By Ed Muniz- Photos by Lauren Gray
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase for 2 Weeks at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p2252264 **
TINLEY PARK- Closing out the slate of games at Tinley Park in Week 7 of the River Valley Youth Football League, the Varsity teams from the Orland Park Pioneers and the Tinley Park Bulldogs took to the field on September 28 Fulton School Field in Tinley Park.
For Coach Andy Rybak’s Pioneers, the season coming into this game has been one of difficulties. Sitting at 0-4, the Pioneers were hopeful a trip to Tinley Park would be the remedy needed in acquiring their first win of the season.
For the host Bulldogs, their home game would be a great opportunity to turn the season into a winning one as they sat at 2-2.
Some say the defense wins games. For the Bulldogs, good defense and opportunistic offense found them improving to 3-2 after holding on for the 16-6 win over the frustrated Pioneers who dropped to 0-5 on the year.
Addressing his team, Coach Rybak tried to make his players understand what they’re capable of and what it takes for them to be successful, talking of the Pioneers effort in the second half.
“We’re flying to the ball on defense, we were pushing the line of scrimmage on offense, running-backs were running extremely hard, feet were moving, we were gaining first downs, we were moving the chains, all those things. That just shows what this team is capable of when we come out and play that way.”
“We can’t come out flat. You have to be fired up on your own. We need to see some players take some leadership and ownership of this team. We need to get the gas going out of the gate., so we aren’t playing from behind. This is a good football team and don’t deserve to be 0-5.”
Rybak was correct, there’s too much talent and experience on this team to sit where they currently are. Unfortunately, a strangeness about the Varsity Pioneers is that they haven’t been able to gel and play mistake-free football that results in playing catch up in every game.
The modus operandi for this game had the Pioneers making a few plays, gaining positive yards and then faltering resulting in a big loss or a turnover to end or stall drives. It was a pattern throughout this game.
The Pioneer’s opening series was a perfect example. Runs by Thomas Elliot and Ryan Almasri gained 11 yards and a first down to start off positive. Their next set of downs would grab 7 yards on two runs then have a big loss of 8 yards, forcing a turnover on downs.
The Pioneers fell behind on the Bulldogs first series. After driving to the Pioneers 11, the Bulldogs scored on an 11-yard burst for the touchdown. With the added conversion-kick, the Bulldogs led 8-0.
Again, the Pioneers would start with a nice run of 10-yards by Almasri, but two incomplete pass-plays and another loss of 6-yards saw the Pioneers punt just inside the start of the second quarter.
Defensively, the Pioneers were doing their part to stay in the game. Connor Ward, Nathaniel Owei, Ezennaya Nwachukwu, Elliott, Colin McElligott, Nicholas Davis, Jack Bordelon, and William Reilly all had solo tackles or were assisting on others in the first half.
Reilly was one Pioneer that was quite active in this game. His aggressive pursuit and quick reads allowed him to be in on multiple tackles.
“It seemed like we weren’t getting enough pressure, so they got open holes for the run game,” said Reilly. “Against the pass, I think we did pretty good, just their run game killed us. I think maybe shooting our gaps more aggressively would help us.”
The Pioneers tried to answer midway through the second quarter, putting together an 11-play drive. A mixture of hard runs by Almasri and Elliott and completions to Elliott and Ashton Brennan from each other moved them past midfield but a failed fourth down run ended the promising offensive effort.
Although the defense was keeping the Pioneers in the game, the Bulldogs managed to get an additional score before halftime.
Using their ground game, the Bulldogs were soon deep in Pioneers territory sitting just outside the endzone in the last minute of the first half. A 1-yard plunge with :32 left doubled the Bulldogs lead to16-0.
An interception thrown by Brennan and a tackle by Reilly took the game to the break.
The Pioneers came out more aggressive in the second half, quickly forcing a three and out with stops by Nwachukwu, Bordelon and Reilly.
Almasri kick-started the offense with an 11-yard run. After two rushing attempts by Elliot and a penalty, Brennan went to the air and connected with Elliott on a swing pass. Elliott sprinted to the far sideline, eluded a tackle and sped pass the other Bulldog attempts down the sideline on the 51-yard pass-play for the touchdown.
With the score, the Pioneers trailed 16-6.
