By Patrick Z. McGavin-Photos by Renee Kaspar
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p450579189 **
The pleasure of watching has never felt so pure or alive watching young kids realize their football dreams.
The Jr Celtics 6U team marks the beginning of something special, signifying a deep and almost primal connection to the sport.
“I like to run fast, and I always try to run for touchdowns,” running back Westin White said.
Watching them engaged, running with abandon, trying their hardest, spoke to the beauty and purity of a sport at the beginning stages for these young players.
The players are of a type, engaged, direct, and open to the possibilities and wonder of learning the fundamentals of the game.
The 6U is a 15-player team taking the first steps to developing technique, style and form.
At Main Park on Saturday, September 16, the eight-man outfit of the Jr Celtics played the Algonquin Argonauts in a Pop Warner League game as part of the Homecoming festivities.
“Our focus is learning the fundamentals, learning how to tackle the right way, and learning how to block the right way,” coach Jim Mellon said. “It’s all about getting them to learn the game, playing safely, not leading with their helmets, things like that.”
Under the league format, no score is kept, and the teams play two 22-minute running clock halves.
The Argonauts had the better play, and prevented the Jr Celtics from scoring.
The offense of the Jr Celtics is clearly a work in progress. The team has heart, and showed toughness and resilience against the bigger and larger rostered program from the northwest.
By the time of the second half, getting their legs underneath them, the Jr Celtics showed promise. Westin White ripped off a 18-yard run, the longest play from scrimmage.
“It’s a lot of fun out there running around and playing,” James Mellon said. “We have a lot of good times, with good friends.
“My favorite part of the game is tackling.”
Defensively, the Jr Celtics showed courage and fight, flowing to the ball in numbers, and showing good tackling instincts.
On the Argonauts’ second possession, Westin White came from the outside and registered a tackle for a two-yard loss for the Jr Celtics.
The other leading defensive players were Kai Tuburan, James Mellon, Landon Brown, Maximus Lapore, Nicholas Petrocelli, Logan Cesek and Jameson White.
During the second possession of the Argonauts, Westin White, Turburan and Mellon collaborated on four successive stops.
“I like running the ball,” Cesek said. “I really like being able to run around and tackle the people who have the ball.”
Lapore is one of the best two-way players. Like a lot of kids his age, he was curious and then excited to be a part of something creative and exciting.
“I was looking at the Bears’ game, and I really liked it, so I wanted to join my own football team,” Lapore said.
“We’ve had a good season so far. I like tackling. In our last game, I was chasing after a running back who was about to go into the end zone, and I got him down.”
At that age group, the physical discrepancy between the players is sometimes striking. The Jr Celtics have stood up to the challenge.
“They’re not doing a bunch of trick stuff,” coach Mellon said. “It’s basic football. A lot of kids are pretty raw and new to the game. We have a couple of kids who are playing from last year that we coached.
“Those are our main players, some of our bigger kids.”
Landon Brown, the quarterback, showed promise and developing skill at the position. He also had a big 10-yard run on the final possession.
“I like to throw the ball up and far,” he said. “The best part about the game is running the ball and throwing the ball.”
Each week is a new challenge, and a way to learn and develop accordingly.
“There’s been a big improvement from day one to now,” coach Mellon said. “Last year they were all over the place, and now they’re a little bit more focused.
“They started out a little timid. Now they get it. They know they have to perform.”
The Jr Celtics 6U team had many key contributors who played well and hard in the Homecoming activities. Those other players included Francis Zalud, Mason Comise, Jacob Palacios, Jackson Baker, Kaleb Cloutier, Mario Williams and Leonidas Christou.
The Tiny-Mite cheerleaders also brought a terrific energy and passion to their routines. They included Brooke Copack, Mila Fox, Jayde Dorosz, Brooklyn Firlit, Calrleigh Gill, Ella Koschnitzki, Maggie Lepore, Sloane Ludwig, Ellie Mahalik, Hayden Neal, Kelsey Niemeyer, Nicole Pflug and June Smith.
