Four Wyoming Players Help USA Defeat Canada in CanAm Bowl 24

Team USA defeated Team Canada, 71-30, in the 24th CanAm Bowl played on July 4, 2022, in Lambert, MT.

The 6-man all-star football game pits the USA, with players from Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Texas, and Wyoming, against Canada (Alberta & Saskatchewan) returned after a two-year hiatus for COVID reasons.

This was the first time the game was played in America. The previous 23 games were played in Canada.

Four players and two coaches represented the state of Wyoming in the 2022 CanAm Bowl. The players were Meeteetse’s Dace Bennett and Kalvin Erickson, Max Claar from Dubois, and Koye Gilbert of Encampment. Scott Reed (Farson-Eden) and Seth Bennett (Meeteetse) were part of the Team USA coaching staff.

Bennett had a 44-yard TD run and also threw a TD pass to Gilbert. Claar added a short TD run, and Erickson snagged an interception, according to Coach Reed.

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The first half was back-and-forth. Canada held an 18-16 with 6:21 left in the second quarter.

Team USA turned it on, as they scored the game’s next 53 points. They found the endzone with 36 seconds left in the first half and took a 26-22 lead at the break.

After forcing the first turnover of the game early in the third quarter, Team USA scored on its first offensive play of the second half and increased the lead to 32-22. After another stop on defense, Team USA scored on fourth down on its ensuing series and led 40-22.

Another USA touchdown and safety made it 50-22 with 4:40 left in the third quarter. Another TD pass late in the quarter put Team USA up 57-22.

In the fourth, Team USA added a pair of touchdown runs as their lead grew to 71-22.

Canada added a late score for the final margin. Team USA wins it, 71-30.

Team USA leads the all-time series, 19-5.

The CanAm Bowl began in July of 1997 when an American all-star team made the trip to Canada to play a Saskatchewan all-star team in Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan, hosted by Bjorkdale. The USA won that inaugural game, 40-22. The two sides played every year through 2019.

Check out the highlights from the 2022 CanAm Bowl below: