It's no secret that offensive linemen toil in anonymity and rarely receive the recognition they deserve. Such was not the case Friday night at Jordan High School.
The 4A O-linemen were honored with the collective Offensive MVP in the annual 5A-4A Utah High School All-Star game as the 4A thumped the 5A, 35-21.All night long, they opened up holes and gave their quarterbacks plenty of time to throw. As a result, the 4A dominated.
Leading the way in the trenches was Kirk Chambers, a Provo offensive lineman who is headed to Palo Alto, Calif., next week to play football at Stanford University.
Before departing for Pac-10 pastures, though, Chambers knew he had some unfinished business. This all-star charity game, after all, benefited Brad Bohrer, a Provo teammate who was seriously hurt last year in a junior varsity game when he suffered a subdural hematoma brain injury.
Since the accident, Bohrer has undergone a pair of brain surgeries as well as a rigorous rehabilitation program. While he is making progress, it could take anywhere from 18 months to five years before his rehabilitation is complete.
Bohrer was in attendance at the game, sitting in a wheelchair on the sidelines. Chambers didn't forget his former teammate. Following the contest, Chambers presented Bohrer with the game ball.
"Not too many people understood who this game was being played for," said Chambers. "To me, playing for him made this game worthwhile. Brad loved this game. I wanted to represent him out there and play like he would have played."
Indeed, the entire 4A team played inspired ball. Murray quarterback Dylan Alvey, a late replacement to the squad, completed five-of-five passes, including two touchdowns. And while playing on defense, Alvey returned an interception 75 yards for another score. "He was picture perfect," said winning 4A coach Keeko Georgelas of East High.
Speaking of the Leopards, the defensive line that led East to a 13-0 season and state championship came up huge again as Jason Kaufusi recorded two sacks while Amato Kutu and Jason Barlow also made life miserable for 5A quarterbacks.
The 4A jumped to a surprising 14-0 lead with a pair of second-quarter touchdowns. The first score came on a 1-yard run by Bear River's Nick Chournos, which was set up by a 35-yard keeper by Spanish Fork quarterback Quinn Hampton.
Minutes later, 4A struck again on a one-yard run by East's Stokes Aiken. A 48-yard pass from Alvey to Spanish Fork's Joel Higginson put the 4A in scoring position.
On its ensuing possession, the 5A scored on four plays, including a 35-yard pass from American Fork's Isaac Kelly to Fremont tight end Michael Hale. Later, Orem's Jared Harper rumbled 31 yards on a draw play to make the score 14-7.
The 4A didn't waste any time to add to its lead. On its initial possession of the third quarter, Alvey tossed a 44-yard TD pass to Tooele receiver Jeff Main and with 2:02 left in the quarter, Higginson hauled in a 15-yard TD pass from Alvey and suddenly the 4A was embarrassing the 5A, 28-7.
A 28-yard catch by Brighton's Steve Later set up a 1-yard run by Harper as the 5A cut the lead to 28-14. But Alvey's long-distance pick-and-return on a pass by Kelly made it 35-14.
The 5A bounced back to put up a cosmetic TD on a 79-yard pass play from Kelly to Mountain View's Matt Rowe to close out the scoring.
It was an unlikely victory for the 4A, considering it has been blasted in the last two meetings. Not to mention the fact it had fewer players at its disposal than the 5A. "We became a tight-knit group," Georgelas explained. "They stepped up and they weren't intimidated."
The Defensive MVP was Cyprus linebacker Richard Tauteoli. The other Offensive MVPs were Judge's Brandon Veltri, Murray's Buck Corser, Timpview's Ryan Pond, East's John Newman and Hansen.
"We thought our weak point before the game was our offensive line," said Chambers. "But we came together as a unit and kicked some butt."
The proceeds from Friday's game are going to the Bohrer family. Utah High School Coaches Association president Rick Harrison estimated that in excess of $5,000 was raised on behalf of Bohrer.