By Ed Muniz- Photos by Jenn- Anne Gledhill
**Additional Photos are Available for purchase for next 2 weeks at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p431886017 **
Gilberts– Theres nothing like Family. It’s a comfort that always seems to be there when needed most.
It’s not an easy task juggling family functions, especially as your family grows. Of course, as that happens, you make adjustments as best you can because there’s Nothing like Family.
Visiting the Algonquin Argonauts Football and Cheer program, the one thing that becomes quite noticeable is the Family Atmosphere. It’s thick and quite welcoming.
For several hours a week, Parents give up their children to staff of the Argonauts, as if leaving with a known relative that has their child’s wellbeing in hand.
Yes, Football and Cheer Practice.
The routine began in late July and will conclude several weeks later in November, if talent warrants that.
Just Imagine the efforts required to oversee nearly 250 boys and 132 girls. That’s the duty of First year President of the Algonquin Argonauts, Joe Kenny along with his staff of coaches and assistants of 17 teams and squads at ages from 5-years-old to 13-years-old.
Of course, no youth program can be successful without a bevy of volunteers, that is where the Argonauts and families really work as one big family and the proof is in the numbers as the Argonauts keep growing.
“The Argos were established in 2008,” said Kenny. “The previous 10-years, Presidents Joe Capistran (2014-2017) and Grant Lentz (2018-2023) taught me a lot over the last years helping out.”
With twin sons on the 11U Argo team, not only does he have involvement with his family in the program but also with all families within, he welcomes that.
“Big Picture, we are just excited to have the growth we had this year in the program. With 11 football teams and 6 cheer squads. It’s been a huge year for registrations, so we’re real excited for the big picture with two teams at multiple levels, said Kenny.”
With the majority of participants coming from Algonquin, Carpentersville, Dundee and Elgin, it’s not exclusive to them. The Argonauts welcome kids from 15 different communities that also include East and West Dundee, South Elgin, Burlington, Hampshire, Pingree Grove, Crystal Lake, Lakewood, Lake in the Hills, Bartlett and Streamwood.
Another benefit to the Argos program is the relationship they have with school District 300.
Joe Kenny added, “We have a great Partnership with District 300. They allow us the use of Gilberts Elementary for games and Westfield Community School for practices.”
The football side has talent throughout its teams. Kenny and staff are excited about their youngest participants and feel from 6U to 8U, they have some of the best kids in the area with high goals and hopes for the 11U team that finished runner up and a game shy of qualifying for a National Championships.
“We’ve got great families throughout our program, always willing to step up as they did at a recent Jamboree we had where they filled 210 volunteer slots jointly with Dundee Crown HS, I can’t talk enough of how incredible our parents and families are.”
The Argonaut program also features a “One of a Kind” cheer squad referred to as “Inspired”. No other youth program within the Chicagoland Pop Warner has a cheer squad made up of Differently-abled girls.
Under the tutelage of Co-Vice Presidents Jamie Anderson and Tammy Mrotak, the Inspired Cheer squad cheer on the players at games and also compete at Nationals.
The Inspired cheer program began in 2021. They competed at Nationals the following year and again in 2023. This year the squad will have time off and return to Nationals next year.
“The idea was introduced to the head of the Argos four years ago, and they took it and ran with it,” said Inspired Cheer Coach Jamie Anderson. “I’m pretty happy with that.”
“My biggest goal when Joe (Kenny) asked me to take over the program was to always give “Inspired” a home because these kids won’t typically get that at other programs, so, it was my chance to make sure that they are exposed to every level of this program and the kids have been phenomenal with them. Here, they’ve always tried to merge us together from the beginning. It’s been great!
Among the games scheduled on August 24 for Algonquin’s season home opener at Gilberts Elementary School, was the 7U Argos. They played host to the Oriole Park Falcons in Chicagoland Pop Warner action.
After the final whistle of the hour-long game on a hot, bright day, the home crowd left elated after their 7U Argos comeback win, edging the Falcons 19-18, securing their first victory of the season.
Starting defensively, tackles by Jonathan Perez Jr., DeAndre Johnson, Isaak Martinez, Silas Cole and Declan Druger held the Falcons at bey, limiting their yards but at this level, if you get to the edge, there’s a good chance you’ll score on long runs and thats exactly what the Falcons did, scoring from 20-yards out.
