By Ed Muniz- Photos by Kathy Jones
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p514122698 **
NEW LENOX— Playoffs-A tournament of Top Teams that qualify to participate based on their regular season performances then compete in a Knockout tournament format.
The Wednesday Night Football League began their Knockout tournament on October 8. The league was down to their top four teams in each division. Two semi-final games would be held in each of the four levels. For the Orland Park Pioneers, they would host two games and travel for one on October 8.
Both the Varsity and Junior Varsity Pioneers played host to the New Lenox Jr. Warriors. Andy Rybaks Varsity Pioneers would host at Sandburg HS, while Al Krokos’s JV would see action at Schussler Park.
Their other team to qualify for the WNFL tournament was Dan Kolodiej’s Lightweight Pioneers, Unfortunately they had to travel to Lincoln-Way West as vistors in their contest.
Only one of the three Pioneer teams would survive and make it to next Wednesday Championship game with the Varsity Pioneers earning that opportunity.
For the Lightweight Pioneers, it was a crushing, emotinal Overtime loss that ended their season and started the flow of tears in their exiting the chance at a title. Their 6-0 defeat came at the hands of the Tinley Park Bulldogs who had also previously beaten the Pioneers during the regular season.
The entire game was a bout of two teams evenly matched, exchangng swings at each other, waiting for the other to make a mistake with nearly the entire game played between the 30-yard-lines. Only once did either team break the 30-yard-line barrier and then was promptly moved back outside of it after a penalty.
With the clock constantly running, these WNFL games last about an hour. Quarters are used up quickly so limited series tend to happen per half. teams may get the ball two or three times a half.
In this game, the two teams exchanged possession eleven times as defenses limited the others offense throughout with several punts taking place in the game.
The Pioneers best opportunity may have been their last possession during regulation, moving the ball into Bulldog territory, unfortunately, not only were they battling the Bulldogs but also the clock, just not enough time to finish their drive as time expired.
The Pioneers opened the game with a promising 8-play drive. Taylan Morandi and Gavin Garrity combined to move the ball from their own 30 to the Tinley Park 37-yard-line with Garrity’s 19 yard run around the left edge being the big play of the drive.
Unfortunately, after running the ball successfully, the Pioneers went to the air and were intercepted on their first try to end the drive at the Tinley 24-yard-line.
After a long run on their first play, the Bulldogs flipped the field and stood at the Pioneers 26 but that’s as close as they got. Tackles by CJ Hufford, Dominic Maurella, Morandi and Michal Patterson forced a turnover of downs to get the ball back to the Pioneers offense.
Another 8-play drive followed for the Pioners. Morandi, Garrity and Luke Bosack produced a first down but eventually ended up punting again as the Tinley defense tighten.
One thing the Pioneers defense has done all season is play well and limit what opposing teams do against them. This was no different.
The highly touted Bulldog offense was finding the going tough as a stingy host defense was giving very little to the Tinley offensive effort. Hufford, Morandi, Anthony LaPapa, Luke Holoubek and Bosack making sure of that with each making individual stops and again forcing another Tinley punt. Morandi’s pair of runs closed out the scoreless first half.
The longer the game went scoreless, the more the pressure to not make a mistake heightened.
The Pioneers came out and shut the Bulldogs down with a three and out to start the second half. Tackles by Nate Abbs, Ammar Abdelmuti and Bosack forced another Tinley punt.
The Bulldogs didnt flinch as they too limited the Pioneers right back with a three and out of their own.
It stayed that way as both theam defenses were doing their part to not give up a score.
Throughout the game, the Pioneers offense was getting the better production behind the running of Garrity, Morandi and Bosack but still couldnt break through as the Bulldogs defense was bending but not breaking in the second half.
With time starting to tick away, the Pioneers started a drive at their own 40 and eventually got to the Tinley 38 before time ran out.
Headed to overtime, the Bulldogs won the toss and chose to go on defense first. In Overtime, the league rules consist of each time getting four downs to score from the 10-yard-line. and alternating until there is a winner.
The Pioneers would have forst crack at it. Their first attempt saw them lose two yards on a run. that was followed by Morandi grabbing back the two lost yards. On third and goal from the 10, another running attempt was stuffed at the line. That was followed by a pass attempt that never got close as the Pioneer receiver never saw the pass, falling incomplete and losing the ballon downs.
The Bulldogs did something they hadnt really tried in the game. They went to the air as a tight-end ran pass the Pioneers defense and was wide open uncontested, saw the lofted pass reach him then cradling in the football for the touchdwn and the 6-0 victory to advance the Bulldogs to the Lightweight Championship game.
For many of the Pioneers, it was a loss they will remember as the tears of disappointment and defeat began flowing walking slowly to midfield to congratulate the winning team.
The Pioneers coaches did all they could to find some solace in loss, applauding their effort along with their successful season but it was to no avail as a bittersweet ending was too much to bear for several players.
The Pioneers saw several players contribute to not only this game but also to the entire season. They include Jaweed Abuzir, Gunner McCarthy, Keith Piekarz, Thomas Sutter, Joey Zotto, Will Poore, Jackson Biskup, Sean Kikilas, Ryan Lukas, Zachariah Ballouta, Ellis Hubbard, Mike O’Connor, Martin Groark, Brady Higgins, Jason Erwin, Alex Kopec, Christopher Medina Jr., Shane Sternberg, Bennett Kersten, Brooks Foster, Arthur Slabenak, Paxson Leithleiter, Laith Hammami, Ian Frost, Jonathan Mizera, Dominic Gabriele, William Jordan, Jordy Kolodziej, Jimmy Elsberg, Connor Kvelland, Luke McDoniel, Paul Rylan Davies, Amari Adigun and Adam Krokos
Several of these boys may once again be hitting the field another time as the Pioneers regular starters also reached the RVYFL Playoffs and will complete for a League Championship begining next Sunday.
