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Red Beats Blue in 28-10, All Leave Victorious During 23rd Annual FCA All-Star Festival

Jun 14, 2022

by Cody Coil, Big Country Blitz magazine


ABILENE, Texas – Team Red used a big third quarter to pull away from Team Blue and pick up a 28-10 victory in the 2022 Myrle Greathouse Big Country All-Star Classic Saturday evening at Shotwell Stadium.


Red head coach Blake Weston (Sonora) said the victory wrapped up the week perfectly.


“It’s been great all week. It’s very challenging to try to get an offense and defense set in three or four days but these kids are great. It’s nice to just pour into them and just be with them. That’s been the best part.”


“You forget how long it takes to get ready to be a good tackler and be able to do some things defensively," joked Blue head coach Casey Pearce (Breckenridge). "If you can throw it and catch it right now, you’re probably in better shape than the defense because we didn’t get many tackle reps during the week.”


Red certainly did throw the ball around the stadium, racking up 341 total yards (206 passing and 135 rushing) in the victory. Blue picked up 278 yards, 199 through the air and 79 on the ground. The game was clean as well, with no interceptions or fumbles for either squad.


After a scoreless first quarter the Blue team opened the scoring with a 21-yard field goal from Corbin Poston (Stephenville) early in the second to go up 3-0.


However, the Blue lead was short-lived as the Red team quickly answered with a drive for a touchdown. Aden Kincaid (Wylie) found Korbin Covarrubiaz (Eldorado) on a fade to the corner of the end zone to put Red on top 7-3 with 5:48 to go in the second quarter.


Blue drove inside the Red 30 with time winding down in the half, but Abel Ramirez (Abilene High) was sacked by Bryson McNutt (San Angelo Central) to end the threat.


Red added to their advantage on the first drive of the third quarter. Hudson Welch (Comanche) hooked up with Covarrubiaz on a 31-yard touchdown to make it a 14-3 game with 9:36 to play in the quarter. 


After a Blue three-and-out, Welch kept the offensive spark alive for Red, running for 30-yards on a QB keeper to the four. Zadrian Zapata (Menard) cashed in on the next play to extend the Red lead to 21-3 with 7:05 left in the third. That proved to be the final score of the third quarter. 


Blue scored first in the fourth quarter, getting back in the ball game on a 30-yard Leo Holsey (Sweetwater) to Christian Ramirez (Dublin) touchdown toss down the seam to narrow the gap to 21-10 with 7:16 to go.

Red quickly answered to put the game out of reach with under four minutes to go. Kincaid hooked up with Jackson Carroll (Sonora) from four yards out and Grayson Bearden (Wylie) drilled the extra point to extend the Red advantage to 28-10.


Blue drove inside the Red ten-yard line in the final minutes but could not punch it into the end zone. 


Covarrubiaz was named the Gordon Wood Offensive MVP of the game. He ran for a game high 41 yards and caught five passes for 87 yards and the two scores. The Class 2A athlete more than held his own against players from bigger schools.


“It felt good putting a name out for small schools because everybody doesn’t give them a chance, but I got it and I took care of business. I thank the quarterbacks for giving me good passes throughout the game.”

 

Weston added, “I knew how special he was because we played against him. They’re 18 miles from Sonora so I’ve seen him play quarterback and he put up a lot of yards on us this year. I knew what he was capable of. He’s just a special athlete and a great kid.”


Kincaid had the top night among quarterbacks, completing 13-18 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Holsey threw for 119 yards and the one touchdown for Team Blue, while Ramirez went 7-18 for 80 yards. Holsey was also the leading Blue rusher with 27 yards. Joshua Fava (Christoval) added 22 yards. 


Christian Ramirez paced Blue receivers with five grabs for 66 yards, on his birthday, while Paul Alvarez (Graham) topped Red pass catchers with seven for 77 yards.


The Gordon Wood Defensive MVP was also a team Red player, Wylie Bulldog Holden Atwood. Atwood was in on a game high 11 tackles to get the honor in a tight race with McNutt, who ended up with seven tackles and a sack.


“It was a blessing,” said Atwood. “It was a blast. The letter my coach gave me saying that you’re invited was probably the best news, the happiest I’ve been in a while. It meant a lot to me. It means a lot, the award. It came unexpected but I worked hard for it and it wasn’t just me. My teammates gave a great effort. All 11 guys all worked hard and all picked each other up.” 


Other defensive standouts were Team Red’s Aeneas Segura (Hawley) who broke up three passes and had six tackles and Jett Villarreal (Cooper) who had three tackles and also broke up a trio of passes. Keaton Hicks (Eastland) paced Team Blue with six tackles, with Austin Rodgers (Eastland) adding five.


The game was the culmination of a great week for FCA All-Stars competing in baseball, basketball, softball, cheer, volleyball, golf and, of course football.


“It had been 20 years since I’d gotten to be a part of this and it was a lot of fun. It was a great week. It may have been better for me than it was for some of the kids and it was a great experience to see these guys and coach on ‘em,” said Pearce.


Covarrubiaz added, “It was really a good experience learning about God throughout the whole entire week, making new friends, staying at random people’s houses that take you in and treat you as their own kids. It’s amazing.” 


“I learned a ton, great stories for us to hear,” said Atwood. “There was not a single part of it where I was ready for it to be over. I enjoyed every second of it. My host family was a blessing, it was so enjoyable staying the night with guys I didn’t even know until now, that I played against and they won, still loved ‘em. They were all a blast.”


Red has now won two straight games and now leads the all-time series 4-2. The FCA switched to the current Red/Blue format in 2016, but played North against South from 2000-2015. The North leads that series 13-3.

Other defensive standouts were Team Red’s Aeneas Segura (Hawley) who broke up three passes and had six tackles and Jett Villarreal (Cooper) who had three tackles and also broke up a trio of passes. Keaton Hicks (Eastland) paced Team Blue with six tackles, with Austin Rodgers (Eastland) adding five.


The game was the culmination of a great week for FCA All-Stars competing in baseball, basketball, softball, cheer, volleyball, golf and, of course football.


“It had been 20 years since I’d gotten to be a part of this and it was a lot of fun. It was a great week. It may have been better for me than it was for some of the kids and it was a great experience to see these guys and coach on ‘em,” said Pearce.


Covarrubiaz added, “It was really a good experience learning about God throughout the whole entire week, making new friends, staying at random people’s houses that take you in and treat you as their own kids. It’s amazing.” 


“I learned a ton, great stories for us to hear,” said Atwood. “There was not a single part of it where I was ready for it to be over. I enjoyed every second of it. My host family was a blessing, it was so enjoyable staying the night with guys I didn’t even know until now, that I played against and they won, still loved ‘em. They were all a blast.”


Red has now won two straight games and now leads the all-time series 4-2. The FCA switched to the current Red/Blue format in 2016, but played North against South from 2000-2015. The North leads that series 13-3.


**pictures provided courtesy Kerr Broadstreet, wyliesports.com


2022 FCA Big Country All-Star Football Classic

Red 28, Blue 10


Blue    0  3   0   7  -  10

Red     0  7  14   7 -  28

 

Blue - Corbin Poston 21 yd field goal

Red - Korbin Covarrubiaz 8 yd pass from Aden Kincaid (Grayson Bearden kick)

Red - Korbin Covarrubiaz 31 yd pass from Hudson Welch (Grayson Bearden kick)

Red - Sean Muniga 4 yd run (Aden Kincaid kick)

Blue - C. Ramirez 30 yd pass from Leo Holsey (Corbin Poston kick)
Red - Jackson Carroll 4 yd pass from Aden Kincaid (Grayson Bearden kick)

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