By Ed Muniz-Photos by Laura Stubbs
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Orland Park-Sandburg HS in Orland Park was the site for the Orland Park Pioneers opening their home schedule of the River Valley Youth Football League.
Since joining the League, the Pioneers have been a fixture in the season ending playoff picture.
With four teams competing at the Super Lightweight, Lightweight, Junior Varsity and Varsity levels, the Pioneers have won League Championship or played in the Championship game at each level.
Their success may be a reason why there is a waiting list of boys waiting to play for the program.
Over the last several years, the Pioneers have maxed out per team, carrying 44 players at each level.
The league officially began the 2024 season last week, but the Pioneers only had one team competing and that was an away game at the JV level. This week at its home field at Sandburg High School, every team was on tap, starting off with Coach Pat Richardson’s SLW Pioneers.
Last year in his introductory season at the helm, Coach Richardson was called on to continue with the successes the youngest and smallest of Pioneers have had in the past which included winning a league title in 2022.
For the Pioneers, the SLW Pioneers have a history of doing extremely well nearly every season and again in 2023, they were in the hunt for another title.
The SLW Pioneers fell short but overall had another great season in 2023.
Hosting the Frankfort Square Wildcats in their debut, Coach Richardson’s regiment was ready. Although there wasn’t much scoring in this season opener, the play was aggressive and skilled for both sides, but the Pioneers were more efficient offensively to garner the 7-0 victory and kick-start the day for the Pioneers program.
“Every season is a new challenge; this year we have 23 new players. We are replacing some pretty good players from last year.” said Coach Richardson. “Today there were some nerves, but we have new kids that are pretty good too. From top to bottom, all 42 are working hard with a few in there that are some tough little dudes.”
“I think we just need to get out of our own way, settle down the nerves, things will work out. I think the speed they became together, and a cohesive, real team is incredible. I think we played well today in both games.”
Coach Richardson mention several players he thought stood out when asked about his Fifth Quarter team.
“Henry Wade played quarterback really well and did a very good job as a first year player, Sean Johnson also was very good along with “Scooby” Ballouta, those guys have great motors and never stop. So many more that played well.”
Gavin Garrity took his offensive Pioneers on the field to begin the game. He would lead from the quarterback position showing poise in getting plays off.
It was a short opening series with runs by Sean Kiilas and Taylan Morandi tallying just three yards forcing Lawson Capps to punt.
Soon after, with tackles by Arthur Slabenak and Luke Bosack and a forced fumble tackle by Dominic Maurella, the Pioneers also forced a punt.
The Pioneers next offensive possession would turn out to be their longest of the game and most rewarding.
Using up the rest of the first quarter and nearly the entire second, Garrity led the offense on a 16-play scoring drive.
During the march towards the endzone, runs by Morandi produced 20-yards as he pounded and eluded Wildcats tackle attempts. He also hauled in a pass from Garrity that went for 19 yards.
Garrity also showed some running ability, at times zigzagging through the defense on his six rushing attempts that tallied 32 yards with a long of 13 yard and culminating with a 1-yard keeper for the touchdown.
Adding the extra-point by Kikilas, the Pioneers would take a 7-0 lead into the half after defensive stops by Kikilas, Shane Sternberg and Morandi.
The Pioneers made short work of the Wildcats second half opening series.
Slabenak and Nate Abbs gave nothing to their opponents on three tries and again forced a punt.
One thing the Pioneers were doing well was running their offense and using a lot of the clock with the lead.
Garrity would get the call, give it to his teammates and then run the play, all methodically.
After the punt, the Pioneers again used up the rest of the third quarter behind the running attack of Kikilas, Garrity and Morandi.
After a 23-yard zigzag run by Garrity, the Pioneers were headed to the endzone, now at the Wildcats 16, but a series of penalties quickly saw the Pioneers going the opposite way that stalled the drive.
When Capps punted away the ball, the Pioneers became recipients of a Wildcats gift as the punt was muffed and recovered by Luke Bosack.
Back on offense and now in the final quarter, the Pioneers used up more time but struggled with handoffs and fumble-itus which forced them to turnover the ball on downs.
The Pioneer defensive pressure continued and Kikilas was dominant, making tackles for losses of minus 4 and 6 yards to end any hopes the Wildcats had.
“They were trying to double-team me, but I blew off my stance and went right in,” said Kikilas. “After that, they decided to block someone else and left me to make the tackles. I’m exploding out of my stance and shedding the block pretty good. I feel like Arthur (Slabenak) and Gavin (Garrity) and me are leading the team.”
After three kneel downs by Garrity, the Pioneers had secured the 7-0 victory.
“I like controlling the offense,’ said Garrity. “Getting the ball to my running backs is fun and important. On my touchdown, I just went for it and scored, I thought maybe I’d get stopped but didn’t happen. I think we’re going to make playoffs and win this year.”
In Fifth Quarter action, two touchdowns highlighted the Pioneers efforts, a 41-yard run by Jordy Kolodziej and a 50-yard run by Peyton Barbee both saw each score touchdowns. Kolodziej also added a 20-yard sprint.
“I was kinda scared I would get tackled,“ said Barbee. “I thought I ran out of bound but was happy I scored a touchdown. I’m pretty happy on how I played today.”
A spirited Jordy spoke of his touchdown run.
“When I got the ball, I thought they were right behind me, I kept running waiting to be tackled but they didn’t and I scored a touchdown, I felt good and like scoring, I think I’m going to score a ton.”
Several others were showing skills rushing the ball. Zachariah and Suhaib Ballouta, Sean Johnson and Paxson Leithleiter each added to the rushing total. Quarterback Thomas Richardson found his receiver as well, he hooked up with Zachariah Ballouta for 7-yards.
Defensively, the Pioneers gave up a lone score and used a lot of gang tackling as they swarmed to the ball. Leithleiter displayed on one play his speed. A break away Wildcats runner was rundown and caught from behind by him for the tackle. Also showing his tackling skill with several stops was Lawson Capps .
Other Pioneers contributing throughout the Fifth Quarter and Regular game included JJ Abuzir, Nate Abbs, Moody and Zakariya Jaber, Wyatt Kipper, Xyan Bell, Martin Groark, Brady Higgins, Alex Kopec, CJ Hufford, Luke Holoubek, Bennett Kersten, Vinny LaPapa, Michael Maurella, Michael Patterson, Michael Ramos, Lorcan Redmond, Henry Wade, Ian Frost, Jonathan Mizera,Quinn McCarthy, Ammar Abdelmuti, William Jordan, Michael Sweis, Paul Rylan Davies, Luke McDoniel and Amari Adigun.
Supporting the football player from the sidelines and entertaining the crowd at half time were the Pioneers SLW Cheerleaders, showing off their skills were Sofie Annerino, Nora Astor, Aleena Badwan, Lea Barbee, Luch Bohanek, Stella Bristow, Gianna Bryk, Evelyn Byrne, Charlotte Dorigan, Zoey France, Normandy Golden, Sadie Griffin, Stella Guerrero, Alaina Holoubek, Callie Juarez-Radovanovic, Eleanor Koehn, Kennedy Krokos, Siena Lang, Mia Mizera, Savannah Molina, Hazel Nicholas, Grace Poore, Falyn Simon Elena Schmaling, Scarlett Sternberg and Isla Zelensek.
