By Patrick Z McGavin- Photos by Jenn-Anne Gledhill
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase for 2 weeks at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p786529819 **
PLAINFIELD— It is a classic adage of the game to forget the past and concentrate only on the next possible play.
The players from the Plainfield Saints’ 11U Division 3 program could not escape the surprised and stunned feeling after the quarterback of the Joliet Titans ran around the left end for a 67-yard touchdown on the third play.
“That was one of the first times this year we got scored on, and it got us pumped up,” Brayden Rodriguez said. “We worked really hard after that play to contain the outside and make sure they never got loose again.”
With the team needing a spark, the Saints went to their dual quarterback tandem of Connor Johnson and Samuel Rizzo.
Johnson and Rizzo rushed for a touchdown apiece in the Saints’ comeback 12-6 Homecoming victory in Pop Warner League play at Plainfield Central High on Sunday, September 22.
“Connor usually starts the games, and sometimes I finish them,” Rizzo said. “He’s the starter, and I’m the back up.
“We also alternate, and we have this play where we have the run or pass option, and that play usually works really well.”
Johnson and Rizzo are each versatile and highly skilled talents who have the size, speed, athleticism and positional flexibility to play anywhere on the field.
Johnson typically starts at quarterback and outside linebacker. Rizzo is the hybrid running back and quarterback who helps run the devastating option attack.
On the Saints’ second possession, Rizzo took the pitch in the option game from Johnson and broke free for a 12-yard run.
It was the first sign of an offensive system finding its rhythm and shape.
All the game-changing offensive plays by the Saints came out of the same basic formation, running out of the shotgun from either a direct snap or on the pitch.
Johnson had a 37-yard run in the first half, and a massive 42-yard dash down the left edge on the opening possession of the second half.
His first big run came late in the first quarter off the left side. His burst gave the Saints first and goal at the 8-yard line. A penalty and two sacks stalled the drive, preventing the Saints from countering the early score by the Titans.
“I was mad we didn’t score during that drive in the first half,” Johnson said.
First Johnson, Rizzo and the players got mad. Then they got even.
“I don’t think anybody on our team was happy after they scored that touchdown,” Johnson said.
“We had that chance in the first half, and couldn’t convert.”
Even if that first half drive failed to deliver any points, the momentum clearly started to shift to the side of the Saints. The sequence also showed the Saints had the moxie, talent and individual capabilities to move the ball effectively.
Plainfield dominated the second half with a big-play capability and stepped up to the challenge.
Johnson took matters into his own hands with a gritty and tough scoring drive at the beginning of the third quarter.
He again attacked the vulnerable right side of the Titans’ defensive side, using his speed to accelerate to the edge and burst 42 yards down the sideline.
“Maybe they weren’t as good on their right side, and we saw that we were getting a lot of yards there,” Johnson said.
Two plays later, Johnson took the shotgun snap, faked the inside handoff and burst around the left edge for the 7-yard touchdown run.
Despite the two-point kicking attempt clanging off the crossbar, the Saints were just getting warmed up.
The game was now tied at 6-6.
On the ensuing play Rizzo capitalized on a perfectly executed onside kick, and kept into the air for the recovery. Suddenly everything was going the way of the Saints.
Rizzo was just getting started.
On third down, he took the pitch wide right, found some blockers, and broke down the right sideline for the game-winning 47-yard touchdown run.
“It was a read option, and I went outside,” Rizzo said. “I saw the guy coming in on me, and I wanted to score a touchdown.
“I just tried my hardest, and got into the end zone. Everybody was upset about how they scored right away. The coaches gave us a talk, and I think the whole team got pumped from that.”
After the initial shock of the long touchdown run the Saints gave up, the defense took hold and severely disrupted the Titans’ attack. Micah Clocuh was a standout with six tackles. He used his blend of size and speed to continuously get to the running backs, or slow down the quarterback.
“Once they scored, we got all riled up, and we really wanted to stop them,” Clocuh said. “The coaches did a great job of preparing us for a really big and physical team that had a lot of good athletes.”
The Rizzo touchdown run came on the second play of the fourth quarter. With more than 9 minutes of game-time, the Titans had sufficient opportunities to mount their own comeback.
Defensive tackle Sean Sergent and Clocuh made a big stop. Rodriguez broke through for a -4 yard loss. Tyler Gray made a huge stop on third down, and followed with huge pressure on the fourth down passing attempt that caused the turnover on downs.
Antonio Wheeler III, Aidan Campos, Anthony Spatafore, Alexander Swanston played aggressively in pursuing the ball, and disrupting the Titans’ attack.
“At the start of the game, we were really excited and thought we were really going to do well,” Sergeant said. “Then they scored right away, and it was just a shock to the nerves. We knew we had to fight and come back, and that we couldn’t get beat by our nemesis.”
The 11U Division 3 Plainfield Saints had many standout contributors in the 12-6 victory. They were Jionni Pagan, Joseph Green, Seth Norman Schussler, Mason Franco, Jackson Evans, Liam Specht, Joshua Martinez, Jackson Hayes, Wyatt Waldron, Enrique Reyes, Sergio Flores, Keegan Specht, Grant Jackson, Colvin Dimmick, Blake Kraus and Logan Freistadt.
The Tiny Mite cheerleaders also brought passion and energy to their routines. Their members are Anastasja Blachut, Ewelina Blachut, Madison Gould, Mackenzie Hauge, Finleigh Judd, Mackenzie Loukota, Mackenzie Moore, Adelia Parks, Scarlett Purviance, Kenzie Quintero, Khloe Reyes, Mckenzie Reyes, Aviana Salazar, Kaiya Scofield, Abigail Stehlin and Camryn White.
