By Francisco Avila- Photos by Eileen Copenhaver
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p605672032 **
MOKENA— Last season, the Ottawa Wolfpack and the Jr. Celtics met for the Chicagoland Pop Warner 8U State Championship in Yorkville. Both teams featured excellent running games and stout defenses. Earlier in the season, the Wolfpack had defeated the Jr. Celtics, so the rematch had a little more meaning for the Jr. Celtics as payback was on their minds in a very important game.
Unfortunately, the Wolfpack’s elusive running attack controlled more of the action and once again handed the Jr. Celtics a second straight loss facing them.
After last weekends victory, the Jr. Celtics focus was soley on their Week 5 opponent with talk of once again payback, revenge, things will be different in this game.
Missed opportunities can ultimately make the difference on the scoreboard, and despite being a competitive team that battles through adversity, those moments can prove costly. That was the difference for the Illinois Jr. Celtics 9U Red, who battled through a rainy evening and created opportunities against the Ottawa Wolfpack but were unable to turn enough of them into points, ultimately falling 21-7 for the third straight time against a despised rival.
The Jr Celtics opened the game with a strong defensive effort, looking to establish their physicality early.
Westin White, Luke Rose, Calvin Wilson, and James Mellon recorded strong tackles as the Jr Celtics worked to contain the Wolfpack’s offense.
Midway through the opening quarter, John Lestina added another tackle as the Jr Celtics continued to hold their ground. Ottawa eventually broke through with a 15-yard touchdown drive to take a 6-0 lead.
The Wolfpack converted the extra point to make it 7-0.
With a couple of minutes remaining in the quarter, the Jr Celtics looked to answer offensively. White got things started with a five-yard gain, while Maximus Lepore followed with a two-yard run. White continued to move the ball, with Landon Brown also contributing, but the Jr Celtics could not find the end zone before the quarter ended.
Ottawa took its 7-0 lead into the second quarter, and after the Jr Celtics punted, the defense returned to the field looking for another stop.
Mellon, Lestina, and Rose came through with key tackles, with Rose later discussing his approach to making plays defensively.
“When the guy would, like, go outside, it was easier to see it, so I just cut and tackled.”
Midway through the half, however, the Wolfpack extended its lead with a three-yard touchdown. Ottawa converted the extra point to make it 14-0.
The Jr Celtics returned to offense looking for a spark.
Landen Brown helped get the possession moving while working with Nicholas Petrocelli, who picked up yardage before being tackled.
Brown touched on he’s able to move the ball forward while evading the blockers.
“Don’t stop moving your feet, just move your feet. Then you’ll get more and more in yards. If you have a defender coming your way, just move. If they hit you, keep moving your feet.”
Rose then added a three-yard gain, while White followed with a 21-yard run to pick up a Jr Celtics first down.
As the half continued, the Jr Celtics continued to move the ball in search of their first points.
Lepore followed with a 10-yard run, bringing the Jr Celtics to the 35-yard line and closer to the end zone.
Lepore spoke after the game about the effort from the offensive line that helped create running room.
“The offensive line really helped out, like, Jackson Paul, our tackle, just everybody out there. Then I was just trying my hardest, like, pushing through that line. I just keep on trying, I never stop moving my feet, just keep on moving, that’s all I did, and then I kept running and then got more yards.”
Rose added another 15-yard gain as the Jr Celtics continued to advance the ball.
Rose credited the offensive line and blockers for helping create opportunities.
“All of the linemen were doing very well. Mario Williams, Jackson Paul, all of them were doing good, and our blocker, so it helped get past easier.”
White then moved the ball to the 10-yard line, but a penalty pushed the Jr Celtics back to the 15.
As the half approached its conclusion, White continued to lead the offensive attack, picking up additional yardage and moving the Jr Celtics to the 5-yard line.
Lepore followed with a two-yard gain, bringing the ball to the 3-yard line.
With the half winding down, White finished the drive with a three-yard touchdown run, putting the Jr Celtics on the scoreboard at 14-6.
White explained how he found the end zone.
“I just went through the hole, I followed my blocker, and then I bounced outside. I’m also able to use my speed and, like, juke.”
The Jr Celtics converted the extra point to cut the deficit to 14-7.
Jacob Palacios and Lepore helped the defense close out the half, and the Jr Celtics went into halftime trailing 14-7.
The Jr Celtics carried their momentum into the second half, continuing to make plays defensively while looking for opportunities to tie the game.
Early in the third quarter, Mario Williams recovered a Wolfpack fumble, giving the Jr Celtics another opportunity with the ball.
Lepore got the offense moving with a seven-yard gain, followed by a five-yard advance from Rose. Lepore then picked up another first down for the Jr Celtics.
White continued to move the ball, but the Wolfpack defense eventually stopped the drive and forced a turnover on downs.
As the third quarter began to wind down, the Jr Celtics returned to defense looking to keep Ottawa out of the end zone.
Nicholas Petrocelli recorded strong tackles, but the Wolfpack broke through again with a nine-yard touchdown. Ottawa converted the extra point to extend its lead to 21-7.
Lepore attempted to move the ball on the ensuing possession, but the Wolfpack defense stopped the run, and the third quarter ended with Ottawa holding a 21-7 advantage.
The Jr Celtics entered the fourth quarter looking for another offensive opportunity.
Early in the fourth quarter, Lepore picked up a first down, followed by another strong gain from White that moved the chains again.
As the quarter progressed, the Jr Celtics continued to search for yardage. Rose contributed with another positive run, but the Wolfpack defense once again held firm and forced a turnover on downs.
Back on defense, the Jr Celtics continued to compete despite the deficit and the clock winding down. Rose, Lestina, and Wilson recorded tackles as the Jr Celtics continued to battle for another opportunity to regain possession.
The clock eventually ran out, and the Jr Celtics fell 21-7 to the Wolfpack.
Despite the loss, the Jr Celtics received contributions from multiple players on both sides of the ball: Rory Brennan, Mason Comise, Soren Fleck, Ronan Laphey, Thomas Fletcher, Jaxon Franz, Jaxton Yaeger, Sebastian Diaz, Jeremiah Fleming, Ryan Heavig, Khalid Matariyeh, Camden Kokolus, and Stanislaw Pajerski.
