The Samoa Bowl football game was held at the Veterans Memorial Stadium this past Saturday where Team American Samoa ultimately fell to Team USA by a final score 34-22.
Much like the JPS Paradise Classic in Las Vegas earlier this year, tensions ran hot throughout the game. Purportedly some players from the January JPS Mainland team, were part of this December Team USA roster. In January of this year, that game was cancelled before completion due to fighting where it was alleged that mainland players were uttering racial slurs towards American Samoa players.
Some of those mainland players were on this trip and told American Samoa’s athletes “we did not forget about JPS” in some of the activities throughout last week ahead of Samoa Bowl.
Multiple witnesses at the game on Saturday told KHJ News that when they were announcing American Samoa’s roster in the pre-game ceremony, a Team USA Player walked across the field and swore at the American Samoa player.
Samoa Bowl got a late start due to a fight that broke out between the teams and skirmishes went on throughout the game.
There was a point in the game, where Team USA did not agree with a touchdown called for American Samoa, so when American Samoa attempted a 2-point try, Team USA did not send out their defense in protest.
The final score: Team USA 34 – American Samoa 22. Due to the constant fighting between both teams, awards were not presented after the game; but rather will be delivered to each recipient individually to avoid any more conflict.
