By Ed Muniz- Photos by Renne Kaspar
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p872384917 **
MOKENA— Football Head Coaches love when their teams jump ahead in the score early. Once you have the lead, the object is to maintain or increase it. Nothing makes a coach happier than grabbing a lead early in a game and then watching your opponent try to catch you or better yet, adding to your lead, digging their disadvantage deeper.
Theres a comfort in knowing with a lead of a touchdown or more, the worst you’ll be is tied if your opponent scores their own touchdown.
The Jr. Celtics 6U team presented that advantage to their coach Peter Franz when they hosted the Oswego Bears at Main Park on Saturday, September 12 and added to it, just how a coach likes.
A quick, 5-play drive on their game opening series saw them jump ahead when Roman Ramos took a handoff from his quarterback, raced to the left edge, then cut back to the middle and streaked 44-yards for the games first score. With the added extra-point by Vynn Holler, Coach Franz and company enjoyed a quick 7-0 lead.
From there, the Jr. Celtics controlled much of the action en route to an overwhelming and dominant performance to grab a 27-7 victory.
The Jr. Celtics offense was playing at a high level in this game. Runs in both right and left diretion picked up big yards much of the time.
Jackson Pell from his qurterback position often took the snap and followed his blocking around both right and left ends for big chunks, including a pair of touchdowns. One started left then cut back that went 29-yard for the touchdown and another saw him streak around the left edge, once again cut back to the middle of the field and out-paced every Oswego defender on the 42-yard score.
The Jr. Celtics offense opened up a 20-point lead midway through the second quarter after Pell’s second score.
As good as the offense was clicking, the Jr. Celtics defense was its’ equal.
Several players were dishing out stops and keepng the Bears scoreless in the first half.
Ramos, Benjamin Ramirez, Rory Adent, Wyat Harrigan, Lee Wilson, Oliver Clegg and Johnny Zanta were all contributing tackles or assiting on them to keep the visiting Bears scoreless.
Turnovers by the defense also limited Oswego. Wilson and Ramos each came up with an Oswego gift that assisted in keeping the Jr. Celtics ahead.
Wilson came up with a fumble recovery after stripping the ball free from the Bears runner which later led to Pell touchdown, and Ramos ended the first half with a pick on a Bears pass attempt which had the Jr. Celtics up 20-0 into the break.
The Jr. Celtics defense was controlling much of the play and continued most of the game, however, they did give up a big play that saw the Bears finally get on the scoreboard. A 45-yard sprint to open the second half eluded several Jr. Celtics defenders.
A direct snap to the Oswego quarterback saw him sprint fast to the right edge around the right end and race down the near sideline for the touchdown.
They now closed the Jr. Celtics lead to 20-7 after punching in the extra-point.
Prior to the run, Johnny Zanta was collecting tackle after tackle, twice in the Bears backfield that pushed the Bears back 11-yards.
In the game, he was the collector of negative yards. Each tackle he made resulted in the visitors losing turf.
“I just see the person with the ball then I just go run to him then tackle him,” said Johnny. “I like putting my body on them and tackling. I was quick getting through the line and making more tackles. I think I can get to the ball quicker too.”
He wasn’t the only standout defensively. Also adding to the tackle tally were two other Jr. Celtics who seemed to be around the football constantly, creating difficulties for the Bears.
Both Wyatt Harrigan and Rory Adent collected their fair share of stops while also assisting on them. They both appear to enjoy the contact and mixing it up against the Oswego offense.
Both are also typical 6-year olds in stature, not big but not diminutive either, however, they dont shy away from a bigger opponent and proved it in this game.
“I would run on every play and chase the guy and try to tackle him,” said Wyatt. “Sometimes it was easy and sometimes not. I catch them pretty quick but I think I can be faster. I dont think I can do anything better but I think I can get a cleaner tackle and thats it.”
Harrigan did show the ability to finish a tackle, making a hard tackle on the opposing sideline when it looked as if the Bears runner would score.
Adent showed he could hit as well. His tackles were more smothering but also final. He seem to relish in making a stop and almost appeared to enjoy it all.
“Coach told me to look at the runner who is running the ball and tackle him,” said Rory. “I chase him because I like to go after the ball carrier and then tackle him. I think I can run faster and I am happy that we won too.”
Ramos and Holler provided much of the offensive yards the remainder of the game after the Bears score. Ramos had one run that went for 39-yards awhile Holler has a knack for timing his cut-back to grab a large run or a score. A 20-yard run by him was typical of his play and the three-yard touchdown near the end of the game was just a matter of time because of his running style.
Defensively, the Jr. Celtics closed out the game prior to Hollers score. Tackles by Zanta, Harrigan, Ramirez, finished off the Bears who had to give up the ball which led to the final Jr. Celtics score for the 27-7 win.
Other Jr. Celtics adding to the victory included Kamden Franz, Zachary Stukel, Mack Wilson, Jaxon Cesek, Bassam Hoffman, Ibrahim Matariyeh, Colin Regan and Karter Moore.
Ecah game, the 6U Jr. Celtics are improving on both sides of the ball. The line play on defense and offensel works hard, the team pursues well defensively and gets to the ball quickly. they are improving their tackling and sideline to sideline pursuit. Offensively, a three-headed running attack is producing scores. The Jr. Celtics 6U may just be beginning to hit its stride.
