By Patrick McGavin- Photos by Jenn-Anne Gledhill
** Additional Photos are Available for purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p609228110 **
The best teams get to work immediately, not stopping for to reflect or pause.
Every forward movement has its own positive action.
A player like Nakahti Thompson is designed for just this kind of moment.
A new player on a new team that was ready and willing to settle an old score. The motivation just radiated out in all directions. Thompson unlocked the moment.
“I like this a lot,” Thompson said. “It’s a great situation for me.”
The Jr Celtics 11U team appreciates his arrival.
Thompson scored a 65-yard touchdown run on the first scrimmage play that propelled the 33-0 victory over the Elmhurst Bears in a Pop Warner League game at Main Park on Sunday, September 10.
He finished with three rushing touchdowns as the Jr Celtics broke out to a 26-0 halftime lead.
The symbolism and satisfaction also proved crucial as the team avenged a playoff defeat last year against the Bears.
“I just had a great use of my vision, and I was able to get to the corner on the right edge,” Thompson sad. “I saw the safety come up on me, but i had the feeling he was not good enough to catch me, and I had the chance to score.”
For all intents and purposes, the play worked as game, set and match.
The moment showed what this gifted young group is capable of doing. The 11U program showed the ability to score from anywhere on the field
The Thompson quick burst created a template the team utilized to its fullest advantage.
It was not the end of anything, just the start of their domination.
The threat of Thompson vaporized the Bears’ defense, which was frozen in their tracks.
On the second possession, quarterback Michael Brown performed a superb play action fake for a beautiful looping pass that receiver Christian Taphorn ran under for the breathtaking 61-yard touchdown.
“So we made a lot of big plays, and I think hat was due to what happened last year, and we lost to this team,” Taphorn said.
“This same team knocked us out of the playoffs, and I think that really got us hyped up to do well in this game.”
Early success meant the team was psyched and ready to roll.
“Making those big plays early just built up the morale, and helped us get into the game a lot better,” Taphorn said.
“We knew we could get through this game.”
If the offense was overpowering and lethal, the defense was suffocating, removing the big play and denying any sustained actions by the Bears.
Jackson Shanahan, Dominic Nemchausky, Anthoni Stefos and Kyle Tompkins obliterated the Bears’ attack, flowing to the ball and preventing any big plays before they could develop.
The offense of the Jr Celtics was a well-oiled machine.
Even the threat of Thompson threw the Bears off balance. On the third possession, a Thompson handoff turned into a 20-yard run by Caden Russell on a reverse.
A Brown 11-yard scamper set up Thompson’s second touchdown with a four-yard run.
“I love calling the plays, and making things happen with either my feet or throwing the ball,” Brown said.
Thompson and Brown were the architects of the attack. The offense belonged to everybody.
Nolan Parrill set up his own three-yard touchdown with a 52-yard burst in the second quarter.
“We scored on the first play, and everybody just got excited after that,” Parrill said.
“Our coach (Bob Russell) is just a great offensive coach, and he always makes sure that we are doing everything right.”
The Parrill scoring run pushed the lead out to 26-0 at the break,
Thompson and Izhok Jaber also alternated making huge hits on the defensive side, stopping the Bears in their tracks.
Lethal on offense and efficient on defense, the Jr Celtics played a virtually flawless game. Bryce Robinson also brought energy and style as another runner and big play target.
“We just need to keep playing well, and use our strengths and make sure that we don’t make mistakes out there,” Robinson said.
The number of playmakers optimizes the attack, and brings out the special qualities of each player. That is an imposing and deep roaster.
With a combination of the new and old, the team vanquished the harsh memories of last year. As a concluding statement, Brown and Taphorn hooked up for another big play, a 17-yard pass sequence that set up Thompson’s final one-yard scoring plunge.
Kaiden Alexander was the other force on defense.
“We go through our line pretty good, and we always make sure we hit the holes,” Alexander said.
The mobile and sturdy lineman constantly harassed the Bears’ running backs and quarterback.
“We’re just really good at paying attention and hitting out there,” Alexander said. “We are following instructions.”
The 11U program of the Jr Celtics had many standout contributors in the 33-0 victory. The other prominent players were Jason Brown, Brayden Firlit, Frank Vosholler IV, Thomas Walsh, Dominick Bennett, Andrew Lowry, Caden Russell, Mason Jones, Cameron Bateman, Adrian Friscia, Caleb Jablonski, Carter Gericke, Benjamin Tiernan, Maximus Dukups and Logan McGrath.
The Pee Wee Jr. Celtics cheerleaders created a beautiful energy and grace with their passion and routines. They performed during halftime. The Pee Wee Jr. Celtics featured 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.
