Inaugural All-American Bowl Proves Why It Belongs

Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl displayed talent, pageantry rivaling established bowls

The inaugural Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl had as much enthusiasm and intensity on the sidelines as the players and coaches did on the field. The Marine Corps pageantry was on exhibit inside and outside of Chase Field in Phoenix from the time the players took the field to the time the West squad hoisted the championship trophy at midfield. From Master Sergeants’ giving locker room speeches and an F-16 flyover during the national anthem, there was no question which branch of the armed forces was behind the game.

It was a close game, but in the end it was the West with a 17-14 victory over the East. Jaydon Mickens, a West squad wide receiver from Susan Miller Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, was named bowl MVP.