— TAHLEQUAH — Jake Phillips got off to a rough start, but the Keys quarterback settled down and ran for a touchdown to help the Blue Eagles beat the Redhawks 16-0 in the 11th Annual Native All-Star Football Classic at Northeastern State University’s Doc Wadley Stadium on Saturday night.

Phillips was chosen the game’s Most Valuable Player as he scored on a 15-yard run.

“We got things ironed out after that rough beginning,” the University of Central Oklahoma walk-on said. “It was an honor to play in this game. It really meant a lot.”

Meanwhile, Colten Douillard, Phillips’ teammate at Keys, was named the Blue Eagles’ MVP on offense and Sequoyah’s  Stuart Polk was named the Redhawks’ MVP on defense.

Douillard, who will play for Fort Lewis College in Colorado, ran for 100 yards, but he didn’t score.

“It was awesome to play in this game,” he said. “I was happy to play in it. It wasn’t a personal thing for me. Playing with all these guys was great.”

Polk, a Northeast Oklahoma A&M signee, recovered two fumbles, forced another and intercepted a pass for his efforts.

“It was fun playing against those Keys guys because we have that rivalry with them,” he said. “It was a great experience to play against Native talent in the game.”

Trey Harjo of Holdenville scored the other TD on a five-yard run.



Team USA falls short

AUSTIN, Texas — Quarterback Brayden Scott and Team USA came up short in losing 23-17 to Team Canada in the gold medal game at the International Federations of American Football Under-19 World Championships here at the Burger Center on Saturday night.

Scott completed 14 of 35 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns. He had a three-yard TD pass in the second quarter and a nine-yarder in the third quarter. Scott also tossed two interceptions.

“It was a tough game,” Sequoyah coach Brent Scott, Brayden’s father, said. “He had some inconsistencies. (Team USA) threw the ball a bunch in trying to win the game.”

Before Saturday, Scott, who has verbally committed to the University of Memphis, had thrown for four touchdowns and passed for two more in two games leading Team USA to the gold-medal contest.

Scott’s best game came against Austria as he completed 10 of 17 passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns in the 70-7 victory on Wednesday. The Sequoyah quarterback tossed touchdowns of five, 19 and 39 yards in being chosen as the team MVP.

Scott, chosen to the All-Phoenix team, also ran for a touchdown and threw for another to help Team USA to a 27-6 win against American Somoa to start the IFAF World Championships.