By Ed Muniz- Photos by Renee Kaspar
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Mokena-For Coach Tom Comise, the 2024 season has been all it could be. He obviously looks forward to the next game with excitement in his step and how he coaches the game seems different this year for good reason.
You see, Coach Comise has something special going on with his 8U Jr. Celtics.
The struggles of last season are long gone and now, this is a cohesive team and to a man, has one mind set each game, To Win!
Carrying a winning streak and looking to stay unbeaten was the goal in week three of the Chicagoland Pop Warner Schedule.
Hosting the Shabbona Park Saints that features a wily, elusive quarterback, the Jr. Celtics would face their toughest challenge yet of the 2024 season.
When the tally was counted at the end of the game, the Jr. Celtics streak grew to three as they vanquished the visiting Saints, 18-7 on September 7 at Main Park in Mokena.
“I told the boys you got to want it.” said Coach Comise. “The kids were being aggressive, that’s what we want them to be so, we coached them up a little bit and they responded very well and shut them down.”
“We battled some adversity today and the mental toughness of this team showed. We battled through some adversity on the field, and we came out on top, I’m super proud of these kids.”
After forcing a punt to open the game, The Jr. Celtics used the running of John Skuzinski V, Paxton Kirk and Ashton Bradshaw along with the passing of quarterback Michael Comise to Caleb Partin to set up the game’s first score.
A handoff to Bradshaw went for 10 yards into the endzone and a 6-0 Mokena lead, late in the opening quarter.
The Saints soon countered and took the 7-6 lead right before the end of the first quarter that saw the Saints runner break several tackles on the impressive 65- yard touchdown run.
Coach Comise mentioned adversity, his Jr. Celtics soon faced it after fumbling on the ensuing drive and giving the Saints a short field.
Fortunately, benefiting from some penalties by the Saints and a fumble exchange, the Saints couldn’t take advantage and were forced to give up the ball on downs.
With a couple of incompletions and two carries that produced negative yards, the Jr. Celtics also gave up the football on downs on their following series.
When the Saints got the ball back, the Mokena defense stood solid. Tackles for loss by Kirk, a solo by Hendrix Bernard and a sack by Vincent Venegas soon had the ball back to the Jr. Celtics offense as time wound down in the first half.
From the Saints 48, the Jr. Celtics tried to get another score before halftime. With less than 2:30 left, Skuzinski V started with a 14-yard burst. He was followed with a completion by Comise to Partin that went for 11 and had them sitting at the Saints 23 yard-line.
Taking the handoff, Kirk weaved his way up the middle and ran to the endzone with 1:12 left in the opening half. The 23-yard touchdown run now had Mokena up 12-7.
Penalties plagued the Saints as they went backwards to conclude the first half.
The Jr. Celtics opened the second half anything but auspicious. A fumble ended their drive and gave the Saints an opportunity to regain the lead.
With a krass defense, the Jr. Celtics turned back the Saints with tackles coming from Joseph Paciorek, Skuzinski V, Partin, Venegas and two by Kirk including one that lost 11 yards for the Saints.
Entering the fourth, the Jr. Celtics got rolling. Starting with a 23-yard cut-back jaunt by Partin, then Skuzinski V being called three consecutive times for 23 yards, the Jr. Celtics were creeping closer to adding another score.
Another Comise to Partin completion now had the Jr. Celtics at the doorstep to the endzone. Skuzinski V plunged in from a yard out to give the Jr. Celtics an 18-7 lead with two minutes left in the game.
“My dad puts good pressure on me and my team makes great blocks for me,” said Skuzinki V. “The team is doing the right things and that’s why we can score. I play hard every play. Today, they were physical and competitive. They were beating us to the outside, but we started shooting the gaps harder and made tackles. I’m happy how we came back and played to the end.”
Mokena finished off the game with a tackle by Ryder Dow and a fumble recovery by Paciorek to seal the win and remain unbeaten on the season.
Paciorek was just this side of dominant. His disruptions and tackles helped the Jr. Celtics often and made it harder for the Saints to get back in the game.
“I was just listening to my coaches and doing what they told me to do,” said Paciorek. “I’m just trying my hardest to see what gaps are open. I’m trying to get whoever has the ball. I see it quickly and take off. I want to get through the line better.”
Other Jr. Celtics helping their team stay unbeaten are Finn Ward, James Short Jr. Timothy Gena, Owen Miller, Hakeem Karim, John Drabeck, Corbin Caine, Iacovos Christou, Rocco Macaluso, Paul Herring and Jack Mackiney.
The Mitey Mite cheerleaders were also there cheering on the 8U team and entertaining the sidelines. They were Marlowe Kokolus, Olivia Richards, Annabelle Osborne, Calissa Kanu, Gabriella Bal-Denton and Lily Burke.
