The Missouri Lions East All-Stars are still trying to figure out what hit them.

The West team, manhandled for most of three and a half quarters, ran off a 13-play, 93-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter to beat the East 15-12. It was only the seventh win - the third in five years and second straight - for the West in the 21-year history of the Missouri Lions East-West All-Star Football Game.

In the second quarter, Jefferson City's Charlie Weber caught a pass from Brett Burchett of Cass-Midway at midfield, bounced off Malden defensive back Mayo Shaw and sprinted in for a 59-yard touchdown. B. J. Flores, Willard, kicked the point-after to put the West on top 7-6 with 2:49 left in the first half.

Weber's touchdown catch came just two plays after the East scored the game's first touchdown. Kenny Alsop of CBC put the East up 6-0 when he darted across the corner of the end zone on a 12-yard run.

Alsop, whose high school coach - Bryan Hagerty - was also the East team coach, made the catch of the game to score the East's final touchdown. With 6:16 left in the third quarter, Alsop leaped in the end zone to snare a pass from Rolla quarterback Travis Miles. Alsop batted the ball, went to his knees and caught the wobbling ball in the middle of traffic. The East's run for a two-point conversion failed, leaving the West behind 12-7.

And then came the backfield of Jonathan Sweatt and J.R. Witthaus. The West had only four first downs - and none in the second half - when their stars took over at their own 7 with 7:43 to play. Thirteen plays, 93-yards and 5:24 later - after gaining six first downs in an impressive exhibition of smash-mouth football - Witthaus rumbled over from five yards out.

Charlie Weber of the West, a graduate of Jefferson City High School, takes a pass on his way for a touchdown during the Lion's All-Star Football Game.

Another big back, Woolsey of Excelsior Springs, ran in the two-point conversion to give the West a 15-12 lead. Monett's James Myers picked off an East pass with 1:23 to go to seal the victory.

Myers was selected as the game's defensive MVP. Witthaus, a Hermann grad headed to Pittsburg State, shared offensive player of the games honors with Sweatt, a former Camdenton Laker who's going to Southwest Missouri State University. Before the game-winning drive, both running backs had carried the ball just one time the entire game. Sweatt ended with 52 yards on six carries and Witthaus had 55 yards on eight carries.

Matt Smith of Warrenton was the game's leading rusher, leading the East with 85 yards on seven carries.

The East leads the series 13-7-1. The all-star clash raises money for the Missouri Lions Eye Tissue Bank and Eye Research Foundation.

This article, slightly modified, by Jodie E. Jackson Jr. appeared in the Sunday, July 27th issue of the Jefferson City NEWS TRIBUNE.