CANTON, OH. — Prestin Brown went to the IFAF Junior World Championship just happy to play for Team USA.

Brown, a Texas State recruit, played well enough to be honored by the world’s eight head coaches. The 6-foot-3, 242-pound defensive lineman from Grand Prairie, was named first-team All-Tournament.

Brown recorded eight total tackles (two assists) during the three-game tournament. He wrapped up two Canadian ball carriers in the final game, a 41-8 victory for the Americans.

Team USA ran through the competition at the tournament, beating its three opponents by a combined score of 172-3. The Americans walloped France 78-0 and then Mexico, 55-0.

When Brown arrives at Texas State in August, he’ll be looking to fill one of several empty spots on the Bobcat defensive line.

Texas State graduated three starting lineman last season (Donovan King, Ray Parker, Jr. and Wellington Deshield) and only have one starter (Travis Houston) returning.

Garrett Hood should start at defensive tackle, but the other end slot is up for grabs. If Brown plays as well as he did at the tournament, a spot could be his.



Team USA wins IFAF title

CANTON, OHIO — A collection of 45 American teenagers gathered in Canton in the middle of June to complete a mission on the football field.

The mission was to win the 2009 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Junior World Championship, an inaugural tournament being contested at Fawcett Stadium which consisted of players aged 19 and younger from eight countries, spanning four continents.

For USA Football’s Junior National Team, that mission was accomplished Sunday.

The second-seeded United States defeated top-seed Canada 41-3 in the Gold Medal Game before a crowd of 15,473 fans at Fawcett Stadium.

“What you saw here, this was not an all-star team.” Team USA coach Chuck Kyle said. “I am going to look you in the eye and tell you until the day I die this is not an all-star team. This was a team that had about a week-and-a-half to two weeks to get ready for our first game. Kids came from all over America. They came together for the love of the game of football and for the love of their country.”

USA Football’s quarterback Bryce Petty, a Baylor recruit, completed all of his pass attempts (14-for-14) and threw for 190 yards and three touchdowns.

“It has been an amazing experience,” said Petty, whose three-game totals in the tournament were 25-for-30, 382 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. “I can’t even put into words what this has been like. I am extremely blessed.

“I have had good practices, but nothing like today. About 12 of those were five-yard hitches and they turned it up field. We have athletes on this team.”

David Wilson, a Virginia Tech recruit, who was named tournament MVP, led USA’s rushing attack with 10 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown.

USA didn’t dominate in the capacity it did earlier in the tournament in victories over France (78-0) and Mexico (55-0) as Canada offered some resistance.

“I think they were the only team that tackled David more than twice down to the ground and not just push him out of bounds,” Petty said.

America’s team wasted little time opening the scoring following an interception by linebacker and one of four team captains Storm Klein (Ohio State) on the second play from scrimmage. Petty threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jamal Davis (Florida Atlantic) with 11:07 remaining in the first quarter. The point after attempt failed.

Team USA’s lead extended to 8-0 with 9:07 left in the first quarter after Canada took a safety in the end zone.

Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu converted a 38-yard field goal for Canada with 1:34 remaining in the first quarter to make the score 8-3.

“We understood we were going against a Division I (college) football team in the making,” Canada coach Glen Constantin said. “There’s no doubt, they are what we are in hockey. It’s a good measuring stick for everyone.”

Robert Bell (Toledo), Prestin Brown (Texas State), Chris Norman (Michigan State), Corey Lillard (Virginia), Tariq Edwards (Virginia Tech) and Jordan Poyer (Oregon State) were also key defensively. Norman led Team USA onto the field carrying the American flag.



• USA Football press release/staff reports