13U Gary Cougars dominate Dawgs in Arlington Hts

By Patrick Z. McGavin- Photos by Kathy Jones

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ARLINGTON HEIGHTS— The best teams know how to create an aura and quality even before the first snap. 

At their best the Gary Cougars 13U team exudes confidence, and plays with an unflappable cool and style in knowing they have the ability to score from anywhere on the field.

“We know that we’re never out of the game, and we can score from any spot,” coach Mel Price said. “It almost doesn’t matter about the down or distance. We’re never up against the wall. It could be 3rd and 30, and we know we still got a chance. We’re a little different.”

The Price—father and son—was definitely right.

Quarterback Amari Price threw for 127 yards and three touchdown passes as the Gary Cougars defeated the Arlington Dawgs 32-0 in the Pop Warner Game of the Week at Christian Liberty Academy on Saturday, September 7.

Amari Price has been playing quarterback for six years. He has prototypical size, athleticism and a superb arm. He showcased his versatility and skill in completing 8 of 15 passes.

Receiver Stetson Sullivan scored on touchdown passes of 27 and 8 yards.

“My favorite part about playing quarterback is just getting my guys in the end zone,” Amari Price said. “Everybody is working really hard, and we like to play together. We go hard, and everybody is really good at the end of the day.”

Speedster Benjamin Phillips was the perfect bookend in the Cougars’ rout. He scored two return touchdowns with his breakaway speed. He ignited the already dangerous attack with a gorgeous 69-yard kickoff return to start the game.

The ball popped hard off the ground, allowing Phillips to catch the ball in stride, break two tackles and fly behind his blockers on the right edge for the opening highlight reel.

“I’m just trying to get the team up, and get the confidence going,” Phillips said. “If I score like that, I know everybody is going to be locked in, and I know how to get the game started.

“That has always been my talent. I want to score every time I get the ball. Some of the teams we go up against, once we score, they already quit or get nervous. We have that confidence, and it boosts our mentality.”

Scoring a touchdown without having to run a play from scrimmage felt like an unfair advantage for a stacked team like the Cougars.

Phillips, Joseph Watson, Kaden Elder and Jerhon Brown took control from there, forming a defensive wall as the team conceded just one first down. The Cougars registered two sacks and six tackles for loss.

A lethal hitter, Watson was all over the field playing linebacker. He has the speed to make plays on the edge, and the physicality to disrupt the ball at the point of attack.

“I played well on defense, and made some big hits out there,” Watson said.

The kickoff return touchdown meant Amari Price had a delayed debut. He showed quickly what he was capable of on the Cougars’ opening possession, which began in the shadow of their own endzone, at the 5-yard line.

Price coolly and methodically eviscerated the Dawgs’ defense by orchestrating a nine-play scoring drive. He went 4-for-4 on the drive, the crucial play a 37-yard completion to wide receiver Maxwell Corradino. He escaped the pressure and patiently waited for Corradino to get behind the Dawgs’ secondary.

“You have to know how to be patient when you play quarterback,” Amari Price said. “Sometimes I have to get out of the pocket, and make some plays. I’m going to make every play that I have to do when I’m out there.”

Running back Curtis Whittaker had an 8-yard reception and ran for 3 yards. 

Amari Price rolled right and threw a perfect looping ball of 27 yards to Sullivan on the first play of the second quarter for the 14-0 lead. Elder kicked the two-point PAT.

“We’re a new team,” Sullivan said. “I haven’t played with Amari before this year, but we’re really connecting out there. It obviously worked out really well today. We just work hard at our game, and continue to do it in order to win these games.”

The Cougars are a pass-first team. Whittaker brings his own explosiveness to the attack, illustrated by his 31-yard run down the left sideline.

“We can move the ball a lot of different ways,” Whittaker said. “We can run, and we can throw. We work and train hard, and put in the time at practice to get everything down. Amari’s a great QB. This is also my first year of playing with him. We just seem to connect.”

Watson, Elder, Lasean Mathis and Antonio Byers kept the defensive pressure at the start of the third quarter, smothering the Dawgs’ offense before it had a chance.

A sack by Jamahl Milton and pressure on the punt attempt resulted in a massive special teams loss of yardage by the Dawgs that gave the Cougars first and goal.

Sullivan scored his second touchdown on the 8-yard slant from Amari Price.

Watson dominated both sides of the ball during the third quarter. He had a sack and two tackles on the Dawgs’ follow up possession. Taking possession at the Dawgs’ 42-yard line, Price and Watson punctuated the one-sided performance with a beautiful collaboration.

Watson broke free over the middle and outran the secondary for the 35-yard touchdown pass that extended the lead to 26-0.

“I get to be really aggressive playing offense and defense, and I like that,” Watson said. “I’ve been playing with this program for about five years, and we work very hard in practice to play like this.”

Watson and David Braboy III set up the final touchdown with another stellar defensive performance that pinned the Dawgs deep into their territory.

Phillips put the finishing touches on the rout by fielding a short punt, and returning it 13 yards for the closing touchdown.

“I’ve played with this program my whole life,” Amari Price said. “We put in a lot of work during practice and before games, just getting those connections with the receivers. It doesn’t matter where we are on the field. We just make it happen out there. We’re getting more confident every day.”

Mel Price cited the superb offensive line play highlighted by Brown, Byers and Aaron Collins that established the dominant framework for his son and the talented skill players to optimize their talents.

“We’re nothing without the big dogs,” Mel Price said. “They give us hope. I got five guys up front who are going to battle every play. We can’t do anything with the skill guys unless the big guys work.”

A native of Harvey in the South Suburbs, Mel Price grew up and played high school and college football in Jacksonville, Florida. 

He returned to the Chicago suburbs, and has been coaching with the Gary program for four years.

“I’ve got a 7-on-7 program, and a lot of our kids play there,” Mel Price said. “We have all come up together. They have great camraderie. A lot of them are great friends off the field.

“We teach that we want to dominate all three phases. We have a great chance of beating anybody when we do that. That gives us motivation. It also derails the other team. That’s exactly what happened today.”

The Gary Cougars 13U team received standout contributions from its entire roster in the 32-0 victory over the Arlington Dawgs. Those players were Maurice Ford, Zh’aire Malone, Ayden Sanders, Issac Gallagher, Ayden Cooper, William Golden, Benjamin Phillips and Kameron Spencer.