By Patrick McGavin- Photos by Lauren Gray
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MOKENA— The hardest thing to predict is how a team is going to respond coming off a crushing loss.
Is the moment going to shadow their every move, or is there a clean slate ready to take shape?
The wake up call arrived, and the Illinois Jr. Celtics 11U Green team had all the right answers.
“We came in with a chip on our shoulder after we lost last week in heartbreaking fashion,” running back Keaton Kastys said. “We came here with a job to do, and that was to win this game.
“We know against good teams we can’t afford turnovers or breakdowns.”
Patrick Clarke scored twice and an opportunistic defense forced five turnovers in the Jr. Celtics’ 21-0 victory over the Tri-City Wolverines in Pop Warner League play at Main Park on Sunday, September 13.
Kastys was the jack of all trades, doing a bit of everything to power the victory. He ripped off long runs that set up each of the first two touchdowns.
He threw a touchdown pass on a halfback option. He punctuated the shutout with a late interception. The Jr. Celtics scored all three of their touchdowns in the first half.
Kastys set the table and the rest of the team followed. He raced around the right edge for a 26-yard run on the opening possession.
“On those big runs, I saw the holes,” he said. “My favorite is to start on the inside and then look to bounce it outside. That’s my go-to move. If it’s not that, I try to find another way to get to the outside.
“I’m faster than almost anyone else out there. That’s just my thing. I like to run around people, or juke people.”
With Kastys stretching the Wolverines’ defense, bruising fullback Aiden Cesek delivered the opening hammer thrust with a six-yard burst up the middle for the initial score.
“I have to thank my line for blocking on the touchdown, and the extra point after that,” Cesek said. “We ran the ball really well, and were really fired up to play again.
“I think, overall, we just did great.”
The Jr. Celtics have a lot of optionality in their offense. Henry Richardson is the starting quarterback. He creates a fast tempo. As a change of pace, Logan Haavig also came in to run the Wildcat formation.
Kaysts and Clarke are the two best athletes. The two played off their strengths brilliantly on the second scoring drive.
Once again, Kastys created the downhill momentum with his streaks across the field.
With the Wolverines’ defense keyed on him, he threw a literal curveball for the second touchdown.
Taking a pitch on the right side, he forced the defense to move with him ohly to hand off to Clarke on a reverse for the 10-yard touchdown run.
“It’s really fun whenever I hear those plays,” Clarke said. “The line did a great job. They were the reason we scored touchdowns. It’s a team game.
“On some of the plays, I was able to move and cut inside. I’ve been working a lot on trying to get outside and get into open space. That’s what I was able to do on the touchdown run.”
The offense excelled on both fronts, showing the patience to mount a drive and the big play verve to spice up the attack.
The defense followed suit with sharp and fundamental play that kept the Wolverines off balance and out of the end zone for the entire game.
The Jr. Celtics combine bulk up front and speed and quickness on the edge. The Wolverines never really stood a serious chance.
Alexander Wallace was a disruptive stopper at the point of attack, with strong support from Juan Guanajuato and Jesus Delgado.
Guanajuato and Delgado had two of the four fumble recoveries by the defense.
“It was a great bounce back game for us,” Delgado said. “Every time we saw the ball on the floor, we just yelled for the ball, and somebody dove on it.
“Everybody knew how to run for the ball.”
Just as important, the Jr. Celtics knew how to cash in. One more time, the offense clicked behind the magical connection of Kastys and Clarke.
The Wolverines now had to worry about every possibility. Kastys took a pitch on the right edge and flared out wide.
He bought time and threw a perfect 24-yard scoring strike to the streaking Clarke for the third and final touchdown.
His eyes light up every time the play comes into the huddle.
“If I make the throw, I get a lot of credit for it,” Kastys said. “Luckily my receiver, Patrick, is a really good catcher. It always works out.”
The offense was slightly disappointed about not scoring in the second half. A couple of turnovers and stalled drives turned against the favor of the Jr. Celtics.
The Wolverines unleashed their own weapon in the second in an effort to stage a comeback. They put their biggest kid, No. 51, Daniel Massey, in the backfield.
He ripped off a couple of chunk plays, and put the defense on its heels a few times. He simply overpowered a couple of defenders. The Jr. Celtics alertly adjusted with gang tackling.
Grant Vallenga preserved the shutout by recovering a fumble by Massey in the end zone. Mason McKinney was the defender to dislodge the ball.
Wallace, Clarke, Delgado and Guanajuato also teamed up for huge stops.
“I feel like after the second half, they just kept running the ball to No. 51, and our defense adjusted to what they were trying to do,” Wallace said.
“We knew he was going to get the ball. We were there waiting for him.”
Just like he put his stamp on the opening, Kastys created the perfect circle by closing out the win with an interception.
“It’s a team game, and even if I didn’t personally score today, I did a lot to help my team win,” he said.
The 11U Green team of the Jr. Celtics had many key contributors in the 21-0 victory. They were Ahmad Awad, Max Sharpe, Braden Vander Mey, Jackson Aldworth, Lorenzo Aldworth, Alexander Wallace, Patrick Clarke, Chase Eddington, Michael Easthon, Marcos Gutierrez, Owen Brennan, Dylan Nemec and Colin Petty.
