By Ed Muniz-Photos by Renee Kaspar
**Additional Photos are available for purchase at justallsports.zenfolio.com/2022pioneers.**
The Orland Park Pioneers tackle portion of their organization saw the New Lenox Jr. Knights come calling on the Pioneers Homecoming Day Festivities.
Scheduled were four games against a tough rival within the River Valley Youth Football League.
Last week the Pioneers were in the exact same situations as the Knights would be, playing a host team on their Homecoming.
For the Pioneers, it was a successful visit, winning all four games and dampening the Homecoming crowd’s celebration.
Today, the Pioneers were hopeful of avoiding that same outcome from the Jr. Knights.
Coming in unbeaten, the Super Lightweight Pioneers had given up just one score all season, using a dominant defense that has controlled and limited opponents in the previous three games.
Sporting three shutouts in four games, this is a stingy team that doesn’t give up much.
The Knights knew that and came to play, and play they did hard. Going toe-to-toe with the Pioneers, they managed to even-up play for nearly an entire game.
Looking like the game was headed to Overtime, a razzle-dazzle double reverse backfired during the second exchange that would cost them the game.
A fumble in the last 30-seconds, was scooped up by Owen Garrity and taken to the end-zone for the lone score of the game and the Pioneer 6-0 win.
“Defense, Defense, Defense,” said Coach Al Krokos. “They were stopping our offense outside; we need to adjust a little maybe going up the middle a little bit. We’re getting there, but we were tested today down three of our starters. It was next man up today. Tough game.”
The vaunted running attack of Michael O’Connor and Jase Enstrom never materialized for the Pioneers.
Stifled on nearly every try, the Pioneers were facing a defense that was as quick as them and one that swarmed to the ball. The Pioneers offensive line was struggling to keep the Jr. Knights from getting to the backfield or making a stop at the line of scrimmage.
Starting the game defensively, the Pioneers caught a break right away when Owen Garrity recovered a fumble at the Jr. Knights 39-yard-line.
Up to the task, the Jr. Knights gave nothing and forced a punt after three tries by O’Connor and company.
The Pioneers defense returned the favor and as it has done all season, stuffed the Jr. Knight offense, collecting seven negative yards by Cole Baldridge and Andrew Richardson.
On the ensuing punt, which opened the second quarter, O’Connor raced up-field and returned the punt 25-yards, giving the Pioneers excellent field position to start the next series.
The Pioneers were sitting pretty at the Jr. Knights 10-yard line. After two tries that lost them two yards, Pioneer Quarterback Luke Krokos connected with Enstrom for 11-yards, stopped at the 1 -yard-line.
On fourth down, the Pioneers shot themselves in the foot with a penalty that moved them back to the 6.
Forced to pass, the Pioneers scoring chance came and went on the incompletion.
Another three and out by the defense led by Christian Paulson, Vinnie Spizzirri and O’Connor, forced a Jr. Knight punt which gave the Pioneers another chance to score late in the first half.
Krokos was connecting with his receiver, previously connecting with Enstrom for 11-yards, again he found his receiver with Carter Erwin snagging the pass and gaining 17-yards.
Unfortunately, consecutive penalties and mistakes killed the drive to end the first half scoreless.
The Jr. Knights were bending but weren’t breaking. For the Pioneers to remain unbeaten, they’d have to solve the visiting defense at half.
Neither team was able to do much during the third quarter as defenses and incomplete passes forced a punt and two turnovers on downs.
The Fourth quarter again saw the Jr. Knights punt due to a sack by Blake Schuler. Unfortunately, the Pioneers just couldn’t generate and maintain possession. Penalties were also a factor for the Pioneers, and they too punted again.
It was back and forth between defenses, waiting for an error to happen. O’Connor and Owen Garrity made short work of the Jr. Knight series and after a failed pass attempt, the Pioneers got the ball back with three minutes to play.
Twice the Pioneers went to the air after being forced to not having any success on the ground. Unfortunately, Krokos second pass was intercepted with less than a minute left.
Trying to deceive the Pioneers, the Jr. Knights immediately went to a trick play. A double reverse was mishandled and dropped as the Pioneers defense converged onto the loose football.
First to it was Owen Garrity, who picked up the loose ball in stride and took off to the endzone for the defensive score. At last, the error showed up giving the Pioneers the lead with just 22-seconds left.
The final seconds expired, giving the Pioneers their fourth win in a row and remaining unbeaten
“When I saw the ball on the ground, I was like, I’m gonna get it and I’m gonna try and score a touchdown,” said a cool Owen. “I got the win for our team and now we are 4-0. It felt good to win the game. We were offside and not watching the ball so that was problem for us, but other than that, I think we played really good.”
Defensive coach Adam Sutter’s defense has been stellar so far. A combination of returning players from last year and rookies have gelled well and have out-performed all so far.
“We knew they would be a tough team to beat with a quick offense, we prepared for their speed, they were a huge test for us,” said Sutter. “Our defense all year has been stout. We really stepped up big today and the defense won the game for us. I’m really proud of those little guys.”
The Fifth Quarter play didn’t pan out as expected for the Pioneers. Unable to get much offense going, it was frustrating for them trying to move the ball. They were gallant in their efforts and did manage to score once on a 1-yard plunge by Ellis Hubbard.
Runs by Wyatt Kipper, Taylan Morandi, Gavin Garrity, Thomas Sutter (12-yards), Austin Flynn, Zane Judeh, Jordan Ulaszek and Zach Ballouta did pick up some yards, but it was a struggle for the most part.
Defensively, the Pioneers gave up a pair of scores. Efforts from Hubbard, Nick Pomonis, Yousef Yasin, Flynn, Anthony LaPapa, Max Bauer and Caydebn Caldwell produced tackles by each.
Jack DuBois, Lucca Morandi, Jason Erwin, Noah Cordoba, Chris Medina Jr., Shane Sternberg, Artur Slabenak, Scott Gumienny, Frank Wilkinson, Laith Hammami, Cody Godlewski, James Okrasinski, Nolan Burke, Aaron McCarthy, Michael Ordman, Thomas Richardson, Nathan Campos, Jude Morrar, Rayder Slabenak and Adam Krokos gave their all in the successful Homecoming.
Cheering on the players and keeping the sidelines entertained were Super Lightweight Pioneers Cheerleaders Juliana Corsi, Madison Davis, Violet Fredin, Brynn Fregeau, Mia Fregeau, Martin Groark, Hadley Hanrahan, Quinn Heinze, Alaina Holoubek, Vera Joda, Margot Joda, Callie Juarez-Radovanovic, Ella Kluever, Gemma Laniosz, Brielle Lenzen, Aubrey Mason, Amanda Mathis, Brailey McDonough, Annabella Milosovic, Ayya Ramadani, Avery Seliga, Peyton Tomasik and Moira Troy.
