By Pat Z McGavin- Photos by Lauren Gray
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CHICAGO— Every victory has its own signature, and every defeat feels and looks exactly the same, a raw and gut-churning moment out of missed chances or a path not taken.
The Jr Celtics 11U D3 team has gone through the gamut of emotions and experiences. Rarely has the absolute conviction of a lost opportunity felt so acute with quarterback Bryce Szczepaniak’s last pass attempt falling incomplete in the back of the end zone.
“It was kind of hard to see, and there was a rusher coming in right at me,” he said. “I just had to throw it so I wouldn’t get sacked.”
The fourth down incompletion sealed the fate of the Jr Celtics in their 19-13 overtime loss against the Kenosha (Wis.) Gremlins in Pop Warner League play at St. Rita High School on Saturday, September 27.
The Jr Celtics saw a 13-0 late third quarter lead evaporate amid the unusually warm weather and fatigue conspiring against the team.
“We put a lot of emphasis on riding the backs of our horses, our best five or six players,” coach Tony Urso said. “You could tell they got tired towards the fourth quarter.
“It’s a story that keeps happening, but you have to ride those special players.”
The Gremlins featured two skilled and explosive backs. They ripped off big touchdown runs at the end of the third quarter and late in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
Taking the ball first in overtime, Kenosha needed just one play with its best player getting around the left edge for the game-winning touchdown.
“I thought we battled,” two-way standout Declan Kirk said. “We made some very good defensive stops, and we had some good offensive plays.
“They were definitely breakdowns on our part. That kid was really fast, but at the very least we should have done a better job of taking better angles on him.”
After stopping the Gremlins on the conversion attempt, the Jr Celtics had victory in sight with a touchdown and conversion of their own.
Running back Tomasino Urso gained a combined five yards on two carries, with Greyson Johnson picking up three yards of his own. That set up the fateful fourth down call.
Szczepaniak rolled out right and looked to find his receiver in the corner. Instead, the ball hit the ground. The defeat stung, and nullified three quarters of exceptional play by the Jr Celtics.
Johnson scored both touchdowns, each on fourth and two plays. The first punctuated a methodical and hard fought possession that took the team into the start of the second quarter.
On fourth and goal from the two, Johnson powered home for the opening score. There were no explosive or big plays to speak of, just hard-fought and tough yardage gained.
“We had a lot of confidence, and we ran well and blocked very well,” Szczepaniak said. “People were holding their assignments. We did a lot of things that added up to the touchdown.
“We did really well at the start.”
Szczepaniak used the flair or screen pass to Kirk to open up the defense. Tomasino Urso and Johnson pounded the interior of the line.
“We had good runs,” Tomasino Urso said. “We were sticking to the holes on offense, running the ball well and blocking well. We ran well, and we had good tackles when we were on defense.
“We were staying outside contain to tackle No. 24 and No. 9, who were really good skill guys.”
The team was also opportunistic. Following the Johnson two-yard blast on fourth down, Kirk recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. The drive stalled.
The takeaway prevented the Gremlins from doing anything constructive on offense.
Eli Schubert was another defensive standout who stepped up with strong actions at the point of attack.
His pressure created problems for the Gremlins.
“We had really good communication back there, and we knew where we were supposed to go, at least during the parts where we did well,” Schubert said.
“I thought we did really well on blocking for the first three quarters, and we should look to build off of that. We had really good runs and good outside contain when they had the ball.”
Unfortunately, the Jr Celtics struggled with ball security of their own in the second half. Two fumbles short-circuited two separate drives that got inside the red zone.
The defense stood its ground, with strong play from Anthony Baniewicz, Jonathan Collins, Dean Copack, Austin Flynn, Tomasino Urso, Shubert, Kirk and Szczepaniak.
A fourth down stop by Szczepaniak and Schubert created ideal field position for the Jr Celtics late in the third quarter.
Johnson went back to work, smashing through the Gremlins with his bulk and nifty combination of quick feet and hard-running.
On fourth and two, he broke through untouched down the left sideline for the 17-yard touchdown run.
“The holes were pretty wide open there, and I was able to move pretty quickly before anybody could touch me,” Johnson said. “Our skill players did a great job, and so did the offensive line.
“I like being able to move fast and find the open spot.”
Tomasino Urso blasted in for the conversion, giving the Jr Celtics a seemingly secure 13-0 lead with 1:09 to play in the third quarter.
In a somber sign of potential bad times to come, the Gremlins’ big and mobile running back broke free down the left sideline for the first of his three touchdowns.
Up 13-6 to start the fourth quarter, the Jr Celtics were suddenly in a massive struggle. The joy and exuberance of a huge defensive stop was defused by a controversial fumble call against the Jr Celtics.
Tony Urso argued strenuously that the player was down by contact before the ball came loose.
One play later, the Gremlins’ lightning fast running back broke free around the right edge for another long TD jaunt.
The Jr Celtics had one encouraging moment at the end of regulation with Kirk gaining 26 and 12 yards on passes into the right flat.
Szczepaniak was sacked as time ran out, an eerie foreboding of the overtime.
“The boys played well,” Tony Urso said. “We adjusted some players and moved some players around. They rallied around that. They ran really well and gave it the maximum effort.
“It just wasn’t enough at the end of the game.”
Despite the overtime defeat, the Jr Celtics 11U D3 team had many standout contributors. Those players included Casey Gahan, Romeo Brooks, Thomas McLaughlin, Mason Munch, Luke Husenger, William Janik, Asher Kokolus, Shareef Allan, Brady Lindholm, Grant Whitchurch, Connor Seltzer and Liam Berland.
