USA Football

Team USA set seven single-game tournament records including total defense as Korea finished with a net loss of 31 yards offensively and did not record a first down. Team USA amassed a tournament record 289 return yards and nine different U.S. players found the end zone.

Saginaw Valley State’s Bobby Awrey started the game with an 84-yard kickoff return for a touchdown as Team USA jumped to a 28-0 first quarter lead. Awrey also added a 74-yard punt return in the second quarter. The scores were the first kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns in World Championship history.

"That (kickoff) felt amazing," Awrey said. "The guys did a great job. The hole just opened up so wide up the middle of the field. I got to the 20 and realized this is the first play in USA Football history. I’m proud and honored to take that first one back for the team."

Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s Cody Childs was the only other player to find the end zone twice. He scored on a 13-yard first quarter run and a 1-yard fourth quarter scamper.

After Childs’ first quarter score the U.S. defense tacked on two more touchdowns before the end of the quarter. Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Josh Kubiak swooped in and blocked a Korea punt that was recovered in the end zone by Christopher Newport’s Rob Rodriguez. Just over a minute later Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Steve Teeples intercepted an errant K.M Kim throw at the Korea 5-yard line and slipped into the end zone with 5:16 to go in the quarter.

Hobart’s Doug Blakowski extended the US lead to 35-0 early in the second quarter on a four-yard touchdown run to cap a short drive that was set up on a 60 yard punt return by Teeples. Awrey added his punt return two minutes later to give the US a 42-0 halftime cushion.

Teeples is one of six players on the US roster who has played internationally prior to the World Championship. He was a member of the U.S. college all-star team that faced Mexico in the Aztec Bowl in December 2006. Four other Team USA members were on that squad. One other player is playing professionally in Germany this summer.

"Our defense has the capability to score from all positions, not just the secondary," Teeples said "Getting on the board early like that is just something good for the team."

The US defense kept the offense off the field for the first 5:56 of the second half as Northwest Missouri State’s Diezeas Calbert fell on a Korea fumble in the end zone with 10 minutes to go in the quarter. Team USA forced a Korea punt on the next series and it was returned 50 yards for a touchdown by Toledo’s Steve Odom.

The US offense finally got on the field with 6:04 to go in the third quarter. Six plays later Nebraska-Omaha’s Kyle Kasperbauer capped a six-play 76-yard drive with a 42-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 56-0 with 3:29 to go in the quarter.

Maine’s Manauris Arias intercepted a Korea pass on the next possession and returned it 17 yards to the Korea 8 yard line. Three plays later Childs rumbled into the end zone for his second score of the evening.

Williams receiver John Drenckhahn tallied the lone fourth quarter score for Team USA when he hauled in a 9-yard touchdown pass from TCU’s Jeff Ballard.

"I was very pleased that we came out as ready to play as we did," USA Head Coach John Mackovic said. "We worked so hard for three weeks to get ready and our players were anxious to show what they could do and obviously they got off to a great start in the first quarter."

Team USA will return to the field on Thursday when it meets Germany at 3 p.m. at Kawasaki Stadium. The winner will advance to Sunday’s Gold Medal game.

World Championship Records Set

Kickoff Return: 84 yards, Bobby Awrey, USA Punt Return: 74 yards, Bobby Awrey, USA

PATs: 11, Craig Coffin, USA

Rushing Touchdowns (Team): 4, USA

Team Return Yards: 289, USA

Fewest Yards Allowed: -31, USA

Fewest First Downs Allowed: 0, USA

World Championship Records Tied

Points Allowed: 0, USA

Rushing Touchdowns: 2, Cody Childs, USA