British Columbia defeated a team of United States ninth graders by a final score 10-7 as part of U.S.A. Football's International Bowl event at Maverick Stadium at the University of Texas - Arlington on Feb. 7.
Three Burnaby players, including defensive lineman Luca Bellini, linebacker Mateo Triggiano and running back Adam Turrin, as well as receiver Demarius Henderson from St. Thomas More Collegiate and Notre Dame Jugglers Anthony Crescenzo, Reuben Buchanan, Carlo De Coste and Jonathan Bolanos, all played key roles in the historic win.
"I still can't believe this happened," said Team B.C. head coach Peter McCall in a Football B.C. release. "We were prepared, we were inspired and we were motivated. We just played unbelievably.
"We rose to the occasion. We got past all the hype of it being Team America and we showed that this was Team BC and that we have some of the best players in this age group playing for sure."
Quarterback Giordy Belfiore from Vancouver College Fighting Irish went 8-for-12 in the air, throwing for 108 yards and one touchdown and was named game MVP for B.C.
"I couldn't have done it without our defence and our O-Line," said Belfiore after the game. "This experience was just a great opportunity."
Belfiore led B.C. to a score on their opening drive of the game, connecting with receiver Tyler Moxin of North Delta in the end zone to put Team B.C. up 7-0 following the convert. The Americans would respond with a touchdown of their own just before halftime to even the score at 7-7.
That score would hold until just shy of the halfway mark of the fourth quarter when Triggiano blocked a punt, allowing B.C. to recover on the U.S. 10-yard line. The turnover would ultimately lead to a 27-yard field goal by Turrin.
The Americans would have one final attempt to engineer a game-winning drive after getting the ball back with 68 seconds left in the contest, but their last-gasp attempt would be ended by an interception by North Vancouver’s Cole Theobald.
