High School Football America
If you use Wednesday night's Team USA vs. The World all-star football game won 21-14 by America as the barometer, the answer could be yes. Of course, you really can't use an all-star football game in February as the measuring stick.
With wind-chill temperatures around 11 degrees, 500 fans braved the cold at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas to watch the Americans take a 2-0 lead in the series. Last year's inaugural game in Florida was won 17-0 by Team USA.
The Americans took a 21-6 lead in the third quarter behind Texas recruit Joe Bergeron (North Mesquite HS, TX) 13-yard touchdown catch from Stanford-bound quarterback Kevin Hogan (Gonzaga HS, Washington, DC). Bergeron was named game MVP after rushing for 118 yards on 15 carries. He also scored on a 56 yard touchdown run on a fake punt.
The World Team still had a shot to send the game to overtime, but a Hail Mary pass from its own 45 on the final play of the game failed to work.
On the positive side for The World, which was made-up of players and coaches from 16 different countries and four continents, the game marked the first time that the USA's 19-and-under squad had surrendered a point in international competition.