By Ed Muniz- Photos by Jenn-Anne Gledhill
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p268021222 **
Hopes were high for the Super Lightweight Pioneers as they concluded the regular season.
After beginning the season with a loss, Coach Pat Richardson and coaching staff righted a ship that has a history of winning at the level. They would go on to win 6 of the remaining 7 games, including five games in a row.
Their only loss during those seven games was to the opponent they would meet in the opening round of the River Valley Youth Football League playoffs.
The Jr. Warriors escaped Sandburg HS, home field of the Pioneers with a 13-7 win in week 7. A game that could have and maybe should have gone to the Pioneers.
The Orland Park Pioneers have a history of producing some very good, competitive teams at the SLW level. In recent years, Championships have been won in League play and also in the Wednesday Night Football League.
For first year head coach Richardson, expectations were high as the season began after grabbing titles the year before in both leagues.
The difference this year is he has a very young team with many new players playing their first year of tackle football.
In their rematch with the Jr. Warriors, the Pioneers looked all the bit of a veteran team. Ater starting off strong and capturing the lead twice, tough officiating and self-mistakes would turn out costly in their 20-13 playoff loss.
“I thought all week through practice, we as coaches didn’t put any pressure on the boys, we kept it very light, I thought they were ready and their minds were where they needed to be, it was a battle,” said Coach Richardson.
“The Jr. Warriors are a good team but, in this game, we were ready to go. Our offense was moving, our defense was battling. I’m not going to blame the refs, but I will say there were some things that were pretty hard to swallow during that game.”
All game, officiating did become a question. One particular official appeared to be unwilling to make calls on clearly procedure infractions from the onset of the game. He was hearing it not just from the Pioneer staff but also from the sideline of parents.
A Long touchdown run by the Pioneers was nullified by a mysterious block in the back call after the Pioneer runner had scored the touchdown. The penalty was marked 15-yards from the goal line which indicated the flag was on a call behind the play after the score.
At that point the Pioneers could have been up 20-7, all for not.
Officiating or lack thereof did become an unfortunate factor in this game.
The very first time the Pioneers took to their offense; they moved the football. Opening the game with a nine-play drive and concluding with Michael O’Connor scoring from 16-yards out after bashing his way off tackle for a 6-0 lead.
Runs by Jason Erwin and O’Connor highlighted the drive as quarterback Gavin Garrity kept feeding them the ball.
The Jr. Warriors immediately countered with their own nine-play drive. Pioneers were tackling well but the Jr. Warriors were able grab chunks of yard consistently, ending with a 2-yard plunge for the score.
The Jr Warriors took the 7-6 lead when they converted the point-after early in the second quarter.
Tackles by Dominic Sopha, Aaron McCarthy, Laith Hammami, Thomas Sutter and a pair by Erwin and O’Connor slowed the Jr. Warrior but didn’t halt them.
The New Lenox lead lasted all of the ensuing play.
Taking the handoff, Erwin would find a hole of his right tackle, make a move right and streak 70-yards to put the Pioneers back up 13-7 after he added the point-after as well.
The Jr, Warriors seemed shocked at what had just happened, it flustered their offense on their next series. Stops by Hammami, Adam Krokos, Ellis Hubbard and three tackles by O’Connor, forced a turnover on downs.
The very next play turned out to be the biggest of the game.
O’Connor rumbled through several Jr. Warriors spinning and breaking several tackles, maintained his balance and headed downfield. He didn’t stop until he reached the endzone. The Pioneers would now be up 19-7 and in control of the playoff game.
All that was waved off as a flag littered the field. A penalty was called and spotted the football at the Jr. Warrior 15-yardline, nullifying the incredible run and touchdown.
With a second chance, the Jr. Warriors held tight and turned back the Pioneers on four plays to keep the deficit at one score.
Momentum had shifted at that point and was coveted by the Jr. Warriors heading into halftime.
The Pioneers defense began the second half strong. Tackles by O’Connor, Erwin, McCarthy had the Jr. Warrior in a fourth down situation at their own 33-yardline. A stop by the Pioneers would give them a short field and an excellent opportunity to enhance their lead.
Unfortunately, the next three plays didn’t go as needed.