With the touchdown, the Falcons led 6-0 after a failed extra-point.
Beginning at their own 35-yardline, the Argo Offense went to work trying to even up the score.
Runs by Santiago Hernandez and Noah Jackson chipped their way down field, with Jacksons 14-yard Zigzag, elusive running style, making him hard to tackle and advancing the ball, but it was Druger’s 35-yard burst around right end that set up the tying score.
“I like stiff-arming guys and scoring touchdowns,” said Druger. “I like being the muscle on the team. I want to make my team better. I think I played like a “A” today.”
After reaching the Falcons 3-yardline, the ball went to Jackson who scampered into the endzone for the touchdown. With the failed extra-point, the game was tied at 6-6 midway through the second quarter.
Back on defense, it looked like the Argos would make a stop after tackles by Druger and a force fumble hit by Tristan Fallico jarred the ball loose from the Falcon Ball carrier, but once again, the Falcons managed to find the ball and on the next play saw their runner get to the edge, outrunning the pursuing Argos, scoring from 60-yards out on the last play of the first half for the 12-6 lead.
The third quarter was all Argonauts as they scored twice and showed stellar defense.
On their very first play to open the second half, Hernandez showed his skills, accelerating to the outside left and running 65-yards for the touchdown. After Beckett Smith added the point-after, the Argos led 13-12 and never looked back.
On the next play, the defense quickly got the ball back to their offense. Jasiel Perez Chacon was “Johnny on the Spot” recovering the loose ball after Druger forced the fumble with a hard tackle.
The Argos were running the ball well but a few plays after the fumble recovery, Quarterback’ Noah Jackson went to the air to his left and found a wide-open Smith, who hauled in the pass and went 25-yards for the Argos third score of the game and a 19-12 advantage.
“I thought I caught the ball well and blocked too. I gave 100% but I think I can do better at blocking, said Smith.
For Jackson, it was all fun.
“I like playing QB, it’s fun,” said Noah Jackson. I was good at tackling too.”
When asked if its hard playing for his head coach father, the diminutive and few word spoken’ Noah simply shook his head. He obviously lets his efforts on the field do the talking.
The Falcons did rally scoring a early touchdown in the fourth quarter but a stop of the point-after kept the Argos ahead 19-18 and once they got the ball again, they never relinquished it till the final tic of the clock.
“It’s a big deal getting to the edge, on offense getting out there using our speed is big,” said head Coach Lee Jackson. “We have backs with speed, backs with power. Noah is a big factor for us. Our defense aside, it’s us just containing. I thought Tristan Fallico had a great game for us. Once he uses his muscles, rips through the line, he stood out for us.”
Coach Jackson added that he thought his offense looked good but wanted to improve his defense, but overall, was happy with the efforts from his team.
Other players contributing to the win were Connor Bell, Mason Wilhelmi, Leo Wozniak, Ford Hart, Bode Serwa, Leo Rivera and Madison Masterson.
Also showing off their talents were the Sideline Argonauts Cheerleaders. Among them was a very vocal Georgia Lee Rivas and her cheer squad.
“The best part of being a cheerleader is encouraging and cheering on the football players,” said Georgia. “Last year they made it to the finals, and I think it’s really cool how we get to cheer them on and get the crowd involved, I enjoy that. I enjoy being on this squad because you have free time to enjoy where Competition Cheer you don’t. No pressure here.”
Sherry Sliwinski, who heads the Sideline Cheer added,
“The kids are amazing, just awesome, you get a bond with the girls, you become connected with them; all of us that volunteer do, It’s exciting for me. The only downside is we do lose attention and focus at times but otherwise, we have a great team of girls 5-years to 13-years old, quite diverse.”
The Sideline Cheerleaders giving their all included Audrey and Brooklyn Aguilar, Olivia Anfeldt, Evelyn Benitez, Elowyn Bilyard, Grace Botta, Cataleya Brito, Penelope Cole, Avriella Diebold, Ariana Eckart, Jasmine Esparza, Lilliana Fuentes, Leylani Gutierrez, Ariana Jerzyk, Brooklyn Johnson, Adrianna Lewis, Jade Liang, Sophia Maurelli, Alycia Perez, Shawn Rivas, Avery Rodriguez, Sophia Salas, Genesis Sanchez, Joslyn and Hannah Shackelford, Julia Sliwinski and Isabella Vega.
