By Francisco Avila- Photos by Gavin Peterson
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p459505203 **
GILBERTS— In football, as in any sport, mistakes can be costly, and that was the case for the Argo 10U Blue team on Saturday, as they fell 34-6 to a sharp, clinical Arlington Heights Dawgs squad.
After the game, Argonauts head coach Kyle Hassen acknowledged that turnovers and miscues made the difference.
“You can’t make that many mistakes against a good team,” said Coach Hassen. “We came out, shot ourselves in the foot, and gave them too many opportunities. When you give a good team that many chances, it’s not going to end well.”
Despite the final scoreline, Argo started the game with promise. Andrew Schaefer set the tone early with an explosive return on the opening punt.
“I kind of just wanted to get everyone fired up and make a big play at the start,” said Schaefer.
That momentum carried over briefly on defense. Samuel Coates delivered a strong tackle early, backed up by key defensive plays from Dominick Bonilla, Jonah Varda, and Jonathan Medearis. However, with just under three minutes left in the first quarter, the Dawgs struck first with a 20-yard touchdown and a successful one-point conversion to take a 7-0 lead.
Argo looked to answer late in the quarter. Quarterback Declan Arndt connected with Luca Saengmany on a 5-yard pass, but the drive stalled, and the Argos were forced to punt. The quarter ended with the Dawgs holding a 7-0 lead.
In the second quarter, Argo’s offensive struggles continued. Arndt spoke about the pressure he faced under center. “For most passes, being the quarterback, I have to drop back, and people are basically in my pocket. So it’s hard to pass the ball.”
Despite the offensive challenges, Argo’s defense continued to battle. Varda and Coates delivered big tackles, with Coates making a standout sack that turned heads.
“We were doing a blitz called ‘Steamroller,’ and my first thought was just to get through the center and hit the quarterback before they could gain yards,” said Coates.
But mistakes crept in again. A miscue on a punt led to an interception, which the Dawgs quickly turned into another touchdown and conversion for a 14-0 lead.
Argo’s defense answered with grit. Leo Kolodzey made a strong tackle, and Varda recorded an eye-catching sack.
“I had to make the sack fast, or else he was going to throw it. I didn’t want them to score another touchdown or conversion,” said Kolodzey.
With just 20 seconds left in the half, the Dawgs added another 20-yard touchdown to go into the break with a 20-0 advantage.
The third quarter mirrored the first half; Argo’s offense struggled to find rhythm, but the defense continued to compete. Kolodzey, Jackson McLean, Varda, and Bonilla all contributed key tackles.
A highlight came from Coates, who broke free on a 5-yard run for one of Argo’s best offensive moments of the game.
“I just thought, ‘I need to get out of this backfield,’” said Coates. “I wanted to get yards for my team and get the first down. It felt pretty good, especially since this is my first year playing football.”
Still, in the opening two minutes of the final quarter, a defensive lapse allowed the Dawgs to score again on a 30-yard touchdown, converting the extra point to make it 28-0.
Argo finally broke through late in the fourth quarter. Arndt connected with Coates on a 4-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 28-6.
“I just did the sign of the cross and wanted to get the touchdown,” Coates said of the play.
Any hopes of a comeback were quickly shut down, as the Dawgs responded with a 50-yard touchdown to seal the 34-6 win. Still, the Argonauts ended the game on a high note, blocking the final extra-point attempt, thanks to Jackson McLean.
“I saw when they hiked it, they weren’t really moving. So I just blitzed in and ran to block it,” said McLean.
It was a tough loss for Argo, but there were bright moments on both sides of the ball. The team now looks to learn from its mistakes and bounce back in its next game.
Key contributors in the game included Evan Blonskij, Henry Craig, Julian Deik. Dylan Devies Howard, Ehsan Esparza, Johan Guerrero, Ricardo Guzman Alverez, Asher Hassen, Declan Holm, Brayden Moreno, Dominic Nava, and Nixon Tomcyzk.
The Mitey Mite Argo Cheerleaders were there to support the players along with entertaining the visiting sideline. They did as usual, their very best the entire game. They include Brooklyn Aguilar, Evelyn Benitez, Nina Blakey, Elena and Gabriella Campobasso, Belle Guzman, Marissa Jensen, Anyah Jones, Emi Loza, Colbie and Whitney Lucas, Quinn Moran, Leah Ovalle, Liliana Quatroke, Michelle Rivera, Abi Ruston, Genesis Danchez, Harper Savage, Evie Trejo and McKenna Walczak.
