13U Saints Fall in 25-0 Shutout Loss to Jr. Celtics

By Patrick Z McGavin- Photos by Jenn-Anne Gledhill

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PLAINFIELD— A single yard separated the 13U Division 3 team of the Plainfield Saints from a watershed moment.

Quarterback Ryan O’Halloran connected with receiver Chaise Jones for a 27-yard pass reception at the end of the first half against the Mokena Jr Celtics.

With time running out, O’Halloran scrambled 5 yards down the right sideline and nearly scored before being pushed out. The Saints were on the verge of either tying or going up at the break.

Instead a false start penalty pushed the team back, and the Jr Celtics sacked O’Halloran on the final play of the first half, ending their best chance at scoring.

The Saints never fully recovered in the 25-0 Homecoming loss in Pop Warner League play at Plainfield Central on Sunday, September 22,

“We’ve struggled a lot this season in the second half, so our goal was to come out stronger in the first half of the game,” Saints’ coach Johnny Rabenda said. “Things didn’t go our way. We had that false start that killed us. 

“Mokena presented a really tough challenge, and we knew that going into the game. We needed this to get into the playoffs. It’s been a rough year for injuries with us.”

The Jr Celtics put the game out of reach with three touchdowns in the second half.

The Saints showed promise and vigor throughout the more competitive first half, especially an active and alert defense that contained the high-flying Jr Celtics attack.

“The defense did great, until the end, when we had a lot of players get hurt,” Liam Stanley said. “During the first half, our defense was doing pretty well. We have to try harder, practice and get better at everything, one step at a time. We’re not going to win games unless we give great effort out there.”

Stanley was the architect of the defense’s best moments, posting back-to-back losses for a sharp and compelling goal line stand.

Daniel Macatangay, Julyan Tamayo, Luke Rainey and Gabriel Pappas were part of the electric opening by the defense, creating pressure off the edge and shutting down the running lanes.

“We’re a pretty energetic team, and we always try 100 percent,” Tamayo said. “We just have to try more and listen to our coaches, and play harder. In practice, we get close. We’re all friends, and we love working together and hanging out.”

O’Halloran has good size, a lively arm, and the ability to buy time in the pocket or use his improvisational abilities on his feet. The slippery turf and rainy conditions created additional stress and difficulty for the attack.

“You spend a lot of time practicing and preparing for the moment, and then it’s game day and it doesn’t always go how you planned,” Rabenda said. The kids play hard and they get it. We tried our best to look clean and sharp, but the poor weather and the rain made it difficult. Our handoffs weren’t clean, and we were giving up way too much pressure on the outside.”

After a tipped pass led to an interception on their opening possession, the Saints rebounded with a strong and compelling drive that ably mixed the pass and run. Rainey and Ryan Masunas collaborated on a fourth down stop that gave the Saints their best starting field position of the game at the 31-yard line of the Jr Celtics.

After an incomplete pass and a sack, O’Halloran showed his moxie and escapability by finding the streaking Jones behind the secondary of the Jr Celtics.

“It was crunch time, and we went off on the right count and everybody was set,” Jones said. “The offensive line was not always giving protection to our QB, and that had a big effect on our offense.”

On first and goal from the 6-yard line, O’Halloran nearly scored.

The fateful penalty changed the momentum of the game. At worst the Saints were looking at a tied game. A halftime lead was definitely in the realm of possibilities.

“We have to know what’s going on, and know the count and not have a penalty like that,” O’Halloran said. “This is a fun team, but we have to put it all out on the field and be more aggressive.”

That was the closest the offense ever came to reaching the end zone. The Jr Celtics stiffened in the second half. O’Halloran and Jones connected for a couple of other passes. The running game was stuck in neutral from the start. Fatigue and injuries took their toll in the second half.

Despite the adversity and disadvantaged odds, the Saints refused to yield, demonstrating their own brand of toughness and resilience with their backs continuously pushed up against the wall.

Macatangay had back-to-back tackles for loss in the shadow of his own end zone during the third quarter. Gavin Lechowicz and Brendan Sebalj also stepped up with some huge plays on the defensive side.

“We’re competitive out there,” Macatangay said. “Sometimes we get into arguments because we want to do so well. That’s just how the season has gone for us. We haven’t really won any, but we have competed.”

The offense could not elevate its play in the second half.

“I thought we could have done a better job on the line with giving the quarterback time to throw,” Stanley said. “He got sacked a lot. We have to try harder, practice and get better at everything, one step at a time. We’re not going to win games unless we give great effort out there.”

Until the final play of scrimmage, the team was dialed in, and looking to make any impact they could.

“No matter what happens out there, we all have a love of the sport, and we want to be out there trying our hardest and doing our best,” Stanley said. Everybody here wants to make it to a higher level. We have to try harder in practice and listen more to get the results we want.”

Results matter, but the team has a larger purpose.

“We hope to finish off strong, and get the boys ready for high school,” Rabenda said.

Despite the Homecoming loss, the 13U Division 3 White team of the Plainfield Saints had many energetic and inspired contributors. Their members included Rayce Rabenda, Axel Keating, John Rosner, Carlos Flores, Josiah Torres, Camryn Miller, Landon Majchrowski, Gabriel Pappas, Alexander Hoffman, Lorenzo Pantaleo, Izael Rodriguez, Jonah Orlando and Finnegan Hallihan.

The Pee Wee Cheerleading squad brought energy, enthusiasm and artistry to their routines. Their members included Phallon Brooks, Emily Cuellar, Makenna DeLuca, Chloe Duplessis, Sophia Kurczynski, Addison McNeal, Aria McNeal, Sydney Miene, Zoey Purviance, Rowan Semple, Grace Shannon and Angelica Tsipakis.