While the West reigned supreme in Saturday's KHQA Do or Die Bowl IV at Flinn Stadium, Macomb High's Kelly Sears, coach of the opposing East team,  was looking at the big picture.

It wasn't that he didn't want to win. He only wanted this week to be more than just about a game.

"This was all about fun and the kids enjoyed it," he said minutes after the West squad's 20-12 victory. "We had some wonderful kids (to work with) this week."

The game was called due to lightning in the area with two minutes and 13 seconds remaining. After the initial stoppage, a second registration of lightning would wipe out the final 133 seconds. At the time, the West was in possession of the ball at the East 15-yard line.

While the West squad had practice sessions for as long as 3 1/2-4 hours during the week, Sears had a different approach.

"We had fun this week," he said. "It wasn't a military (regimen) or anything, we were just laid back and having fun. For our kids, I think it was actually a victory for us as much fun as we had.

"Honestly, I took the view of this (game) as just being fun," Sears added. "I didn't set down and diagram plays up, we just sat down (as coaches) and said 'Let's run this many plays. We don't need to sit down and scheme against this defense.' We just lined up and played."

"It's been real fun," said Macomb DB Ryan Day, who had a fumble recovery during the game. "I've made some new friendships and it was good to get back into football after having been out a while. ... "

"It was a good experience," added Macomb's Curt Myers. Normally a fullback and linebacker, Myers made the move to defensive end for the game.  "You only regret the things that you don't do. All of us when we got the offer (to play), it was like was we wanted to do it and make it fun. It was a blast."

As for the game, the West squad rode the spread offense and the arm of QB Joe Gilliam from Paris who threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns. Keokuk's James Hurt had TD catches of 15 and 47 yards that gave the West a 14-0 lead three minutes into the third quarter.

The East answered with a 67-yard, 14-play drive that culminated in Routt QB Joe Zeller connecting with Virginia/A-C Central receiver Brock Thompson for a 26-yard score to make it 14-6.

The East defense then rose to the challenge with a goal line stand, stopping the West on a fourth-and-goal at the one. Two plays later, Quincy High's Lamor Hickman set a Do or Die record by taking the handoff off left tackle and going the distance - 99 yards in all - cutting the deficit to 14-12. That run broke Myers Hendrickson's record of 81 yards set last year.

Hickman finished with 152 yards rushing on 14 carries.

"I think it shows the heart that our kids had," said Sears. "We had great kids and the kids played hard."

"We all had fun all week, but when we came down it, everybody was ready to play and get their last hit in for the year - or maybe their careers," said Day.

The West gave itself breathing room as Gilliam and Logan Granera hooked up for a 41-yard score just over a minute later to give the Missouri/Iowa squad an eight-point lead.

"We were hoping to have another shot at them, but that's the way the ball bounces," said Sears. "It was a great game. ... We just came up a little bit short."

On the Illinois side, Illini West's Matt Snyder - who had an interception - was named the defensive MVP for the East, while Hickman was the offensive MVP.

"Our kids played great," said Sears. "I couldn't be any more pleased than what I am with the way they played."

While the West won the game, the week for the East players was not without its rewards.

"I never would've guessed I'd be friends with a kid from (rival) QND, but I've got four of them now," said Myers.

As for Sears, regardless of Saturday's result, he'd be more than happy to give the Do or Die Bowl another whirl someday.

"If they'd ever ask me to do it again, I'd do it again in a heartbeat," he said. "It was just a lot of fun."