By Pat McGavin-Photos by Renee Kaspar
The natural thrill and excitement bound up in Homecoming produces a jolt for all the different players.
Every feeling is amplified. Jam those emotions together and add something new and wholly unexpected: the sudden realization the guy on the other side just might be your best friend.
“We’re fighting like brothers,” Frankfort Falcons quarterback Alexander Nieckula said.
“This was no rivalry.”
In a game of pageantry and passion, the Lightweights Black team utilized a fast start and withstood a late rally for the 12-6 victory over the Blue in a River Valley Youth Football League game at Aleck Field on Sunday, September 12.
The Falcons are in an admirable position.
The participation level is so high, the Black and Blue teams are divided in order to optimize playing and developmental opportunities for all the players.
The game was marked by a mutual respect, the game featured some characteristic hard hitting, fundamental play and execution from all sides.
“It’s pretty fun because you get to play against your friends, and people you know,” Blue quarterback Hunter Schley said.
The Black took control with a deeply impressive and full-scale 13-play, 65-yard touchdown drive on the opening possession.
Nieckula was the ideal orchestrator of the attack, deftly mixing up his passes and running game that caught the Blue side off rhythm and scrambling to play catch up.
Running back Hunter Kujawa flashed tremendous speed and breakaway potential for the Black team.
He demonstrated the toughness and power to run between the tackles and the speed to get to the edge. On the second play from scrimmage, he ripped off a 21-yard run. That set the stage, and the Black offense was humming.
“I like to run through the middle because the people on the line make a huge hole,” Kujawa said.
He also has the size and power to absorb early contact and not easily go down. On several runs, he dragged several tacklers.
“Once they are on me, I just like to keep pushing,” he said.
Kujawa’s combination of power and speed created huge dilemmas for the Blue defense. They had to adjust to slow him down, and that opened up the passing game.
Nieckula connected for 12 yards with Carter Johnston and nine yards to wide out Knox Breitzke.
Blue defensive end Brady Sandling appeared to nullify everything with two fantastic plays that almost shut the drive down.
He recorded two tackles for loss, including a nine-yard sack.
That only set up the heroics of Nieckula and Breitzke.
On fourth and 14, the quarterback lofted a beautifully thrown 25-yard pass on the right flank that Breitzke caught in stride for the touchdown reception.
“I think I really sold the route,” Breitzke said. “The touch on the pass was perfect. That play really gave us a boost, because we knew we had the first touchdown and that helped us fight.”
Nieckula has a clear connection with Breitzke. He is the quarterback’s safety valve, the one he looks to open up the game.
“He’s fast, he’s quick and he has very good hands,” Nieckula said. “He is my favorite target. It was a good throw and a good catch.”
The Blue sought to answer with their own drive, a seven-play possession that ended on a fourth down stop by Dominic Jemilo.
Kujawa was again ready for action. Following a 20-yard burst by Dominic Richardson, he took an inside handoff and broke free for the 18-yard touchdown with 2:24 to play in the first half.
Schley looked to revive the Blue offense with a late half movement. He connected with Gavin Murphy on a 13-yard pass.
Gavin Murphy added runs of eight and 13 yards. The drive ended with a sack by Breitzke and Dominic Richardson.
Down 12-0 at the start of the second half, the Blue offense looked to get untracked.
After his opening drive ended on a loss of downs, Schley finally pieced together a comprehensive
The Blue expertly drew off inside and outside runs with a massive 15-play drive. Schley was the ideal conductor, running six times for 35 yards.
He broke runs of seven and 12 yards. He proved elusive and difficult to catch from behind. He also ran with authority, and proved tough to bring down by a single tackler.
“I just tried to get out of the pocket and hit my targets or use my feet,” he said. “It was a fun game to play in.”
Disaster struck on an errant snap in the shotgun that resulted in an eight-yard loss. On fourth down, Schley was stopped at the 7-yard line.
On the ensuing play, a defensive push forced a bad exchange and the Blue’s Jaxon DiFiore recovered the fumble. Sandling averted the shutout by scoring on a plunge from the 1-yard line on fourth down.
“When I heard the play, I just told myself I needed to score,” Sandling said.
The hardest part for the Blue was overcoming their early doubts.
“We had a tough start, and a lot of people, I think, got flat after they scored those early touchdowns,” Murphy said.
Sandling was a standout for the Blue side. He was a defensive force. He posted four tackles for loss and two sacks.
He was a big reason the Black team was shutout in the second half.
“I just like to be physical,” he said. “My dad was a defensive end, and he showed me all the techniques that defensive ends like to use. He always tells me to be physical and never lie down or give just 75 percent. Always chase after them.”
The Sandling touchdown gave the Blue side a final chance with 1:45 remaining. Nieckula recovered the onside kick.
Defensively, Dominic Richardson and Kardiais Richardson were the standouts for the Black with their pursuit and athletic ability to make plays from sideline to sideline. Dominic Jemilo also impressed with his aggressive play.
Finally, the game ended as it began, with Nieckula making the decisive play.
“I like to lead the team,” he said.
The game was preceded by the Fifth Quarter, a 25-minute controlled scrimmage that allowed some of the younger and secondary players an opportunity to see playing time and get a feel for regular action.
In the Homecoming victory, the Black team also received standout contributions from Jaxen Wilson, Lake Schultz, Ronan Hughes, Andrew Feith, Hunter Guisinger, Patrick Lanigan, Luis Rivera, Sean Henry, Ray Marneris, Austin Drees, Rafael Maldonado, Evan Sawatski, Lucas Nausedas, Nolan Peters, Bradley Onik, Caleb Gawelczyk and Liam Gulde.
Despite the Homecoming loss, the Falcons Blue team had standout contributions from Kevin Hanrahan, Timmy Lorimer, Andrew Clair, Dexter Adams, Caleb Griffin, Owen Fatland, Jackson Bartkus, Tanner Metschke, Nicholas Kowalczyk, Joshua Fife, Ryan Gish, Jack Doyle, Nolan Waddick, Colin Gaughan, Kemarion Johnson, Will Rottman, Landry Rose, Benjamin Bogucki, Tommy Harper, Maxwell Murray, Anthony Zehner, Tony Martinez, Logan Waddick, Kemrone Johnson and Declan Schleder.
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