By Patrick McGavin- Photos by Jenn Anne Gledhill
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ORLAND PARK— Coaches love to preach the value of playing with discipline and toughness on both sides of the ball.
What happens when the ball is almost exclusively in your end, and the hardest part is trying to deny the other side easy access to your goal line?
It’s not just theoretical.
The Lightweight Red team of the Orland Park Pioneers confronted a particularly difficult task given what they were also to accomplish offensively was almost solely a function of where they stood on the field.
“It seemed like we just always had the ball deep in our own end or on the goal line, and we’d run four or five plays, but we just couldn’t really pick up any yards,” quarterback Sean Johnson said.
The Pioneers played valiantly and showed exceptional toughness and skill on the defensive side of the ball. Playing almost exclusively in their half finally caught up to them.
The sharp play did not last as the Lightweight Red suffered a 12-0 loss against the Frankfort Falcons Black in Wednesday Night Football League action at Schussler Park on September 9.
For all intents and purposes, the game was a one-score affair as the Frankfort team scored in the closing seconds for the final margin.
The Pioneers spent much of the night backed up and on their heels. Rather than submit, the team showed exceptional heart and tenacity in fighting for every inch.
These young players are each out there to win a game, and also make a personal statement.
These are the second, third and fourth-string players who rarely have a chance to play in a Sunday game. The WNFL is a chance to show what they’re made of.
Two-way standout Royal Ward, known as “RJ,” is a top-flight running back and key member of the secondary on defense. He played with a controlled fury, chasing down runners and doing everything possible to keep the Pioneers close.
“In the Sunday games, we cheer them on a lot, but this is a chance to show what we can do out there,” Ward said. “We did a great job of tackling and working hard on defense. We need to do better and work harder on offense.
“We’ve barely been blocking, and we need to get bigger holes for the running backs.”
The big plays that did happen were almost exclusively on the defensive side of the ball. The Pioneers spent the bulk of the game at that end.
Linebacker Jonathan Mizera had the key play of the second half with a strip and fumble recovery that thwarted a long Falcons’ drive.
That play kept the Pioneers within striking distance, down just 6-0 in the final 13 minutes of play.
“I was able to shed my block, get to the runner and I was able to rip the ball out,” Mizera said. “We had a lot of energy, and we were getting all of the tackles and flying around.
“We’re trying to make anything happen to help the offense and score a touchdown, get a fumble or a pick and take it to the house. We learned from this game we have to work on our blocking, and driving them back.”
Johnson is a converted running back who is still learning the quarterback position. He had a touchdown run during the Fifth Quarter Sunday against the Lightweight Blue team.
“I like playing quarterback, it’s fun,” Johnson said. “Sometimes I don’t have enough time to get the play done, or even hike the ball. There’s always someone right in front of me. If we get our blocks down better, I think I’d have more time to throw the ball and do our handoffs.
“We need to just work on blocking a lot more.”
If the Falcons deprived the Pioneers of the big play, the defense for the Orland Park squad was just stellar. No matter where you turned, players were making plays.
Mizera, Ward, Johnson, Anthony Lang, Austin D’Andre, Nathan Schultz and Ethan Brandofino roamed sideline to sideline, covering all sides, and chasing down Falcons’ runners left and right.
The pride factor could not be discounted. Again, the format of the league allows the players a chance to strut their stuff.
“It’s a whole different feeling where you feel like you’re getting out and playing a whole game,” Lang said. “It was a tough loss, but we were flying around there. There are going to be consequences for the offensive line, but I think it was a very good game.
“With the games at Sandburg, the vibe is different, and it’s just a whole different environment. Tonight was a whole different level, and we showed something good. I think if we get a hole opened up offensively, we’re going to be gone. I think we can also do better.”
Nicholas Vuolo was another standout performer, creating stops at the point of attack. Like the surrounding defense, he bent from time to time.
He stood up to the challenge.
“Defensively I think I did very well,” Vuolo said. “We shed our blocks, and we tackled and we forced fumbles and got the recoveries. We did everything else we had to do out there.
“We did okay, but the line had to get better because we were just stuck at the goal line it seemed like every time we got the ball. It was tough to move it.”
Still, the defense keeps the team in every game. Now the offense has to match that output.
“By the end of the year, we’re going to be doing amazing, I think,” Johnson said.
With the first-team players dressed and providing support, the Lightweight Red program of the Orland Park Pioneers had many standout contributors. The first-team players dressed and vocally supported and encouraged the team. They were Mahmoud Abu Alshaikh,Taylan Morandi, Nicolas Lang, MJ Groark, Zacharia Nofal, Jude Atieh, CJ Hufford, Shane Sternberg, Bennett Kersten, Henry Simons, Taym Nofal, Gavin Garrity, Arthur Slabenak, Henry Wade, Mohammed Abu Alshaikh, William Sraga, Nathan Schultz, William Jordan, Thomas McCann, Jordy Kolodziej, Luke McDoniel, Paul Rylan Davies, Yazen Nijem and Amir Haddad.
