By Patrick McGavin- Photos by Renee Kaspar
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p490421252 **
NEW LENOX— The Jr. Celtics 12U team was not going to wade quietly into the new season.
The team faced a sharp and hard lesson that seriously challenged what it was capable of. The team mostly passed with flying colors.
The Rockford Renegades won the Division III Pop Warner state championship for their age group last year. The team boasts size, athleticism and playmakers.
The versatility of the Jr. Celtics proved formidable in their own right.
“I thought we played really well,” running back Tomasino Urso said. “The defense did a great job of stopping them. We had a couple of flags, but it was fine for the first week.
“Our quarterback had good throws, and we ran the ball. I think we have to play hard, trust in our players, and believe in what we’re doing.”
The parts all cohered beautifully, keyed by the special connection between quarterback Bryce Szczepaniak and his favorite target, wide receiver Ryan Ripoli.
The two-way dominance of Greyson Johnson marked the thrilling punctuation.
The Jr. Celtics played with purpose, effort and efficiency in dispatching the Renegades 16-13 in Pop Warner League play at Providence High School on Sunday, August 23.
Despite a couple of breakdowns on special teams, the team found all the right answers in nullifying the Renegades’ big play attack. At the same time, the program seized its own opportunities.
Just off a highly successful summer baseball season, Johnson was a two-way force of nature who scored a touchdown and had several highlight reel defensive plays.
“The first couple of practices after the baseball season were tough, but once you get into the rhythm, I felt pretty good,” Johnson said.
“I do a lot of practice repetitions, and it just comes down to knowing what I’m supposed to do out there. I think that helps a lot. I just wanted to keep my mental state, and be calm in what I was doing.”
Despite allowing several big returns to the Renegades on special teams, their own kicking game played a crucial role for the positive outcome for the Jr. Celtics.
Each team scored two touchdowns. Steady and poised, kicker Brayden Ruth converted two 2-point kicks that made all the difference.
Put it all together, and it was a successful and highly satisfying season debut.
Defensively the team had two rocks, in the form of Johnson, operating on the defensive line, and rangy and highly athletic linebacker Joseph Shanahan.
Johnson had two sacks and six tackles. Shanahan had a sack and six tackles.
“I thought our defense did a great job of dominating the line of scrimmage, and not letting them do much out there,” defensive tackle Camden Dvorak said.
“We got after it.”
The defense stepped up after the Renegades nearly took the opening kickoff to the house. Kaiden Powell, William Mikaitis, Johnson, Shanahan and Ruth were great at the point of attack.
The action-packed first quarter was entertaining and fun to watch, but produced no scoring.
On their second possession, the Jr. Celtics found the right formula, the accurate and poised play of quarterback Szczepaniak and his special bond with Ripoli.
“We have a great connection, and we’ve been playing together for a very long time,” Szczepaniak said. “Rip had a couple of nice catches.
“The whole team played well, and it felt good with the effort and intensity. My favorite thing about playing quarterback is being the leader, and I have a lot of trust in our players.”
Nobody personifies that trust like Ripoli. His speed and abilities in space stretch the field, and allows the offense to hum on all cylinders.
The two made a sharp first statement on third down and eight.
Szczepaniak worked to his immediate outside, found time and put up a gorgeous pass that Ripoli caught in stride for the 27-yard touchdown strike.
“I rolled out left, and I was able to get a good throw off, and he got it,” he said.
Ripoli adjusted beautifully and broke off the original route to find the end zone.
“It was supposed to be in the flat, and I just shifted it and made it a go- route because I thought I could beat their kid to the end zone,” he said. “It’s just like in practice, we have our brotherhood out there, and we know how to look for each other.
“We set the tone from there.”
The Ruth kick put the team up 8-0.
Another big kickoff by the Renegades put the Jr. Celtics on their heels. This time the Rockford side capitalized and scored on a six-yard pass into the left flat.
Their conversion pulled them within 8-7. They never got any closer the rest of the day.
The quick passing game of Szczepaniak and Ripoli kept the Renegades off balance, and left their high-powered attack largely on the sidelines. The Jr. Celtics controlled the pace and tempo of the game.
The passing connection clicked during a marvelous nine-play, 65-yard drive in the third quarter. Ripoli again turned on the jets for a 25-yard out.
He quickly followed with a 12-yard catch. Shanahan also got into the act with a huge 14-yard run on a reverse.
Johnson finished the drive with authority, powered over two defenders to reach the end zone on a bruising and spectacular 10-yard run with 2:53 remaining in the third quarter.
“I like to do a little bit of both, or whatever comes at me, as far as either running between the tackles or getting to the edge,” he said.
“Our line has been very good so far, and they really helped a lot.”
Johnson and Shanahan continued their elite play with two spectacular defensive actions on the follow up possession by the Renegades. Johnson posted a sack for a 10-yard loss.
On fourth down, Shanahan knifed through an attempted screen pass for a four-yard loss.
The Renegades were not quite down for the count, and they made the game interesting with a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown with 3:52 to play.
Once again, Johnson stepped up in the moment and drilled the Renegades’ back to deny the conversion attempt, maintaining the three-point lead.
Shanahan jumped on the ensuing kickoff. From there, it was the Greyson Johnson show. He had three huge runs of six, 10 and finally 13 yards to run out the clock.
The team is likely to shore up the special teams coverage.
The Jr. Celtics showed balance, versatility, toughness and individual playmakers. It was, all in all, a very good showing.
“The offensive line really played well, and they were battling the whole game,” Ripoli said. “It means a lot to win our first game of the season. That’s what we wanted. We’re starting from ahead.
“I think it shows we’re ready, and there’s no looking back.”
The Jr. Celtics 12U team had many strong contributors in the 16-13 win. They included Casey Gahan, Dean Copack, Anthony Baniewicz, Romeo Brooks, Jonathan Collins, Joshua Hart, Austin Flynn, Jaxson Manning, Jaylen Fleming, Anthony Bruni, Declan Kirk, Eli Schubert, Codero Barry, Luke Husenger, William Janik, Asher Kokolus, Michael Zana, Connor Seltzer, Rex Schultz, Beau Pasquale, and Liam Berlard.
