By Patrick Z. McGavin- Photos by Jenn-Anne Gledhill
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ADDISON— Of all the mathematical possibilities and crazy unpredictability built into the kickoff return, Ke’ion Dennis turned a near disaster into a nightmare for the Tri-City Wolverines 13U program.
With just 1.2 seconds to play in the first half, the electric running back for the Addison Cowboys fumbled the ball moments into his return.
“I saw the ball get loose, and I just told myself I have to go get it back,” he said.
Dennis recovered the ball for his own madcap 92-yard kickoff return that sparked the 34-18 victory in the Pop Warner Game of the Week at Addison Trail here on Sunday morning, August 31.
It was how Dennis scored that was truly jawdropping. Fielding the ball off the bounce at his own 8-yard line, he lost control of the ball, with a coverage player seemingly set to pick it up and take it back for the touchdown.
The ball took a crazy bounce through the hands of the Wolverine player and somehow found its way back to Dennis, who gathered the ball in stride and outraced the coverage team.
“I was really proud of myself,” Dennis said. “I didn’t really think I could do that. I had to test my speed, and use the blockers and get out in space like that.”
Thanks to a 77-yard scoring run by Dennis on the Cowboys’ opening drive, Addison (2-0) led from start to finish, seizing first half scores of 14-0 and 20-6.
Tri-City stormed back behind the bruising inside running in the Wildcat formation with Cannon Kinsella, and the big-play passing attack of quarterback Blake Gould and running back/receiver Haven Davison.
After Davison’s 18-yard receiving touchdown over the middle pulled the Wolverines within 20-12, Tri-City felt it was going into the halfbreak down just one score.
The Dennis return touchdown and the two-point kick by Jason Thalhammer restored the Cowboys’ advantage to 28-12.
“That play was such a definition of youth football,” Wolverines coach Justin Malcom said. “We executed the play exactly as we planned. We squibbed it right down the middle as hard as we could, made it bounce a couple of times. “The boys got down there and did what they had to. That kid worked some magic. For him to fumble the ball, recover his own fumble and take it to the house like that, props to him.”
The game marked a clash of styles and innovative offensive systems. The Wolverines (1-1) were coming off an impressive season-opening win over a talented Aurora Gators program.
Tri-City has a dual pronged attack, blending the vertical passing threat of Gould with a smash-mouth heavy package that uses Kinsella as a battering ram in the Wildcat.
“You can’t stop until you score, and always play to the whistle,” Kinsella said. “You have to work your way downfield.”
By contrast, the Cowboys have big play and quick strike capability with the athleticism of Dennis and running backs Malik Brooks and Tyler Houston.
The team is capable of scoring from anywhere on the field, yielding one or two play scoring or eight-play possessions.
Quarterback Ryan Rasinski has superb targets in receivers Brayden Fouch and Jason Thalhammer, and tight end Michael Aguilar Jr.
A 26-yard completion to Jason Thalhammer on fourth and long set up the Cowboys’ second touchdown that culminated with Rasinski’s 21-yard strike to Fouch on a beautifully designed play action.
Fouch is a new addition to the program, and he showed burst off the line of scrimmage, sharp routes and great hands. He had two catches for 40 yards.
“This is a really special opportunity,” he said. “We just have really good chemistry, especially with my quarterback. I just really trust him that he’s going to get me the ball.”
Trailing 14-0 late in the first quarter, the Wolverines used their aggressive and free flowing defense to get back into the game. Defensive tackles Kristian Petty and TaShawn Nunn recorded back-to-back stops.
Nunn dislodged the ball from Rasinski for a fumble recovery that set up the Wolverines’ painstaking 11-play, 56-yard drive, all on the ground. Mateo Zavala and Kinsella took turns generating four and five-yard chunks on the ground.
Kyree Patrick scored on the one-yard run for the Wolverines.
The big play capability of Dennis proved too challenging and hard to overcome.
“I have to use my speed, hit the hole quickly and then just trust my blockers in front of me,” he said. “Honestly we have great team work in practice. We’ve been working really hard. We try our best to go out here, and do what we always do. We communicate and trust everybody to do their jobs, like our blockers to block. Those are the ones who really set the plays up.”
Dennis finished with 121 yards on eight carries. Just as damaging was his return game, where he had 156 yards taking back punts and kickoffs.
His 30-yard return again set up a short field for the Cowboys. Fouch made a spectacular 19-yard diving catch on the left sideline that set up Raskinski’s nine-yard scramble for the Addison touchdown.
“I had an out route, and I saw our quarterback roll out and I knew I had to make a play,” Fouch said. “I just went up, and he threw it and caught it.”
Davison was the near equal with Dennis in manufacturing explosive plays. He finished with five catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns.
“You can’t focus on the past,” Davison said. “It’s just play after play. You have to keep your head in the game, and just play football. We have players all over the field who can do everything we need them to do. Our QB is great, and he gets the ball where we need it to be. We’re able to be creative on the field.”
His touchdown to seemingly close out the first half was the closest the Wolverines would get. The surreal kickoff return by Dennis changed the equation.
“It was a tough break, but we just have to come back even harder after that,” Davison said.
After trailing from the opening minutes, Tri-City appeared to find its rhythm and shape. It all changed in seconds.
“Nobody wants to play from behind,” Malcolm said. “We battled back, and got it down to one score, and that return really hurt.”
The two-score cushion allowed the Cowboys an opportunity to get the ball in the hands of their other playmakers. Houston carried the ball six times for 34 yards to set up a one-yard TD plunge by Brooks.
“We just have to keep playing, even when we get scored on,” Cowboys coach Joe Thalhammer said. “We just have to keep getting the ball into the end zone. We have a good passing game, and a very good receiving core. Our running backs are very athletic and very agile. We have a great offensive line who’ve been together in some cases since they were eight-years old. That makes everything easier.”
Davison ended the scoring with a superb nine-yard catch in the final minute. The Wolverines showed resilience in fighting the early adversity and never giving up.
“Our toughness was great,” Malcolm said. “The attitude they had until even the very end was great. Looking at them on the field, you’d never guess that they were down. That’s just the heart that they have. We have a lot of kids who just absolutely love football.”
Despite the 34-18 loss, Tri-City Wolverines had many standout players. They included Alexander Ball, Mason Becka, Rudolph Mihelich, Jack Jaworski, Isaiah Dawes, Carter England, Jackson Malcolm, Phillip Gabel, Jaxson Searls, Ben Colella, Zachary Watkins, Cooper Vercelli, Declan Timm, Christian Dulinsky and Bernard Nkay.
The Addison Cowboys also had superb contributors in the victory. They are Peyton Armstrong, Matthew Thomas Jr, Jax Krotz, Christian Tzamouranis, Amare Hines, Marco ODonnell, Rylen Telles, Cashawn Bush, Cain Daniel Ocampo, Kayden Armstrong, Damian Milewski, Caidon Daniele, Marques Raines, Nikolas Anest, Angel Sanchez and Sebastian Acono.
The Cowboys’ JV Cheerleaders also showed great passion and excitement with their excellent performances. Their members are Adeline Vidal, Allona Harris, Angelina Burnette, Ca’Myah McCoy, Elizabella Gutierrez, Emily Skiba, Eriyanna Martin, Frida Acevedo, Giuliana Leon, Giuliana Picardi, Isabella Vidal, Kennedi Daly, Liliana Lima, Nya Cruz and Sophia Garcia.
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