"Phil Jackson picks and chooses when to get off the bench during NBA games. We don’t tell people how to act here," said event director Brad Gerlach. "None of these guys are going to talk smack on their own. By talking smack on a team, you’re showing an emotional response to the other team."

No one was more vocal than USA head coach Matt Kechele (aka Heckley), although World Coach Martin "Pottz" Potter certainly let his thoughts be known, too.

As both squads waxed up to take on the heaving Puerto barrels, the jabbering began even before the jerseys went on. "The USA wanted to wait another day to get their asses kicked by us. The waves are really good—it’s not like it’s raining and onshore," chirped Pottz in response to thoughts the waves might come up more on Friday.

No sooner had he said it, than Kechele walked up, looked him in the eye and said, "You guys are keen to run it today, right? Let’s do this."

Back at camp USA, Coach Kechele shed some light on what to expect, "We’ve got a solid lineup, but the conditions don’t favor anybody. They might favor us because of the Marzo factor, and all the freaky shit he can do … plus Wardo."

The World team won the coin toss and posted a decent first round score. But Pottz knew more was needed, "I’m quite happy with the 27, but it could be 30."

Despite a tactical error of not subbing-in Baron Knowlton’s monster barrel, the USA blazed through the bottom of the first without burning up any of their timeouts. The smack continued to flow as Kechele shouted, "Hey Pottz, we might just save all our timeouts for the last period." Kech then turned back and smirked, "Hopefully those guys realize we’re just warming up."

Period Two was the deciding heat. The wheels seemed to fall off for the World as broken boards and missed opportunities mounted. "It’s going to take a blinder of a next period to win this thing," said Pottz. "With the way the USA surfed in the first heat, it’s going to take some big scores."

Meanwhile, Team USA was just reaching their full stride. Shane Beschen was clocking multiple nine-point rides, Clay Marzo was sliding through hollow right-handers down the beach and Chris Ward earned a standing ovation when he made the unthinkable happen—the first perfect 10 in X Games history.

Even having surfed Puerto for 15 years, Wardo was on the beach at 4:30 in the morning, scoping the line-up and mentally preparing. "It was really quiet and I sat there for a while. I was kind of inside and had to paddle out for it. I swung around and was pretty committed. It was just heads down from there on out," said Ward after the wave of the day, a solid 8-foot spitting, breathing beast of a barrel."I had my arms so wide in that thing."

The USA’s stellar second period proved to be the highest point total in Game history—35 of a possible 40 points. Afterward, Coach Kechele simply smiled and said, "That was really fun to watch. Last year I had a nightmare coaching and, so far, this year has been a pleasure."

It would have taken a miracle for the World to recover from their growing deficit, but they put it all on the line and kept it close down to the wire.  The top of the third period saw sub Jay Quinn bag a 9.5, Mick Campbell weave through a 9.75 on his backhand, and Julian Wilson’s deep pit score of 8.75. In need of another big score, Mar Ohno threw himself over a giant ledge and caught the lip on the head, busting his board along with the World’s chances at gold.

A somber Coach Pottz shook his head, "The boys stepped up but Team USA only needs 14 points to win. We needed one more really good score. It’s a done deal." 

And done it was after 17-year-old Clay Marzo, the youngest male competitor, snagged yet another long right to put the USA on top of the small remaining point spread. Though he sensed it the entire time, Coach Kechele still smiled like a proud papa as he gathered his team, "Yeah, boys. Poolside! Poolside!" which is where the cold beers will meet the warm Mexican evening air to toast the victory.

NOTES:

Perfect 10s: X Games MVP Chris Ward stayed in room #10 at the Hotel Ines, scored the first perfect 10 in X Games history, and took home 10 G’s for the USA’s win.

During Wednesday’s warm-up, Aussie Mick Campbell seemed a little lost until Coach Barton Lynch told him to just follow Puerto local David Rutherford around the line-up.

Usually a night owl, Chris Ward was on the sand at 4:30 am with all his boards after sleeping for 20 hours the day/night before.

Rob Machado and Shane Beschen have participated in every X Games surfing competition.

Puerto Escondido’s broken board count during three periods of The Game: 5

QUOTES:

"He doesn’t know it, but that was probably one of the most historic moments in Clay’s life," said USA Coach Matt Kechele of Clay Marzo’s X Games performance.

"We’ve got to ride waves. First get a foundation and then get the 10," assistant USA coach, Mike Parsons, pre-game pep talk.

"Barely. Barely," Kechele screamed at the judges and the World dugout as Rizal Tanjung snuck through a smaller tube.

"Head dip! Head dip!" World coach Martin Potter screamed as USA’s Clay Marzo pulled into a backside tube with no hands.

"Get real! You’re tripping!" USA’s Shane Beschen shouted to the judges after Mick Campbell scored a 9.75 shortly after Chris Ward’s 10-pointer.

