By Ed Muniz- Photos by Jenn-Anne Gledhill
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase for 2 Weeks at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p128829604 **
Frankfort- Playoff Football! The opportunity to right all the wrongs of the regular season and make a run at a Championship or the continued dominance you displayed all season, capping it off with a league Championship.
The River Valley Youth Football League was now in their third week of the Playoffs, reaching their Semi-Final round at all their levels.
Just four teams remained in each of the RVYFL four divisions.
The Super Sunday dual locations of Sandburg HS and Lincoln-Way East HS each hosted four games to determine their Championship participants.
The lone Orland Park Pioneers team remaining was John Duckhorn’s Junior Varsity Pioneers.
The Pioneers over the years have been a fixture in the leagues Championship weekend. Last season was an unusual one with regard to playing for a Championship because they didn’t have any participants.
The JV Pioneers had a chance to limit that to a solo year.
Facing an opponent that shut them out during the regular season, the Pioneers were looking for redemption this time around with much more at stake.
Unfortunately for the Pioneers, the Jr. Knights showed why they had only lost once in nine games over the season, out-muscling and out-scoring the Pioneers in the 38-12 victory, keeping the Pioneers organization out of Championship Weekend for the second year in a row.
An emotional Coach Duckhorn addressed his team and added,
“Let me tell you something, you guys are some great football players. I coached 26 years, (paused as emotions overcame him) I thought I could keep it together. Honestly, you guys are awesome, keep your heads up. When you walk around tomorrow in the neighborhood or in the hallway, when asked how you did, tell then you gave your best. I’m proud of all of you.”
The game started out as the Pioneers hoped.
Enzo Angone took the first play from scrimmage and burst between his left guard and tackle, used a great block at the line and raced 56 yards untouched for the touchdown to open the game. Just like that, the Pioneers led 6-0.
Defensively, the Pioneers knew coming in, stopping and limiting the Jr. Knights would be a task but were up for the challenge.
During the New Lenox first series, tackles by Ben Snider, Dylan Butler, Nicholas Peisker, Ryan Duckhorn and Cade McNulty did make the Jr. Knights work harder with tackles but it didn’t stop them as they managed to work their way just outside the Pioneers endzone, plunging in from three yards out and then take the lead after converting on the two-point kick for an 8-6 lead.
At the Five-minute mark of the opening quarter, the Jr. Knights would never trail again.
After a Pioneers punt, the defense was tested again but managed just a pair of tackles by Angone and Justin McNamara before the Jr. Knights added another tally.
The 8-yard touchdown pass, and conversion kick upped the New Lenox lead to 16-6 at the ending of the first quarter.
The Pioneers cut into the lead on their following possession. Their five-play drive saw Snider and Angone use their running abilities with Angone breaking free cutting to his left and up the sideline on the 40-yard touchdown run. The Pioneers now trailed 16-12.
Defensively, the Pioneers seemed to be tested nearly on every play by the Jr. Knights. Stops by Drake Ulaszek, Angone and McNulty slowed them some but now hitting their stride, the Jr. Knights were almost unstoppable offensively and scored again after five tries on a 9-yrad run, doubling up their lead to 24-12.
With momentum clearly on their side, the Jr. Knights defense used it to their advantage, limiting the Pioneers to just four tries, forcing a turnover on downs with time nearly expiring in the first half.
Looking to add one more score and possibly putting the game out of reach, A long pass caught the Pioneers defense at the right time and with one second left, the Jr. Knights extended their lead to 30-12 on the three-yard touchdown completion.
With a tall task in front of them to begin the second half, the Pioneers stepped up and forced the Jr. Knights to turnover the ball on downs.
Tackles by Snider, Butler, John Werner, Hudson Doftert and Charlie Enstrom gave the Pioneers some hope but just two plays later, those hopes were dashed after they fumbled and lost the football.
One play later, the Jr. Knights lead was now at 38-12.
