Team West defeats Team East 34-14 in 2022 Adidas All-American Bowl

Photo Credit: @snfonnbc and @aabonnbc

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS— Since 2000, the Adidas All-American Bowl has showcased the top talent of high school football across the country. Last year’s game was cancelled due to COVID-19, but the stage was set and ready for return for the 2022 class. Many NFL stars have played in the bowl to end their high school seasons, including players like Tim Tebow, Derrick Henry, and Trevor Lawrence. In addition, the past two Heisman Trophy winners, Devonta Smith and Bryce Young, both played in the All-American Bowl. Based on the success of the bowl’s past players, it is safe to say that we are seeing the future of the NFL this Saturday in San Antonio.

This year’s bowl featured players that can not only make an impact in the NFL one day, but can also play right away at their future college programs. The East team was led by quarterback and Penn State signee, Drew Allar, out of Medina, Ohio, who is the number-1 quarterback in the country (according to the Top247 rankings), and defensive tackle out of Columbus, Georgia, Mykel Williams, who is signed with the in-state Georgia Bulldogs. The West was led by a name that has become very familiar within the college football community, Cade Klubnik, who can make an impact at quarterback for Clemson very early. The West was also led by one of the top uncommitted linemen in the country, Josh Conerly Jr., out of Seattle, Washington. Despite both teams having their fair share of talented playmakers and future stars, one team had to come out with a win.

The West defense made themselves known at the start of the game, as defensive linemen and Iowa signee, Aaron Graves, came up with a big sack to force 4th down and a punt from the East. After running back and USC signee, Raleek Brown, ran for a 1st down on 3rd and 5, Cade Klubnik threw a perfectly placed ball to wide receiver, CJ Williams, in the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown (PAT good). The West defense continued to put pressure on the East offense, but the East found ways to convert on 4th down to the West 24-yard line. However, an incomplete pass for the East ended the drive, and they turned the ball over to the West at the West’s 21-yard line.

Klubnik kept the West team rolling. Klubnik dished a short pass off to running back, Rayshon Luke, and Luke displayed his superior speed to turn the play into a touchdown, giving the West an early 14-0 lead. (PAT good). After Drew Allar connected with wide receiver and Kentucky signee, Barion Brown, twice to put Team East at the West 29-yard line, the 1st quarter ended with West in the lead by two scores.

Drew Allar got the East on the board to start the second quarter, as he found wide receiver and Texas A&M signee, Deyon Bouie, wide open for a 29-yard touchdown, making the score 14-7 (PAT good). However, after the East defense forced a punt from the West, the East muffed the punt return, and the West recovered the ball. The West couldn’t take advantage, and both teams shared punts on their next drives.

Rayshon Luke used his speed once again on the West’s next drive with a 64-yard breakaway touchdown, making the score 21-7 (PAT good). But East quarterback, Gunner Stockton, didn’t let the East get too far behind. After Stockton used his feet for a 9-yard gain to the East 16-yard line, he took the ball himself again, this time for a 17-yard touchdown to put the East within one score at 21-14 (PAT good). After East cornerback and Florida signee, Devin Moore, intercepted a pass from the West, the first half came to a close with the West in the lead 21-14.

Cade Klubnik continued to dominate to start the second half. After he connected with CJ Williams once again for a large gain to the East 35-yard line, he scrambled and found wide receiver and South Carolina signee, Landon Samson, for a 10-yard touchdown, extending the West’s lead to 28-14 (PAT good). Klubnik continued to connect with his receivers on their next drive, leading the West to their own 45-yard line, and the third quarter came to a close with the score 28-14.

Wide receiver and Ohio State signee, Kyion Grayes, made a huge play for the West to start the fourth quarter. After Grayes took a double pass from Klubnik, he found wide receiver and Notre Dame signee, Tobias Merriweather for a large gain to the East 19-yard line. However, the West couldn’t get in the end zone, and kicker and Texas A&M signee, Ethan Moczulski, put a 30-yard field goal through the uprights to make the score 31-14.

Shortly after, West cornerback and TCU signee, Kyron Chambers, intercepted a pass, but the East defense forced 4th down and 23 for the West offense. Moczulski this time kicked a 41-yard field goal to make the score 34-14. A turnover on downs from the East brought the final seconds of the game, and the West team won the 2022 Adidas All-American Bowl 34-14.

The Adidas All-American Bowl, like past years, is televised live on NBC, and because of this, some players like to make their college commitments live, on national television, alongside their families at the game. However, some players were not able to play in this year’s game due to COVID-19, and those players who were affected and set to make their commitments were forced to do it virtually. Here are the players that made their college commitments during the broadcast of the game:

4-star RB Trevor Etienne (Jennings HS, LA) commits to Florida over Clemson and LSU

4-star WR CJ Williams (Mater Dei HS, CA) commits to USC over UCLA

4-star OL Earnest Greene (St. John Bosco HS, CA) commits to Georgia over Alabama, Ohio State, and Texas

4-star CB Davison Igbinosun (Union HS, NJ) commits to Ole Miss over Kentucky, Rutgers, and Tennessee

4-star RB Rayshon Luke (St. John Bosco HS, CA) commits to Arizona over Louisville, San Jose State, and UCLA

4-star LB Daniel Martin (Marietta HS, GA) commits to Vanderbilt over Oregon and Florida State

4-star S Larry Turner-Gooden (Bishop Alemany HS, CA) commits to Texas over Penn State, Arizona State, Colorado, and Maryland

4-star DL Hero Kanu (Santa Margarita Catholic HS, CA, originally from Munich, Germany) commits to Ohio State over Georgia, Notre Dame, and USC

4-star EDGE Cyrus Moss (Bishop Gorman HS, NV) commits to Miami over Oregon, Alabama, Arizona State, and USC

4-star WR Kevin Coleman (St. Mary’s HS, MO) commits to Jackson State over Florida State, Miami, Oregon, and USC