East’s Dominating Defense Helps End West’s Win Streak
Defensive end Matt Finkes returned an interception 17 yards for a touchdown and led a defensive effort that stymied three of the best quarterbacks in the nation as the East beat the West 17-13 Saturday in the Shrine all-star game.
The East’s win in the 72nd annual game snapped a three-year winning streak by the West, which saw its rotation of Arizona State’s Jake Plummer, BYU’s Steve Sarkisian and California’s Pat Barnes held without a touchdown pass. The three had combined for 86 touchdown passes this season.
Sarkisian, the nation’s top-rated passer, was intercepted by Finkes of Ohio State, and Plummer threw a fourth-quarter interception that wiped out the West’s last chance.
Down 14-0 at one point, the West rallied to within a point when Cal’s Ryan Longwell kicked a 48-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The East answered with a 57-yard march that culminated in a 28-yard field goal by Wayne Boyer of Southwest Missouri State.
xxxx East 17, West 13 East 0 6 8 3 - 17 West 0 0 10 3 - 13 East-Cotton 20 pass from Funderburk (kick failed) East-Finkes 17 interception return (Dulick pass from Crandell) West-FG Longwell 25 West-Branch 27 run (Longwell kick) West-FG Longwell 48 East-FG Boyer 28 A-62,500. East West First downs 15 20 Rushes-yards 36-186 42-143 Passing 49 218 Comp-Att-Int 3-13-1 17-33-2 Return Yards 63 0 Punts-Avg. 4-38.0 2-40.0 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0 Penalties-Yards 7-60 2-10 Time of Possession 26:57 33:03 Individual statistics RUSHINGEast, Walker 17-114, E. Smith 6-21, Farmer 2-20, Cotton 6-17, Funderburk 2-14, Crandell 3-0. West, Thompson 22-72, Branch 8-64, Barnes 2-23, Wilson 1-6, Plummer 5-(minus 10), Sarkisian 4-(minus 12). PASSINGEast, Crandell 1-7-0-7, Funderburk 2-6-1-42. West, Plummer 7-14-1-76, Barnes 4-11-0-71, Sarkisian 6-8-1-71. RECEIVINGEast, Mason 1-22, Cotton 1-20, Dulick 1-7. West, Manning 6-115, Wilcox 2-41, Clark 2-18, Thompson 2-14, Branch 2-11, Wilson 1-7, Lockett 1-7, Harris 1-5.