Eastern Arizona to Face Mexican
All-Stars in First-Ever Chihuahua Bowl

THATCHER, AZ (November 28, 2007) - After posting a 9-2 record and a second place finish in the Western States Football League, the 13th-ranked Eastern Arizona College Gila Monster football team will be playing in the post-season for the first time in school history. EAC officials have accepted an invitation for their football squad to play in an USA vs. Mexico match-up on Wednesday, Dec. 5 in Chihuahua, Mexico.

The Gila Monsters will be playing in the first-ever Chihuahua Bowl, which is the lead-up game this year to the annual Aztec Bowl on Dec. 8.

Eastern Arizona will play a Mexico all-star team made up of the best players of Mexico's four-year universities from the Mexican National Conference (the second division of collegiate American football in Mexico). The game will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. in the University of Chihuahua's new 30,000 seat Estadio Olimpico Universitario.

The Aztec Bowl is the long-standing, traditional season-ending game for Mexico's college football season. This year's bowl is the 37th game since it's inception in 1947. The last nine contests have featured a United States all-star team made up of NCAA Division III players against a Mexico all-star team made up of the best players from Mexico's Liga Mayor Conference (the highest level of collegiate American football in Mexico).

Billed as a contest between the United States and Mexico, game officials are expecting a crowd of well over 25,000 spectators.

"This is such an honor for the school and the program," said John O'Mera, EAC's head football coach. "We've been talking about wanting to go to a bowl game and now is our chance. And because we'll be representing not only the school but also our country, it will be really special for our players and for us as coaches."

EAC is the second NJCAA football team to participate in the Aztec Bowl festivities. Mesabi Range Community & Tech College (Minn.) took part in the 1970 Aztec Bowl, falling to the Mexican All-Stars 7-6.

The game will be played at 6 p.m. MST and will be broadcast locally on KATO 1230 AM in Stafford, Ariz., and on Southwest Sports Network (www.swsn.net). For more information on the game and the Aztec Bowl visit www.aztecbowl.com , www.onefa.org (Spanish website) and www.tackleo.com (Spanish website).