By Ed Muniz-Phtos by Renee Kaspar
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ORLAND PARK— The Super Lightweight Pioneers accomplished something they hadn’t done in several years, maybe even before some of the Pioneer players were born.
No one was more elated than Head Coach Pat Richardson. His joy at his team finally defeating the New Lenox Jr. Warriors was almost too much for him to contain. His sheer happiness with a smile that outshone the sun, was easy to view and enjoy after the 12-6 victory on August 31 in Orland Park will surely be a special moment to remember in his coaching career.
For several years, the Jr. Warriors have been a thorn in the side of the Pioneers at the smallest of the River Valley Youth Footbal League’s levels. To Finally get the upper hand with a winning outcome was quite overdue.
“It was Awesome,” said Coach Richardson. “We studied what they did on offense, we responded to those plays and were able to shut them down except for one drive, other than that, we were right on top of them on defense.”
“At Halftime, we reviewed what the kids should have been doing, the kids came out in th second half and they stuck to that game plan and they were monsters. We were letting them block us in the first half but once we figured that out, they were falling down and we were making tackles. Our offense was clicking in the first half, I said it before when our two running-backs get rolling, they’re tough. They stopped us and made some plays on us in the second half but defense wins, and that’s what we did.”
Coach Richardson also felt his line play was improving every game and gave credit to their play as a big reason for their success in this game.
“These kids are getting better every day, every game. Some have been together a couple years now so they are use to each other and it shows how they play. Even some of the new kids are playing better each time out. They’re a great group of kids to coach.”
The Pioneers are fortunate to have a pair of quick speedy, tough to stop running-backs. Both Peyton Barbee and Sean Johnson are a threat to score on every touch. Blessed with natural speed, they simply outrun their opponents to the edge and pick up big chunks offen if they don’t score.
It took the Pioneers just three plays to open the scoring against the Jr. Warriors.
A 24-yar run by Johnson set up Barbee. On the next play, he took a pitch, cut right and was off on a 39-yard touchdown sprint, untouched for the games first score and a 6-0 Pioneer lead.
The Jr. Warriors responded by going on a long, 11-play drive that ended on a three yard plunge to tie the game at 6-6.
It was a slow and meticulous due to the Pioneers giving up small doses of yardage. Tackles by Barbee, Johnson, Scooby Ballouta, Nicholas Vuolo, Michael Maurella, Quinn McCarthy and Joey Guest slowed the New Lenox trek.
Barbee started the ensuing drive for the Pioneer offense with a 13-yard sprint after making a cut right to the sidelines. That was followed by Johnson sprinting left, again hitting the edge with speed and streaking 57-yards for the Pioneers go ahead touchdown that saw the game score at 12-6 early in the second half.
“I look for wide open place and if I see anyone, I try to outrun them,” said Johnson. “Sometimes, when people are all going one way, I just cut back and get to the wide open zone. I think I can do better getting to the outside faster,. I can tell where the ball is going on defense, we figgured it out and I was able to make tackles and so did Niko (Scumaci). Maybe I can tackle better too but I did good today.”
With the lead, the Pioneers defense now picked up their play and began to clamp down on the Jr. Warriors offensive efforts, forcing the games first turnover on downs behind the tackling of Henry Wade, Barbee, Mahmoud Abu AlShaikh, Johnson, McCarthy and Royal Ward.
The Pioneers offense rode the rest of the first half to a closure behind Barbee and Ballouta runs.
The Pioneers came out fired up defensively and three plays in, recovered a fumble when Niko Scumaci pounced on a loose Jr. Warriors football.
The Jr. Warriors knew they couldnt let a short field score put them father behind so they too made a djustments and sealed the outside, working a turnover on downs for the Pioneers.
Again, the Jr. Warriors began their march towards finding the tying score. The 10-play series began in the third quarter and continued into the fourth, heading directly to the Pioneers endzone. Tackles by Ward, Ballouta, Wade, Richardson, Guest, Johnson and Kitai Hubbard slowed the Jr. Warriors but it was a smashing hit by Scumaci that allowed Hubbard to make a fourth down stop and give the football back to the Pioneers offense midway through the forth quarter.
“I was getting around the tightend and sacking the quarterback and getting the ball,” said NIko on his defensive play. “When I started football I got really quick on the snap. I expolde off the ball. I get better by practicing and working on everything like timing, seeing the ball quicker, everything.”
The Pioneers offense couldn’t muster any possitive yards on their three tries and a punt only went five yards, which gave the visitors another shot at tying or taking the lead late in the game.
Unfortunately for the Jr. Warriors, the Pioneers defense shut them down and a futile fourth down pass fell incomplete, sealing the tough defensive tussle in favor of the Pioneers, 12-6. The long awaited win was celebrated by players and coaches with cheers and applause from fans accompanying the rare victory.
The Pioneers saw poise and leadership from their On-field General’ Thomas Richardson. His ability to get plays off and not lose composure during a difficult second half showed he was the right choice to lead.
“The best part of being quarterback on this team is scoring touchdowns with number 38 and number 0,” said field leader Thomas Richardson. “The worse part is when we make penalties and make mistakes. Today, I got the snaps off good and didnt fumble the ball. I think me and my center Michael Maurella work really good together too. It’s easier playing when our running-backs do pretty good.”
Fith Quarter play saw the Pioneers give lots of efforts on both sudes of the ball during the barrage of touchdowns. Too much speed by the Jr. Warriors saw the Pioneers fall behind quickly, but the Pioneers still manage some tackles by Vincent LaPapa, Jax Thomas, Max Kalker and Mahmoud Hinnawi..
Offensively, Henry Wade stood out with his 32-yard run that nearly broke free for a score.
Other Pioneers that helped gain the satisfying win over a difficukt foe were Stanley Bielawski, J Logan Biskup, Ryker Tyrakowski, Cade Rucinski, George Buffo, Ethan Brandofino, Wren Rucinski, Noah Hammad, Dominic Dronzek, Abdallah Hasan, Henry Kruse, Shane McDermott and Jibreel Morrar.
The Pioneers Super Lightweight Cheerleaders also showed an array of cheers and skills while on the sideline or performing at halftime. They include Normandy Golden, Maddie Battaglia, Everleigh Holdsworth, Hazel Nichols, Emersyn Ramirez, Piper Darin, Savannah Molina, Eva Garza-Perez, Olivia Raggio, Morgan Griffin, Nella Leithleiter, Charlotte Koehn, Lanie Hermann, Emmy Burger, Mia Mizera, Meghan Shilney, Lea Barbee, Chloe Fregeau, Haley Erwin, Eva Aubin, Siena Lang, Olivia Peters, Sofie Annerino, Hailey Valan, Jessa Alvarez, Grace Latronica, Ava Kolodziej, Emma Podoreski.
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