Malibu seventh-grader Ben Holmes ventured to Texas recently to play in the Eastbay Youth All-American Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio on Jan. 8. Holmes played for the East team, which beat its West team counterpart 30 to 14.
Holmes started at left guard and played the entire game on offense. He refused to allow his West defensive opponents by him to make tackles, and finished one series by putting an opponent on his back for a pancake block.
“The guys I went against were all huge and very athletic,” Holmes said.
Holmes was joined on the East Team by players from Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, New England and Louisiana.
The players were selected from all over the U.S. and Canada and participate in a weeklong series of practices, inspirational meetings, events and dinners. The group also attended the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, a showcase of the nation’s top high school talent, as VIPs.
The speakers at this year’s event included Herman Boone and Bill Yost, the two high school football coaches depicted in the film “Remember the Titans” and played by Denzel Washington and Will Patton.