By Kevin McGavin- Photos by Lauren Gray
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CHICAGO— Bob Russell has assembled an offensive juggernaut in the 13U division of the Pop Warner league. The Illinois Junior Celtics’ coach has unleashed an offensive attack with devastating results in the opening five weeks of the season.
Saturday afternoon at St. Rita High School, Hampshire was the latest victim of the unabated offensive fireworks displayed by the Junior Celtics’ 13U contingent.
“We have offensive weapons that at the end of the day people just aren’t going to be able to stop,” Russell said in the aftermath of the Junior Celtics’ 55-14 dismantling of Hampshire. “With that (offensive) line and backfield, I don’t think we have been stopped more than three times all season.”
In scoring on all six of its possessions–not to mention Bryce Robinson racing 78 yards with the second-half kickoff to trigger a continuously running clock–the Mokena-based crew had few issues in extending its season-opening winning streak to five games.
The Junior Celtics amassed more than 400 yards of offense on their exclusive ground attack as the incomparable Nakahti Thompson torched the Whip-Purs’ defense with 298 yards on a mere eight carries.
But in invoking the equivalent of the Pop Warner slaughter-rule for the fourth time this season, it was the interior work of Dom Nemchausky, Matthew Webb, Frankie Vosholler, Andrew Lowry, Jack Fletcher and Anthoni “AJ” Stefos who paved the latest victorious road for the Junior Celtics.
“I feel pretty reassured knowing all the backs and linemen can block,” said Fletcher, who operates at center. “I know Michael (Brown) is going to do an amazing job as quarterback. Everybody knows their job and what they’re doing; it feels amazing.”
Ben Tiernan has the typical mindset of the Junior Celtics’ linemen.
“I don’t start,” said Tiernan, who met his minimum 12-play requirement by platooning on the defensive line. “It makes (the linemen) know we don’t have to try as hard knowing (the offense) can put fifty on the board.”
Nemchausky, who served as a co-captain along with Robert Hauck, Max Dukups and Webb, and Vosholler anchor the left side of the offensive line as the tackle and guard, respectively. Fletcher, the center, left guard Lowry and right tackle Webb do likewise on the opposite side.
“This game was all about the offensive line,” Russell said.
Stefos is the Junior Celtics’ tight end.
It was Brown who initiated the Junior Celtics’ scoring when he called his own number; the resulting 24-yard keeper around the left side–triggered by Thompson sealing the edge–was a harbinger of the intractable difficulties the Whip-Purs’ defense faced.
Brown is an equally lethal weapon as a place-kicker. With a traditional PAT kick worth two points, Brown provides the Junior Celtics with an invaluable weapon. Brown converted all six of his PAT opportunities to account for a further 12 points.
Hampshire gained its sole competitive traction behind its superlative halfback Jacob Page, who scored on a long swing pass to bring the Whip-Purs within 8-6. Page would later score on a long run well after the outcome was decided.
“We’re not going to concentrate (defensively) on one guy,” Russell said. “If (the opposition) can beat us with one player, it means we’re not doing our job.”
But the argument could be made that Thompson single-handedly caused the demise of the Whip-Purs’ defense. Thompson, who rushed for an astonishing 242 yards before halftime, had a scoring romp of 80 yards to up the lead to 16-8.
Webb then moved to fullback in the Junior Celtics’ wishbone attack.
The normal tackle made the tactic look ingenious with a pair of touchdowns, including a two-yard burst as time expired to give the Junior Celtics a commanding 32-6 lead at halftime.
The rout was more than on after Robinson raced untouched with the second-half kickoff; Thompson then concluded his scoring evening with a seemingly pedestrian 53-yard burst.
Russell had the privilege to substitute with reckless abandon to close out the Junior Celtics’ latest one-sided triumph.
“I get to hit people and pancake them,” said Vosholler, who also plays outside linebacker.
Dom Bennett capped the Junior Celtics’ scoring when the reserve halfback sprinted to daylight for a 69-yard touchdown run.
“(Russell) called my play,” Bennett said. “The hole got filled, and I took it to the outside. There was a lane there, and I took it all the way for the touchdown. I think the linemen have been blocking better this season.” Bennett also plays both ways as an outside linebacker. “I think the defensive effort was very good,” Bennett added. “I think we can take it all the way to state–and win it.”
Nolan Purtill then etched his name in the scoring column when he became the lone Junior Celtics’ member to run in a one-point conversion.
Adrian Friscia, a key cog on the Junior Celtics’ defensive unit, missed the game with an injury.
“We missed him early on,” Russell said of the linebacker.
Christian Taphorn, Thomas Walsh, Caden Russell, Kyle Tompkins, Graham Salvador, Kaiden Alexander and Caleb Griffin also received considerable playing time for the Junior Celtics.
