By Patrick Z. McGavin- Photos by Jenn -Anne Gledhill
**Additional Photos are Available for Purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p990685075 **
Theoretically every game begins the same, with a tied score, and each side believing in their chances of victory.
Things change fast, especially with a running back like Christopher Robinson. He altered the trajectory of the game with one play for the 10U side of the Jr Celtics.
“I love to run, and I try to score every time I touch the ball,” he said,
Robinson blasted off a 65-yard touchdown run on the first play of scrimmage for the Jr Celtics’ 13-0 victory over the Bolingbrook Trojans at Main Park on Sunday, September 10.
He also scored on a conversion run following the opening touchdown for the vitally important 7-0 lead by the Jr Celtics (1-2).
“Breaking the first tackle and seeing the open space was just great,” he said.
Robinson scored two touchdowns before taking a hit to the head late in the first half that required him to sit out the second half for precautionary reasons.
Playing just half the game, he was the impact talent who provided the emotional spark the Jr Celtics needed after opening the season with two highly competitive through frustrating losses.
The Jr Celtics found the right time and opportunity in thwarting every potential scoring sequence by the Trojans. The defense bent, but never broke.
Sometimes a team needs to make just one or two extra plays.
Those bonus actions pushed the tide and the game clearly in the favor of the Jr Celtics. Confidence is king, especially for a young team securing its own identity and style of play.
Robinson injected the early confidence booster, taking a hand off and making a quick and decisive cut to his right side.
“The play was designed to get outside so that we can get past all of the defenders, and not have two sides closing in on me,” he said.
Robinson was just getting started. He has a superb burst, the awareness to find the open areas to exploit, and the patience to wait for his moment under the sun.
.“When I know the contact is coming, I just try to get low and hold tight onto the ball so I don’t fumble or lose the ball,” he said.
He broke off five runs of 10 yards or more. On the third possession, he effectively set up his own number. His 12-yard burst caught the Trojans off guard.
On the ensuing play, Robinson broke off a 32-yard touchdown run. The Jr Celtics were off and running.
In his absence during the second half, the offense stalled and struggled to find the same rhythm and flow.
The focus shifted to the defense, which was opportunistic and ready to make its own mark.
Bryce Kaplan was the defensive star with six tackles. His quarterback sack on fourth down smashed the Trojans’ seemingly promising opening drive.
“I think that play really set the tone,” Kaplan said. “Every time you sack the quarterback or get pressure on him, he just gets nervous and wants to get rid of the ball as fast as possible.
“A couple of plays later, we forced him to fumble the ball. We were definitely ready to play today after the first couple of weeks.”
Rangy and quick, Kaplan made plays in space and also at the point of attack. The consistent and solid defensive play was not just his alone to celebrate.
Carter Bellik, Gavin Collins, Colin Bailey, Adekunle Bobade and Lucas Gravitt took command in different ways, bottling up the line of scrimmage and taking away running lanes for the Trojans.
In a family affair, Robinson’s cousin Elliot Bodine had a key first quarter interception that contributed significantly to the shutout.
“Last year I was in a game, and I will never forget a ball that came to me and it just bounced off my chest,” Bodine said.
“After starting with a couple of tough losses, this felt really great today. I just knew we were going to win the game. This is my first home game, and I got the interception. Everything felt really good.”
The two touchdown lead held up through the dependable and steady play of the defense.
Pairing beautifully with Kaplan, Lorenzo Decarlo was a force of nature. He used his excellent speed to make plays in space and the point of impact.
The Trojans had intermittent success with a big play here or there. The Bolingbrook team never sustained or grouped major plays together.
“I think we all played the way we are supposed to,” Decarlo said. “We all got in there, or broke into their line. We made the quarterback get hit so that he just tried to get the ball out as quickly as possible.
“I think all of that made us have more confidence.”
Gravitt was a wall defensively, destabilizing the Trojans’ offensive with his hard forays into their backfield. The team never quite had an answer.
“I just love to hit the quarterback as hard as I can,” he said. “It was a hard game, but we played tough.”
Bobade put the finishing touches on the game. With Robinson unable to play in the second half, he brought secondary playmaking to the offense.
He was a menace defensively, embodying the next-man philosophy of the team.
“I was able to sack the quarterback,” Bobade said. “Once I saw a couple of guys get hurt, I knew I had to get pumped up, and ready to play even harder.
“I got all confident, and said you don’t hit my friends.”
The 10U iteration of the Jr Celtics had many key contributors in the 13-0 victory. Other crucial collaborators included Easton Breen, Nikko Triolo, Ethan Kozola, Nathan Quiroz, Austin Crites, Thomas Johnson, Grant Smith, Grant Whitchurch, Asher Kokolus, Broderick Wallace, Matthew Curry, Blake Jacobson, Kaleb Kastys and Travis Delisle.
The Junior Pee Wee cheerleaders also brought a beautiful energy and grace with their passion and routes. Their members are Elizabeth Costello, Angel Delgau, Reese Erickson, Olivia Gonzalez, Brooklyn Gorenstein, Ava Gorman, Liliana Gotkowski, Emmy Holland, Brooke Jacobson, Brynn Kaplan, Charlotte Kelly, Harper Kloiber, Adrianna Magana, Natalie Mellon, Ella Pearson, Briella Price, Mariana Santoro, Valentina Santoro, Valentino Santoro, Josselyn Smith, Mckenna Smith, Mackenzie Tunney, Maya Varnado and Lillian White. They cheered half the game .
Cheering the second half of the 10U Jr. Celtics game were the Pee Wee Jr. Celtics squad, which included Brianna Adair, Madison Baker, Chloe DiBennardi, Angelica Enright, Charlotte Fowler, Madison Janik, Luciana Kolenko, Gabrielle Migacz, Eloise Morrison, Penny Oeser, Gianna Picciola, Gianna Ponzi, Mia Rhodes, Bevin Scanlan, Jessica Short, Teagan Smith, Anya Stojak, Madison Varnado and Alexis Vollman.