Team U.S.A.

Team World

(click here for ESPN’s Coverage including video highlights and Photos)

"This was the most exciting Game we’ve seen in the six years we’ve been doing this," said Game founder and event organizer Brad Gerlach. "The girls were charging."

USA’s Melanie Bartels was largely responsible for the victory as she bagged a remarkable 8.5 out of a possible 10 on one of the best waves of the day and credited the team format as a major factor in her performance.

"A good set came in and my teammates called me over because they knew I needed a wave. I just kept pumping and saw it running. I didn’t even think I was going to make it out. It was probably my longest barrel ever," said Bartels of her mammoth tube ride. "All the other girls were telling me to go. If it wasn’t for them I probably wouldn’t have got it. I like this as a team sport. It’s more relaxing knowing they’re there to support you."

While it was a close match down to the last ticks of the clock, the World team laid it all on the line in a last ditch effort for the win. "If they didn’t claim Hawaii all those years ago, it would have been a different event," joked World Coach, Martin Potter. "All we needed was one point each wave. Our girls fell off on a lot of waves at the end because they were going for it."

Regardless, this unique format kicked off a groundbreaking show in what surely will be an ongoing rivalry for years to come. Check back tomorrow as the Mens event looks to go off in perfect surf.

Team U.S.A.

Team World

(click here ESPN’s coverage including video highlights and photos)

The annual local’s surf match went off today in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Surfers were getting barreled, tossed and pummeled and the waves are only going to get bigger. 

Two teams, the Tiburones and the Malaguas, faced off at the crack of dawn. The Tiburones won the coin toss and opted to paddle out first. Charging hard into one of the first sets, Rogelio Ramirez caught a lefthand barrel but went down hard when the wave closed out. After being escorted to the shore by medical, Ramirez sat out the rest of the period before rallying back to join his team for the rest of The Game. The Tiburones had a rough start, only scoring 11 points during the first period. When the Malaguas took to the water at the bottom of the first and turned in a score of 16.5, the waves seemed to be in their favor. The Tiburones fought back with a killer third period, though (highlighted by Chritain Corzo’s HUGE lefthand barrel and highest score of the day—a 9.5), and ultimately they cinched the gold hardware, 52 to 47.

The biggest news of the day, though, was when local sensation David Rutherford earned an invite to join the World Team at X Games 13. While he was not the highest scoring surfer of the day (Rutherford’s highest score was a 6.0), World Team coach Martin Potter commented on Rutherford’s sportsmanship and attitude. "David surfed really smart," said Potter. "He is a team player, and he knows the sport really well. On top of that, he is an absolutely fantastic surfer."

Rutherford, 24, grew up surfing the Mexican Pipeline, and he currently competes on the World Qualifying Series. At X Games 13, he joins The World, an international posse that includes the best surfers from Indonesia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Later this week, they’ll take on the U.S.A. in a fight for the hardware.

The Home Team—Los Tiburones

Las Malaguas

The NSL is working closely with each of the coaches and kids at the schools in an effort to teach the importance of community and other core values that are critical to youth at the high school level. The Game, being a team driven format, creates an atmosphere of camaraderie, teamwork, sportsmanship and self pride while adding even more pressure to the heart of competitive surfing than the man on man format. “Traditional High School sports have a moral skeleton that teaches kids key life values and how to work with others”, comments NSL President Jeff Cutler. “It is the goal of the High School Cup to let the athletes experience not only something new, but something that is in line with what High School sports are all about.”

The excitement seen on the participants faces in Game one of he High School Cup was something rarely seen in other surf events. In addition to a bringing a fun competitive atmosphere based on long time rivalries, the NSL’s High School Cup is supported by some of the world’s best professional surfers. Pat OConnell, Brett Simpson, Yadin Nichol, Austin Ware, Sean Marceron, Jeremy Heit, Jason Bennett, Shea Yates and Jeremy Sherwin were some of the names that played integral roles in the event. Whether on the bench with the kids, assistant coaching, judging or playing the role of the referee, these pro surfers were on the beach getting involved with the project. When asked why he has shown his support to the NSL High School Cup and the Game format, Pro Surfer and San Diego Sea Lion team member Jeremy Sherwin comments “I feel The Game is a competition medium that has the potential to give surfing recognition as a true ‘sport’ in our school’s. Many of these surf teams are merely clubs that utilize athelete’s from particular schools and do not have the formal support or acknowledgement from these scholastic establishments.” Sherwin continues “I think this format gives an opportunity for the educational administrator’s and other higher up’s to see that surfing is not just a past time or a hobby, but a sport analogous to football or baseball.” As the season rolls into it’s second Game, the momentum and excitement will build with help from these pro surfers.

The National Surf League and Red Bull invite you to come see the cross town San Diego rivalry between Torrey Pines and Carlsbad High Schools at 3:30pm this Friday at Ponto Jetty’s.