Turnovers turned out to limit the Pioneers in the second half. A fumble, an intercepted pass and a misplayed punt, all shorten the Pioneers offensive drives or chance at scoring.
Although in a deep hole, one thing that was quite visible from the Pioneers was their want to compete. They never stopped trying to get back in the game whether 12 minutes left or two seconds, their efforts were constant to the very end.
If you focused on Ryan Duckhorn or Dylan Butler or Nicholas Peisker or many others, you saw players on a team that did all they could to help their team succeed on every play.
This game just got away from them. Unfortunately, they were just outmanned in this game.
Ryan Duckhorn stood out as a lineman. Bot sides of the ball he did his job blocking or tackling, doing all he could for his team.
“What worked for me was knowing I want to make that play,” said Ryan. “I want to be the guy that finishes a play. Last year I had a good season but this year I learned a lot so it improved how I played.”
Asked if its different playing for his dad, Ryan said, “I don’t think its that different. Out here I call him coach and call him dad at home. I just play hard every play. I don’t feel any different playing for my dad. I do think I can get better and improve on keeping the outside, maintaining and holding my blocks. The whole team played good, we had teamwork and made it this far.”
Dylan Butler also was a top performer in this game. All season Butler has been a steady player. Probably overlooked much of the time but he excelled throughout the year. He was among the leaders in assisting on tackles or finishing them. He is a vital piece of why the Pioneers reached the Semi-Finals.
“I think just wanting to make the play, shedding my blocks and getting to the running backs is why I did well today,” said Butler. “I feel we just didn’t come our best today. It wasn’t much difference; I think they just got the better of us today and made more plays. I take lessons from games like this , how I’ve done and apply it to next year to improve how I play.”
“I think I’m one of the leaders on the team, but I like to think of all my teammates as leaders too. I’m just among them. I like sharing the wealth in a way of putting it. I mean, I’m happy with how I played all year and happy how I played in the last game of the year.’
Several Pioneers were among the standouts of Fifth Quarter play. Maverick Vander Veer could be viewed as the leader with his offensive play but also to be considered are Max Streets-Pruitt, Dylan Ahmer, Jayden Spiotto, Brock Lenzen, Luke Tonra and Panos Kyros. All provided strong efforts in the Pioneers game.
Other Pioneers that gave their all on this day include Marco Orozco, Gavin Loman, Anthony Baniewicz, Vinny Ficaro, Evan Lavelle, John Sweis, Finn Redmond, Carter Peluso, Logan Helman, Karam Olyyan, Nick Mase, Zackary Salah, Gavin Connors, Dylan Gavin, Jacob Hyla, Noah Maslowiec, Nicholas Dertz, Qais and Adam Naser, Steven Mullins, Nicholas Herzog, Charlie Miele, Avery Vermilyea, Justin McNamara, Erik Baran, Brian Curran and John Sutter.
Attending the game and performing at Halftime and along the sidelines were the JV Pioneers Cheerleaders. The large squad displayed teamwoork and agility throughout the game, they include Kaelyn Albright, Aubrey Baran, Brittney Blazys, Brooke Blazys, Aviana Briseno, Annabelle Briseno, Oliwia Burda, Hayden Campbell, Giulia Cangelosi, Avery Carroll, Ellyana Connors, Charlotte Day, Annabelle Deloya, Darcy Dorigan, Frankie Ficaro, Emma Golonka, Arabella Hernandez, Ariana Hinton, Leah Janota, Bianca Kapusciarz, Flora Lane, Brinley Laniosz, Malayna Marable, Addison Meyers, Serena Murray, Sofia Murray, Emma Overman, Gia Parisi, Emily Pastiak, Charlotte Raubolt, Maklaya Roman, Emma Ruisz, Luciana Rupp, Alyse Sparacino, Kamilla Ulaszek and Kassandra Vazquez-Gutierrez, Nora Velez.
