Team USA and Costa Rica Winners At Tropic Bowl VI

Ms Elle

8 years ago

USA Men Shut Out Costa Rica, Costa Rica Women’s Shut Out Honduras

The Tropic Bowl, presented by Athletes Without Borders (AWB), is the longest-standing, internationally friendly, and annual American football event in Costa Rica. On Saturday, May 14th, the Tropic Bowl completed its sixth edition at Ernesto Rohrmoser Stadium in Rohrmoser-Pavas, San José; a fitting venue for the vastly popular American football event, located only a few hundred meters from the Embassy of the United States of America.

Each year, organizers of the Tropic Bowl have adapted the event day schedule to accommodate the ever-evolving progress of the local American football league(s) in Costa Rica. However, the one constant that has always remained is the feature game of the North East (USA) All-Stars vs. Costa Rica All-Stars.

The USA team is made up of semi-pro players mostly based out of the Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire areas. The Costa Rican team combines players from both the Costa Rican federation and private leagues. The Tropic Bowl is the only American football event in Costa Rica that doesn’t differentiate players participation because of leagues.

Although the USA team has dominated the final score each year of the bowl, by no means has it deterred the feisty and fiercely proud Costa Rican players from welcoming the adversity of challenging their level of play against the USA opponents for the opportunity to develop technical skills. The mutual respect expressed by the players of both countries emulates the values AWB echoes.

Head coach Carlos Avila of the Costa Rica All-Stars led the formation of the 40-player roster having had only two tryout practices before the anticipated game. Avila was accompanied by a locally renowned coaching staff; Offensive Coordinator, Paco Wilson, Defensive Coordinators, Kevin Brinkley & Evan Davis Jr. and Line Coordinator, Richard Compain.

Scoring Summary

Left: North East (USA) All*Stars MVP, WR Nelson (Nelly) Montas #17

1^st Quarter: The feature game opened with Costa Rica having the ball, but not for long as USA LB Emmanuel Parent #31 made an amazing one-handed interception on the first drive.

USA QB Tony Ravenell #1 passed to WR Nelson (Nelly) Montas #17 for a 45-yard touchdown catch. USA 6 – CR 0

2^nd Quarter: USA QB Tony Ravenell #1 passed again to WR Nelson (Nelly) Montas #17 this time for a 15-yard touchdown. USA 12 – CR 0

USA RB Joseph Harris #5 made a 10-yard touchdown run. Harris was in the spotlight for a second time in the same quarter for a 2-point conversion racking up the points going into halftime. USA 20 – CR 0

3^rd Quarter: USA DE Divad McCoy #90 returned a fumble for a 20-yard touchdown. USA 26 – CR 0

4^th Quarter: USA Backup QB Frankie Saxon #12 made a 27-yard touchdown pass to WR Nelson (Nelly) Montas #17 for his third touchdown of the game leaving the Costa Ricans defeated by a shut out score of USA 32 – CR 0.

* USA game stats provided by Alberto Diaz

Men’s All-Stars MVP’s

North East (USA) All-Stars MVP: WR Nelson (Nelly) Montas #17 from Boston, Massachusetts, USA has been playing semi pro football for nine years.

Costa Rica All-Stars MVP: QB Justin Mckenzie #2 also played QB for the championship team, Bulldogs F.A. of the 2016 Super Tazón CR VIII.

North East (USA) All*Stars MVP: WR Nelson (Nelly) Montas # 17

“Playing in Costa Rica was the best football experience of my life and I enjoyed teaching the youths more than winning an MVP award. Thank you Costa Rica!”

Women’s Costa Rica All*Stars F.A. – Photo Credit / Ms Elle

Tropic Bowl Continues to Break Boundaries

Last year Tropic Bowl V hosted the historic first exhibition game for the two women’s American football teams in Costa Rica; Pérez Zeledón, Angels F.A. & San José, Olympian Goddesses CR F.A.

Angels F.A. player Naomy Amador Atencio made the first touchdown for women’s American football in Costa Rica closing out the game 6-0.

Fast track to Tropic Bowl VI, Head Coach, Monney took the women’s Costa Rica All-Stars F.A. (Pérez Zeledón, Angels F.A. & San José, Olympian Goddesses CR F.A.) to victory with a 32-0 shut out win over the Vikingas F.A. of Honduras. Aiding at his side was Offensive Coordinator, Cisco Leon, Defensive Coordinator, Carlos Avila and Line Coordinator, Clifford Samuels.

Women’s Costa Rica All*Stars F.A. vs. Vikingas F.A. of Honduras – Photo Credit / Yamilt A. Cascante

Scoring Summary

1^st Quarter: Goddesses CR F.A. player Sofia Bustamante Avalos claimed the first points of the game when she made a reverse touchdown run for over 40-yards. CR 6 – HN 0

2^nd Quarter: No Touchdowns

3^rd Quarter: 3 Touchdowns! Scoring action heated up when Goddesses CR. F.A. players Floriam Vanessa Rios made a reverse touchdown run followed by Aymara Reyes Reyes reverse touchdown keep for 25-yards. A feat considering Reyes was still limping from a sprained knee only a month prior to the game.

Angels F.A. player Joselyn Ureña Retana made a 24 touchdown keep bringing the third quarter score to CR 24 – HN 0

4^th Quarter: Goddesses CR F.A. player Sofia Bustamante made her second reverse touchdown run of the game for 32-yards. Teammate Mariela Hernandez Mata followed up the touchdown with a 2-point conversion closing out the game CR 32 – HN 0

*Goddesses CR F.A. player Mariel Valentine McKenzie played both sides and had a touchdown called back for a face mask penalty. Valentine assisted the defense to hold the score at zero.

*Angels F.A. player LB Claudia Amador Atencio was a major force to be reckoned with as she had over 15 solo tackles and had no mercy on defense. Amador played every play on defense.

* CR game stats provided by Cisco Leon

Women’s All*Stars F.A. MVP’s

Women’s Costa Rica All*Stars F.A. MVP: QB Joselyn Ureña Retana #10 from the team Pérez Zeledón, Angels F.A.. 21 year old Ureña has been practising American football for close to seven months.

Vikingas F.A. of Honduras MVP: Janny Carolina Garcia #75 from Tegucigalpa.

Women’s Costa Rica All*Stars F.A. MVP: QB Joselyn Ureña Retana #10;

“I like American football because it is very disciplined and represents courage and dedication. I became involved after I had attended a Pérez Zeledón, Angels F.A. practice and Coach Carlos Avila invited me to join this great sport!”

“The strengths demonstrated by the women’s CR All-Stars F.A. team included the union and the commitment of each player to achieve the goal in spite of having a great rival, as was the team Vikingas F.A. of Honduras. The disadvantages were the mistakes we made, but as a team we focused on resolving them during the game and not to seek a culprit.”

“I am a multi-functional player and have played several positions on the team, but my primary position was quarterback.”

North East (USA) All*Stars Players with Participants from the Youth/Women’s Training Clinic

The Tropic Bowl event opened at midday with a training clinic for youth and women focusing on Quarterback, Offensive and Defensive drills. Sponsors donated cleats and t-shirts to the participants.

Garrett Osumah, Founder and Executive Director of AWB, “Our dedication to the future is unwavering. Our plan is to continue expanding and to continue creating opportunities for youth to grow.”

Athletes Without Borders

AWB is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of initiatives that cultivate youth empowerment. Through the efforts of our athlete mentors, community leaders, and volunteers we strive to create programs that reinforce the importance of young people making healthy decisions for today and for their tomorrows.