By Harry Finklestein-Photos by Lauren Gray
** Additional Photos are available for Purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p18799143 **
NEW LENOX— The Lightweight Pioneers Blue headed to New Lenox for the final game of the season to take on the Jr. Knights Black at Lincoln-Way Central .
Heading into this game, the Pioneers were being asked a tall task.
The Jr. Knights Black entered the game atop the standing in the division having yet to drop a game all season, shutting out 4 of their previous 6 opponents while giving up just 12-points all year. While the Pioneers had lost their previous two games without scoring a point and had been held scoreless in four games this season.
Depending which side you were on, that trend continued as the Jr. Knights stayed unbeaten after a 26-0 Victory over the Pioneers Blue on October 11.
Throughout the year, the Pioneers Blue team was one of grit. They simply didn’t know the meaning of the word quit. From the first whistle to the last, Coach Adam Maurella’s team of mostly first year players, gave their all regardless of what the scoreboard displayed.
This game was no different.
“We had a alot of new players, kids that had never played, kids that played only flag, so we had to adjust them to tackle football,” said Coach Maurella. “We had contact, a lot of contact, hitting drills, stuff like that but overall, my aspect of the year, Every week we got better and better and better, with many of those games where we were in it, losing by a single score or a point, for the majority of the part, we had to make football players out of these boys and for me and my coaching staff, I feel these kids did a great job.”
When observed the way Coach Maurella and staff coached the team, you could see they weren’t in a rush to win. They wanted the boys to understand and learn the game first and foremost and coached that way, teaching all they could to improve their skills.
“I agree with that 100%,” Coach Maurella said. “In being with the split and everything, I am very happy with how we progressed all year. The bottom line, these are 9-and 10-year olds. If I can get all thses kids to continue playing, which I did ask them to comeback at our last practice, if we can get them all back, then we as coaches did our jobs.”
It really was a job well done by Maurella and staff. Watching these boys develop and recalling how they started out, a vast difference was easily noticable.
Taking the opening snap, the Pioneers offense knew exactly what they would face immediately. Trying to catch the Jr. Knights napping, the Pioneers went to the air but the pass fell incomplete. A run and another failed pass saw the Pioneers punt away of four downs.
A pair of team tackles and one by Luke Bosack showed the Pioneers came to play against the top dog. But a pass-play caught the Pioneers napping as it went 30-yards for the opening score of the game. The Jr. Knights executed the conversion-kick to go up 8-0 early in the opening quarter.
Again the Pioneers offense was being overwhelmed. Lawson Capps and and Dominic Maurella tried picking up a first down but to no avail as the Jr, Knights defense forced another punt to open the second quarter. Unfortunately for the Pioneers, their punt was returned for a touchdown from 40-yards out. Again the Jr. Knights added the 2-point conversion- kick to up the lead to 16-0.
Deep in their own territory, the Pioneers were trying to get away from their own endzone.
A big sack by the Jr. Knights pushed the Pioneers closer to the endzone behind them. Looking to pass, the Pioneers toss fell incomplete.
The next play saw a sack for a safety by the Jr. Knights as the Pioneers possession went out of the endzone for two more points going to the host, now making the score 18-0.
After the safety, the Jr. Knights took possession again and proceeded to up their lead with another touchdown run after Ethan Hamideh had made a previous tackle for the Pioneers.
The Jr. Knights upped their lead to 26-0 after once again splitting the uprights for the third consecutive time after a touchdown.
With a couple minutes left in the first half, the Pioneers mounted a drive of their own. Three straight runs by Maurella gave the Pioneers a first down. With time winding down, Capps was sacked and lost 6-yards and Luke Bosack was tackled in the backfield.
The stop put and end to the opening half and took both teams to the break.
With a huge mountain to climb, the Pioneers absorbed the best the Jr. Knights had in that first half. Some teams might have just gone through the motions coming out of the break but even though they trailed significantly, the Pioneers came out ready to get at it again.
Typical of the grit of this lightweight Pioneers team, they went out on defense to start the second half and forced the Jr. Knights to punt the ball after a three and out.
Tackles by Sean Mendoza and Paxson Leithleiter led the defensive efforts.
Unfortunately, a muff of the Jr. Knights punt was recovered by the host, giving them another opportunity to execute their offense again bringing the Pioneers defense back onto the field.
Pioneers’ Cade Rucinski was ready and showed it by sticking the jr. Knights ball carrier with the hard tackle. A couple of team tackles put the Jr. Knights at fourth down needing a few yards but once again, the Pioneers defense came through to make a stop and get the ball back on downs to their offense.
A Wren Rucinski run produced a short gain followed by a stop in the backfield but a Wren Rucinski to Capps completion collected 20-yards for another Pioneers first down, continuing the drive.
Entering the final quarter, the Pioneers were on a roll, advancing their offense and maintaining possession of the rock. Two runs by Joey Guest picked up 7-yards but on his third consecutive try, he coughed up the football which was recovered by the Jr. Knights halting the best series of the game for the Pioneers.
Showing no signs of quit, the Pioneers defense continued its strong second half play. Tackles by Mendoza, Cade Rucinski and William Speck along with a penalty on fourth down saw the Pioneers back on offense after stopping the host on downs.
The Pioneers final possession saw Wren Rucinski pull off a big run of 14-yards to grab another first down. That was followed two more tries by Wren for seven more yards. A third down run by Guest left the Pioneers with a fourth and short. Unfortunately the final play of the game saw Rasheed Williams Jr. be stopped shy of the yardage needed, losing the ball on downs as the game was finally over.
Altough the Jr. Knights continued unbeaten with the 26-0 victory, it was the heart and guts of an over-matched, inexperienced Pioneers team that stood out even in defeat.
Several Pioneers also showed off during Fifth Quarter play including Rashed Williams jr., Jaweed Abuzir and Joey Guest.
There were several other Pioneers that showed they wouldn’t relent. They included Peyton Barbee, Jaweed Abuzir, Landon and Luke Lawler, Paul Bertucci, Harrison Ramirez, Quinn McCarthy, Zachariah Ballouta, Isiah Holmes, Brady Higgins, Luke Holoubek, Lorcan Redmond, Noah Radzikowski, Ian Frost,JOhnny Waliczek, Ammar Abdelmuti, Moody Jaber, Amari Adigun and Noah Hall.
The Lightweight Pioneer Cheerleaders also showed up in support of the boys last game of the year. Again, they too a lot of work along the sidelines cheering on the crowd and the players on the field. They included cheerleaders who supported the Pioneers Lightweight included Scarlett Sternberg, Kennedy Krokos, Stella Bristow, Emerson Schweikert, Eleanor Koehn, Elena Schmaling, Isla Zelensek, Lucy Bohanek, Zoey France, Savannah Molina, Aleena Badwan, Vera Joda, Normandy Golden, Hazel Nichols, Mia Mizera, Maevry Harmatys, Mila Schweikert, Tessa Dunmore, Tessa Basek, Siena Lang, Callie Juarez-Radovanovic, Alaina Holoubek, Sadie Griffin, Lea Barbee, Ava Kolodziej, Eva Aubin, Sofie Annerino, Hailey Valan, Grace Poore, Eloise Sarhage, Anderson Foster, Meghan Shilney, Lillian Fudala, Rosie VanRaden, Kara O’Meara and Giana Santos.
