According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, New England colonists celebrated Thanksgiving as a day of prayer, thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought.

Exciting days of preparation in January, capped by a victory, would draw thanks from U.S. Under-18 Select Team head coach Vince DiGaetano. The veteran coach will lead his U.S. team against Team Ontario on Jan. 17 at International Bowl VIII at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“Our players will be in a culture that celebrates playing together and for each other, representing the best version of ourselves while having fun,” DiGaetano said. “This is what our National Team program and American Football is all about – the hard-working nature of it, the effort involved around it and its foundation in ‘team.’ We want to display that on the field and have a great experience.”

A defensive assistant coach at his alma mater Wagner College in Staten Island, N.Y., DiGaetano is in his 12th season coaching on the college level. In 2014 with SUNY-Maritime, the native of Long Island, N.Y. was a finalist for the American Football Coaches Association’s Assistant Coach of the Year Award for Division III. Leading the 2017 U.S. Under-18 Select team is DiGaetano’s third National Team coaching assignment and his first as a head coach.

Wide receiver Parker Stone of Woodbury Forest (Va.) promises to be a favored target for the U.S. offense with exceptional hands and a 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame. Also providing offensive fireworks for the Americans will be speedy 5-9, 155-pound receiver/kick returner Kurvoshiya “Vos” Price of Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.). Linebacker Greggory Rodgers II of Grovetown (Ga.) will help lead DiGaetano’s defense as a punishing run stuffer with brilliant speed to cover Canadian route runners.

Although having just completed a rigorous college season, DiGaetano relishes the opportunity to coach top student-athletes from across the U.S. at International Bowl VIII.

“This is an opportunity to teach players from all over the country and play on behalf of the United States of America – that’s special,” he said.

“We’re going to go play hard, develop ourselves as a team and be out there for each other. As coaches, we’re inspired to raise each player’s level of play and give them a greater appreciation and understanding of the game. We look forward to a highly competitive week of practice and an exciting matchup with Team Ontario.”

The 2017 U.S. Under-18 Select Team roster:

Name	Pos.	High School
Steven Auker	OL	Umatilla (Fla.)
Joe Bennett	LB	Westview (San Diego, Calif.)
Garrett Borth	DL	Baldwin (Kan.)
Rashon Bray	WR	Havre De Grace (Md.)
Domonick Burkes	DB	Hogan Prep (Kansas City, Mo.)
Trenton Byers	OL	Pierce City-R-VI (Mo.)
Eric Demayo	LB	Peabody Veterans Memorial (Mass.)
Chyrius Duckett	DL	Skyview (Vancouver, Wash.)
Joseph Evans	DL	Williston (N.D.)
Reece Field	QB	Plano East (Lucas, Texas)
Eric Gallegos	DB	Heritage (Frisco, Texas)
Jordan Gray	WR	Perth Amboy (Maplewood, N.J.)
Jakob (Koby) Hauser	DB	Westfield (Ind.)
Geno Hess	RB	Peoria (Ill.)
Rodger Holcombe III	RB	Towson (Baltimore, Md.)
Seth Howard	QB	Grinnell (Iowa)
Stephon Jones	OL	Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.)
Luke Kohlhof	DL	Pasco (Trilby, Fla.)
Terrell Lindsey	DB	Gwynn Park (Clinton, Md.)
Maximilian Lynch	OL	Atlantic (Boynton Beach, Fla.)
Trey McBride	DL	Fort Morgan (Colo.)
James McCloskey	DL	Mainland (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
Felix McCorkle	WR	Waynesville (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
Donovan McPeek	OL	Landstown (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Cole Moscariello	K	Memorial (Houston, Texas)
Martin Napeahi Jr	OL	Archbishop Murphy (Lake Stevens, Wash.)
David Osorio	DB	Broadway (Timberville, Va.)
Brayden Poling	LB	Fort Hill (Cumberland, Md.)
Kurvoshiya 'Vos' Price	Ath.	Rancho Cucamonga (Chino Hills, Calif.)
Harrison Read	LB	Foothill (Henderson, Nev.)
Tom Reeves	OL	Moravia Central (Locke, N.Y.)
Greggory Rodgers II	LB	Grovetown (Ga.)
Erik Santiago	DB	Plainfield South (Ill.)
Samuel Serrano	RB	St. Johns College (Washington, D.C.)
Dominick Spano	DL	St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)
Jacob Stegall	OL	York Comprehensive (York, S.C.)
Damon Stewart Jr.	DB	St. Laurence (Chicago, Ill.)
Parker Stone	WR	Woodberry Forest (Va.)
Ben Subbert	TE	Williamsburg (Iowa)
Henry Teeter	TE	San Angelo Central (Texas)
George Tibbetts III	DL	Lunenburg (Mass.)
Tychicus Tibbs	OL	Lakeview Centennial (Garland, Texas)
Joe Tingelhoff	DL	Ellsworth (Wis.)
De'Mari Valentine	DB	St. Laurence (Homewood, Ill.)
Alec Valet	OL	Titusville (Fla.)
Kyron Whaley	LB	Pine Bluff (Ark.)
Tysean Williams	WR	Montclair (N.J.)
Randy Wright	DB	Mansfield Legacy (Texas)

Click here for more information on the International Bowl and click here for schedule and ticket information. 

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