By Brad Duff
Team South secured a convincing win over the North in the Football America UK University All-Stars game, with the final score being 18-0.
The game saw the South team start off well on offense, driving 80 yards downfield on the first drive, thanks to a 40 yard run from Imperial Immortals quarterback Alex Stocks and some powerful running from Samuel Adesanya of the Solent Redhawks. They came up short however, with the Northern defensive unit holding strong on the goaline.
After gaining possession within their own 10-yard-line, the North struggled to find anything, giving the ball right back on a three and out.
The South capitalized on this, powering through the North’s defense. Despite a big run from SGS Pride’s Dejahne Erskine being called back for a hold, the South were quick to make up for it; Alex Stocks hit Exeter’s James Bush in the back corner of the endzone, where he brought the ball down through double-coverage, putting numbers on the board late in the first quarter.
That first touchdown from this evening’s @famerica All-Star game🤯 pic.twitter.com/D4gtURLPJg
— Brad Duff (@bduffjourno) April 12, 2023
Bournemouth University Bobcats running back Teddy Pope drove the conversion in to make the score 8-0.
After trading possessions and a mishandled snap on a field goal attempt, the North looked to be finding rhythm with Manchester Metropolitan’s Alex Ross at quarterback, completing some short passes and gaining a big third down conversion over the middle.
This success was short-lived, however, as Ross overthrew Edinburgh Napier wideout Luke Colvin; Birmingham’s Obed Addai plucked the ball out the air and returned it 67 yards for a defensive touchdown.
Another Teddy Pope run made it 16-0 to the South.
The two sides traded possessions for the remainder of the first half, with some notable plays coming from a Josh Padley fumble recovery for the North, and a well-executed trick play which saw the South perform a double-pass to convert on a 4th down.
Photo: Charlotte Murden
The second half was a defensive battle, with both offenses struggling to get anything going.
Adesanya had some impressive gains, including a big run after reversing field and tracking back across the field to gain a first down. The same drive, however, saw him get stripped of the ball in the red zone, where Matthew Kallem of the UCLAN Rams jumped on the ball.
The South came close to conceding, as a bad snap on a punt gave the ball to the North within five yards of the goal line.
The North were unable to capitalize on this field position, with Bristol Cuda defensive back Benjamin Mellor picking the ball off in the endzone on fourth down.
Keele Crusaders quarterback Oliver Levitt-Allen took the field for the North, but was quick to return to the sideline, as a lofted ball on third down was picked off by OBU’s Robbie Green.
After a South three and out, their defense put the nail in the coffin; a sack by Portsmouth’s Ayomide Badejo in the endzone put another two points on the board, making the score 18-0.
Aside from a deep interception for the North by Leeds Beckett’s Sean Bedford, the final minutes of the game were fairly standard, ending with a knee from the South as time expired.
Samuel Adesanya was named MVP of the game.