After converting their fourth down run of three yards, the Jr. Warrior connected on a long 32-yard pass-play and then followed that with an 8-yard touchdown run. With the converted point-after, the Jr. Warriors and Pioneers sat even at 13-13.
The third quarter ended with teams trading turnover on downs. Both defenses held each others offense and limited plays to small gains.
Tackles by Arthur Slabenak, Krokos, and O’Connor held the Jr. Warrior to nearly nothing on their four tries.
Entering the final quarter, the pressure was mounting for both teams. A mistake by either could cost them the game.
After the stoppage, the Pioneers used their running attack to move the ball. O’Connor and Erwin pushed the ball up the field gaining 21-yard between them on their five carries.
On their sixth play, disaster struck, a fumble was lost which opened the door for the Jr. Warriors. It took the Jr. Warriors just five plays to take advantage of the Pioneers mistake and grab the lead when a run of 27-yards that went for a touchdown. With the conversion, the Jr. Warriors led 20-13 with four minutes left in the game.
The Pioneers had one last possession with hopes of rallying, but two runs produced just five yards and two incompletions sealed the win for the Jr. Warriors.
“It wasn’t surprising for us to play as well as we did. We knew the boys know how to play football and they showed that,” said Coach Richardson.
“We told them to just go out there and have fun. We told them if they gave us 1000 percent, at the end of the game, that’s what we care about, they did exactly that. We couldn’t be prouder of the way they played, they battled all game, they should have won that game.”
Coach Richardson also added,
“Michael (O’Connor) is a very good, wonderful player with so much skill, Jason (Erwin) is every bit as good with that killer mind set, he never talks, he just plays. These two are so talented. Chris Medina Jr., from where he was last year to the way he played this year, Phenomenal on both sides of the ball.”
“Thomas Sutter has been great on defense, stringing plays out, making tackles, he’s a monster. Our two big guys up front, as they go so does our defense, Ellis Hubbard and Laith Hammami, in particular to this game, they played as well as they have all season. They got their pushes, they got in the back field, they caused havoc, they did their jobs.”
Third year player Aaron McCarthy played outstanding in this game like he has all year. Adam Sutter never misses a tackle, always makes those open-field tackles, he had a few in this game. He had a huge one that saved a huge run by them. Connor Kvelland and Dominic Sopha at corner, first year tackle football players, they started and were studs all season. Connor is our center and on offense he has been solid all season.”
“I love coaching, it would have been nice to win, we didn’t, for whatever reason, as I watch 42 kids all in tears, when we asked who is playing football next year, all 42 hands went up in the air. For me and my coaches, that’s the win right there.”
Coach Richardson and staff also had a Fifth Quarter to contend with prior to the playoff game.
Several standout performances were easily noticeable on both sides of the ball.
Defensively, Jackson Biskup and Jonathan Mizera recovered fumbles. Zachariah Ballouta Taylan Morandi, Wyatt Kipper, Nathan Abbs and Blake Nance all had solo tackles, with Dominic Maurella leading the Pioneers defense with three tackles.
Offensively, Taylan Morandi ran for 8-yards, Ryan Lukas streaked for 10-yards, Logan Richardson and Moody Jaber also added some yards, but the workhorses of the offense were Biskup and Brooks Foster, each having multiple runs.
Quarterback Richardson also completed a short pass to Mizera.
Other standouts on the day included Peyton Barbee, Jaweed Abuzir, Keith Piekarz, Jack Dubois, Luke Bosack, Vito Cangelosi, Seth Cobbs, Alex Kopec, CJ Hufford, Shane Sternberg, Arun Mallavarapu, Tyler Wilke, Anthony LaPapa, Dean Kassem, Dominic Gabriele, Jordy Kolodziej, Jimmy Elsberg and Logan Cohen.
Cheering on the Pioneers in brisk conditions were the SLW Cheerleaders. They managed to entertain the crowd and performed at halftime. They include Lea Barbee, Charlotte Dorigan, Anderson Foster, Alaina Holoubek, Clarke Jones, Callie Juarez-Radovanovic, Gianna Kipper, Grace Kvelland, Mia Mizera, Grace Poore, Elena Schmaling and Scarlett Sternberg.