Wells Leads Showcase Of African American Talent In US Army All American Bowl

Chris Wells from Garfield High School in Akron OH holding the Pete Dawkins MVP Trophy. He will be attending Ohio State in the fall. Photo by: Marvin Wamble, Walls Communications

“This is the highlight of my high school career,” said the Akron, OH native who will be attending Ohio State in the fall.

Wells joins a long line of distinguished talent who have walked away with the Pete Dawkins MVP trophy including University of Texas star quarterback Vince Young, Florida QB Chris Leak and Ohio State star Ted Ginn Jr.

This game has become a showcase for African American high school football talent. Annually, more than 70 percent of the players are African American. Others who have demonstrated star potential in this game include 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush (USC), 2004 Heisman Trophy finalist Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma) and Cal-Berkeley standout wide receiver DeSean Jackson.

Though the game features the best high school football players in the country, these athletes are more than just jocks. Myron Rolle from Princeton, NJ earned a 4.0 GPA and scored 1970 on his SAT. He enrolled in Florida State two days after the All American Bowl. Rolle plans to become a neurosurgeon.

“You have to have an education,” Rolle said, “especially being a football player, having a lot of other responsibilities and being black. Having an education automatically gives me an advantage. The mixture of being intelligent and being a good football player has been with me all my life and it is something I am really proud of.”

Four other African American players Chris Spiller (Lake Butler, FL), Al Wood (Elton, LA) , Brandon Graham (Detroit, MI), and Sam Young (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) received an award for being scholar athletes, earning a 3.5 GPA or better.

Other award winners included Taylor Mays, defensive back from Odea High School, Seattle, WA (USC) who won the Walter Payton Speed and Strength Athlete of the Year award, given to the nation’s top athlete who trains like a champion on the field and acts like a champion off the field.

East Head Coach Ted Ginn Sr with Remember the Titans coach Herman Boone. Ginn is holding the Herman Boone Trophy given to the winning team. Photo by: Marvin Wamble, Walls Communications

The East team was coached by Ted Ginn Sr. who heads up the program at Cleveland’s Glenville High School.He proudly hoisted the Herman Boone Trophy after the game.