LIghtweight Pioneers Shutout Falcons in season Finale, 16-0

By Patrick Z McGavin- Photos by Jenn-Anne Gledhill

** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase for 2 Weeks at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p648967812 **

ORLAND PARK— The Erwin brothers are two years apart in age, but just one academic grade separates them.

As defensive starters on the Lightweights program of the Orland Park Pioneers, the two have a naturally competitive bond. 

Carter Erwin is the older brother, watchful and protective, and likes to show the younger brother how to take advantage of his chances. Jason Erwin is equally eager to prove what he is capable of,

“We have a good bond, and we’re pretty competitive with each other,” Jason Erwin said. “I like to show him what I could do out there.”

After Carter Erwin started off the second half with an interception, Jason Erwin made sure to go one step farther.

Jason Erwin scored on a fumble return touchdown and sealed the Pioneers’ 16-0 victory over the Frankfort Falcons with a scoring run in a River Valley Youth Football League game at Sandburg High School on Sunday, October 20.

AJ Richardson was the other significant player. His tackle created the fumble that set up the opening fumble return score. He also drilled two extra-point kicks that added four points to the scoring total.

The opportunistic play of the defense helped overcome an up-and-down offensive performance. Quarterback Luke Krokos hit a 26-yard pass in the flat to Jase Enstrom that yielded the Pioneers’ longest first half play from scrimmage.

Krokos also connected with Owen Garrity on a pass. The drive faltered. Krokos and Garrity collaborated on a 16-yard passing sequence late in the second quarter.

The Pioneers struggled to piece together a sustained drive. That’s where the defense came in.

Interior lineman Cole Baldridge was a one-man wrecking crew with seven tackles, including three for losses. The Erwin brothers, Jude Morrar, Michael Galivan and Lucca Morandi were the defensive standouts.

The Falcons had one sustained 11-play drive that featured a 17-yard pass connection. Krokos, Michael O’Connor, Baldridge and Galivan snuffed it out with a fourth down stop.

“Our defense is just amazing, and our coaches made the right play calls,” Baldridge said. “We tackle right. We just demolished them on defense. Our coaches kept telling us we’d probably get a bye next week in the playoffs if we won this game, so we just played really hard.”

The incentive for securing the bye loomed large in the manner and style of the Pioneers’ aggressive play.

With a scoreless tie to start the third quarter and the Falcons getting the ball, the Pioneers played with urgency and purpose during the second half.

O’Connor, Morandi and Noah Cordoba set the early tone with a 4-yard loss. On the fourth play of the second half, with the Falcons’ quarterback under duress, Jason Erwin stepped in front for the interception on the left edge.

“We knew they could throw the ball pretty well, and they were looking to pass the ball,” Jason Erwin said.

“I saw the ball in the air. It wasn’t a hard enough ball that was going to get there before I did, so I just ran right in front of him. I’m way too slow to take it back to the house.”

An 8-yard burst by Enright put the ball inside the 10-yard line. A miscommunication led to a fourth down stop. The drive stalled. The good part was the Falcons were still stuck deep in their own territory.

AJ Richardson made his move.

With the ball at their own 20-yard line on first down, the Falcons looked to execute a deep pitch on the right side. Richardson broke through and dislodged the ball on a hard tackle.

“I didn’t even know the ball came out after I tackled him,” he said. 

“I hurt my chin on the play because of how I hit the ground. I didn’t really know the ball was loose, but I just heard everybody.”

Trailing the play, Jason Erwin ran toward the loose ball and scooped it up on the fly and returned it 12 yards for the opening score with 4:28 to play in the third quarter.

Richardson expanded the lead to 8-0 with his two-point kick.

“I saw the ball come out, and I just thought to myself get the ball and score the touchdown,” Jason Erwin said.

The defense was newly energized with the Pioneers dictating the pace and tempo of the game. Baldrige and Galivan created pressure on passing attempts that produced incompletions and forced another punt.

Trailing by the one score, the Falcons engineered one final great action, stringing together a series of runs for an eight-play drive.

Galivan delivered the huge takedown with a -4-yard loss on third down. Morandi’s pressure forced another incompletion on fourth down.

“I felt like I could take advantage of the guy blocking me,” Galivan said. “We all had a great game, and I had a deflection on a screen pass that almost turned into an interception.

“We were super motivated for a bye week. We had a few days off, and we were ready to play. We practiced hard.”

The turnover on downs put the ball in the Falcons’ territory with just over three minutes to play. Jason Erwin took advantage of a hard hit on Krokos that forced him out of the game.

Operating out of the wildcat formation, Jason Erwin took the direct snap and went 38 yards around the right end for the clinching touchdown. Richardson punctuated the victory with his second PAT kick. 

Having a player at that precocious age be able to convert kicks and gain the added value brings a new dimension to the Pioneers. 

“It just adds on to the score,” Richardson said. “Most people can’t kick a field goal at this age, so it’s kind of a cheat code. If you run it, you get one, and if you kick it, you get two points.”

Fittingly the game ended with Baldridge and Galivan ganging up to take down the Falcons’ quarterback. 

“We did everything right out there today,” Baldridge said.

In the Fifth Quarter, Bennett Brown made some strong throws, and was backed up by some excellent running by Adam Krokos, Jackson Biskup and Brooks Foster.

Foster was also a standout on defense with an interception.

“When I saw the wide receiver going out, I knew they were going to be passing since it was the last play of the Fifth Quarter,” Foster said. 

“I took a step back, and I knew the receiver was just behind me. I saw the ball in the air, and I just ran and caught it.”

The Pioneers’ Lightweights featured many standout players in the 16-0 victory to close out the regular season. They included Gunner McCarthy, Keith Piekarz, Thomas Sutter, Joey Zotto, Will Poore, Ryan Lukas, Vito Cangelosi, Christopher Medina, Jr., Tyler Wilkie, Caden Kolodziej, Anthony LaPapa, Christian Paulson, Blake Nance, Scott Gumienny, Laith Hammami, Cody Godlewski, Dominic Gabriele, Nick Pomonis, Yousef Yasin, Samuel Horeluk, James Okrasinski, Dominic Lach, Collin Valan, Bradley Patterson, Jimmy Elsberg, Connor Kvelland, Michael Ordman and Rayder Slabenak.

Celebrating qualifying for the state cheer championship in November, the Lightweight Cheerleaders brought great passion and enthusiasm to their routines. Their members are Alexandra Burda, Morgan Collins, Madison Davis, Nora Dorigan, Emma Evans, Chloe Gaj, Kaylee Gaj, Lila Gavin, Madison Hedger, Quinn Heinze, Ava Janota, Margot Joda, Vera Joda, Adaline Johnson, Ella Kluever, Gemma Laniosz, Brielle Lenzen, Brooklyn Loman, Molly McGeever, Aaliyah Medina, Sophia Molina, Ainsley Moore, Annette Mullaney, Kayleigh Mullins, Emily Okrasinski, Kara O’Meara, Ayya Ramadani, Selena Rios, Sydney Scharpf, Avery Seliga, Maeve Smith, Addison Storrs, Peyton Tomasik, Molly Utz and Alivia Zawada.