different teams and represented 18 leagues from 20 different states and Canada.