The Pioneers defense continued its aggressive play after the score forcing another three and out with stops by Bordelon and McElligott.
Back on offense, the Pioneers looked to score again using the hard running of Almasri and Elliott.
Almasri is a “Make a Hole” type of runner. Fast and quick, he is a runner that can get through a hole quickly and then lowering his shoulder, powering for that extra yard, a contrast to Elliotts running style of elusiveness and shifty speed.
Almasri likes pounding the rock and it shows on every one of his runs.
“You got to do with what you have to work with,” said Almasri. “I think I make good cuts when I run but I also think my blocks are good too.”
Almasri also uses that energy on the defensive side but admitted he needs to contain more because he felt he was being pushed out a lot.
The Pioneers continued looking for another score behind Almasri and Elliott but a Brennan run lost yards and an incompletion later, the Pioneers gave up the football entering the final quarter.
Almasri came up big on three straight plays with a pair of tackles and then recovering a fumble for the Pioneers.
As a Quarterback, knowing when to get rid of the ball to avoid a sack is key the higher the level you progress. Pioneers Quarterback Brennan hasn’t mastered that yet. He started the Pioneers series after the fumble recovery on a short field, but was holding on to the football too long on a called pass-play and was sacked with calls from the sideline to get rid of it. It pushed the Pioneers futher away from the endzone.
Another rock-pounding run by Almasri grabbed 8 yards and an Elliott to Owei completion went for 13 yards, unfortunately the momentum created by those was abruptly ended on a sack of Brennan that lost 10 yards followed by an interception tossed by Elliott.
The Bulldogs next possession saw them get to the line and watch the clock tic away, calling for the snap at the last second before a delay of game. They were content milking the clock and not looking to score any longer.
They ran the clock down as much as they could and gave up the ball on downs leaving the Pioneers with little time.
The game ended with the Pioneers trying to score quickly but a final incomplete pass ended the game with the host winning 16-6.
As was the case in all the previous games, the Pioneers Fifth Quarter play turned out better.
The Pioneers were able to score twice to the Bulldogs solo behind the running of Joey Driscoll’s 45-yard dash to the endzone and a 58-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Krokos to Driscoll.
Driscoll is one of those players born with gifted speed. If he gets in the open, you won’t catch him. With good size and stellar speed, he is a threat to score from anywhere. His downside is that he is just very green, but he could be someone’s “diamond in the rough” next year in high school.
“I’m assuming all the teams we play watch film and have seen me get outside, well, I’m starting to cut back now, and they don’t expect it,” said Driscoll of what is working well for him on runs.
“With my speed, I cut back inside, and I’m gone. I like running with the ball, but I like both running and getting the pass. Passing is different because if the ball isn’t gone soon enough, the guy sees me and can hit me hard, but I like both.
Driscoll felt he’s excelling at making moves and plays but need to improve his blocking.
Krokos passing also led the Pioneer offense, connecting for 30- to Christian Arevalo and 58-yards to Driscoll.
Defensively, tackles by Wyatt Heinze, Daniel Evers, Nolan Burns, Mark Gresch-Lisula, Jacob Morakinyo, Colin Kluever and Aidan Rios limited what Tinley Park could do.
Other Pioneers giving their all on the day included Ryan Beeler, David Kopec, Santino Marrella, Josiah Johnson, Caden Votteler, MaHarley son Overmyer, Luke Rybak, Henry Byrne, Keegan Fogarty, Layth Zughayer, Noah O’Kennard, Nicholas Baniewicz, Michael Sraga, Luke O’Reilly, Brandon Castillo, Cameron Taylor, Abdallah Abuhamda, William Gardner, Jon Macros, Brady Straka and Rhett Capps.
Cheering on the players and keeping the sidelines in the game and entertained was the squad of Varsity Pioneers Cheerleaders. Although missing several members, they still managed to perform well. The squad includes Alyssa Abed, Lily Carroll, Erica Gonsowski, Layla Jeffries, Hope Majdecki, Madalyn Marable, AnaSophia Martin, Hailey McDonald, Ava Mendoza, Avery Nugent, Maeve O’Connor, Ava Pastiak, Paige Pomonis, Arianna Ramadani, Leah Ramos, Jordyn Shamma, Jozelyn Tamayo and Klaudia Willis.
