By Patrick Z McGavin- Photos by Renne Kaspar
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase for 2 Weeks at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p595016962 **
GILBERTS— In a riveting game shaped by indomitable and immoveable forces, every yard mattered, every inch took on great significance.
Nothing felt so exhilarating as a second chance to win the game.
“When they called the first touchdown back, I knew right away it was holding, because they’d have called offsides earlier in the play,” said running back Gannon Root of the Algonquin Argonauts 8U team.
“I told everybody after that play that we needed to have short term memory loss, and go back and try to find a way to score a touchdown.”
Root’s second half 57-yard touchdown run secured the Argos’ 6-0 victory over the Elmhurst Bears in the Pop Warner Game of the Week at Gilberts Elementary on Sunday, September 15.
The winning play came on a fourth-and-13 conversion, with 2:35 to play in the third quarter.
“When I was running the ball, at first I saw a huge pile, and I thought there’s no way I’m going to score a touchdown on this play,” Root said. “I stiff-armed somebody, and I saw the outside open up, and I got the ball outside.
“Normally I run pretty low, but if I blow that cornerback out, then I release myself and go out.”
The victory was as intense as it was satisfying for the Argos, who lost by the identical 6-0 score against the Bears in the second round of the playoffs in 7U action last year.
That Bears team lost to the eventual regional champion Naperville Patriots. The Argos were keen to even the score, and the Bears wanted to match their achievement of a year ago.
That backdrop created an emotional intensity that spilled out on both sides. In a showdown of elite programs, the teams demonstrated their toughness, skill and sharp execution.
The hitting and physicality was fierce and electric on each side.
The game went down to the final moments when a fourth-and-10 pass from Bears’ quarterback Leo Williams intended for Jack Morrison was broken up by two Argos’ defensive backs.
Morrison got a fingertip on the ball.
The Bears’ 13-play drive ended at the Argos’ 32-yard line. A Williams to Connor Boyd 20-yard pass play gave the Bears their best field position of the game.
“I love catching and running with the ball, and we tried our best to score there,” Boyd said.
Boyd and Williams were two of multiple standout two-way performers for the Bears. Boyd recovered a fumble on the first play of scrimmage. He also had six tackles.
Williams showed toughness running the ball, and completed three passes.
“My favorite part of the game is just having the ball in my hands, and having the freedom to either run or throw,” Williams said.
“I just tried my hardest to make the plays out there.”
Following the Boyd fumble recovery, an apparent touchdown throw from Williams to Cornelius Vandenberg was called back for holding.
A second holding call stalled the promising opening drive, despite a 17-yard pass from Williams to Morrison being the offensive highlight of their opening series.
In posting three consecutive shutouts to start the season, the Argos’ athletic and ferocious defense had not permitted a first down until the Bears’ second possession.
Oliver Cottrell, Kaiden Fox, CJ Druger, Stevie Baum, Bryce Fulton and Connor Cline spearheaded the aggressive play that limited the big-play athleticism of Williams and his collection of skill players.
Cottrell played like a young Dick Butkus, moving powerfully from sideline to sideline and delivering several bone-crushing hits.
“We did what the coaches told us, and we did our jobs,” he said.
The Bears were the first team to really move the ball against the Argos. Boyd was able to get to the edge a couple of times for 2-and 3-yard runs. DaReal Smith and Michael DeCarlo pounded the interior with traps and inside bursts.
“I think we started off kind of slow, but that team was really good,” Druger said. “I think I was pretty good on defense. I was able to chuck a kid to the ground. We were very physical, and played really fast.
“This whole year, we’ve been very good about going to practice every day, and working really hard. That showed out there today.”
The Bears matched the athleticism and toughness of the Argos’ defense. Donovan Woods, Ethan Pilon, Anthony Los, Boyd, Vandenberg and DeCarlo created their own formidable resistance.
The Argos had to work for everything.
Fulton is also the Argos’ quarterback, and he directed the attack with poise and precision. Going up against an elite and athletic front of the Bears, the Argos had to be patient and build an offensive rhythm play by play.
“Our offensive line did a great job of firing out, and helped us move the ball,” Fulton said. “We had some awesome blocks, and we got down there.
“I love handing the ball off. We have a lot of good runners.”
Druger carried the ball seven times in the first half, and his longest carry was 7 yards. Root appeared to break the game open by running free for a 26-yard touchdown at the end of the second quarter.
A holding penalty nullified the score.
At the start of the third quarter, Root also made a big stop of DeCarlo that forced the turnover on downs, and gave the Argos the ball at their own 47-yard line.
A couple of negative running plays put the Argos on their heels when Root broke the designed inside run to the outside and broke containment for the only touchdown.
“This was our state championship game this year,” Argos’ coach Chris Ciepley said. “Our goal is to have the strongest defense in the world, and knowing that eventually our offense is going to get there.
“Even after we fumbled at the start of the game, I was confident our defense was going to get the ball back.”
Williams and Boyd nearly pulled out the comeback with the 20-yard pass completion, the Bears’ longest play from scrimmage.
A massive hit by Cottrell and the pressure against Williams yielded the final incomplete pass. The near fingertip catch illustrated just how close these two teams were.
“We wanted to win, and we gave it our all,” Williams said.
Despite the tough 6-0 loss, the following players contributed significantly for the Elmhurst Bears. They were Jaxon Wrobel, Damari Jones, Ryan Kalkowski, Luke Brueggen, Micah Vargas, Tyrus Johnson, Dylan Muisenga, Cameron Perrone, Lorenzo Aiardo and Joseph McMahon.
With its victory, the Algonquin Argonauts received excellent contributions from its entire roster. Those players included Jackson Ecker, Cael Ciepley, TJ Langley, Leo Colella, Kane Combs, Anoosh Varda, Miles Lobo, Colton Peterson, Alexander Geiger, Kayden Anderson, Benjamin Bernick, James Kieras, Parker Benacka, Payton Berlin and Jackson Sosine.
The Argos’ Tiny Mite cheerleaders brought passion and energy with their routines and performance art. They included Nevaeh Amin, Nina Blakey, Elena Campobasso, Gabriella Campobasso, Daniella Falcone, Marissa Jensen, Emilia Loza, Colbie Lucas, Whitney Lucas, Michelle Rivera and Harper Savage.
