By Ed Muniz- Photos by Renee Kaspar
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Orland Park- When the Lightweight Homer Stallions took to the field at Sandburg HS for the scheduled matchup against the Orland Park Pioneers. Little did they know what was in store for them in this Wednesday Night Football League game.
It didn’t take long for the Stallions to find out and there was nothing they could do to avoid the thrashing they were about to absorb from Al Krokos’ Pioneers.
An overwhelming offense that saw the Pioneers score five times and an opportunistic defense that took advantage of every Homer mistake, resulted in a totally one-side 34-0 dismantling on September 4 in Orland Park.
The Pioneers displayed a running game that at times must have looked to the Stallions like multiple Pioneers rushing on the same play. Left, right or up the middle, the Pioneers had their way rushing the ball.
Homer also had to deal with a passing attack that was rare but found its target during the barrage of touchdowns in the hour-long game.
Although the game was for all intense purposes over by halftime, the visiting Stallions didn’t quit but it was to no avail, they simply were in over their heads against the stout Pioneers defense that isn’t too generous with points and an offense that enjoys scoring.
The Pioneers opened the game with a 9-play drive that saw a rushing attack grabbing yard after yard.
Bradley Patterson started the running surge, grabbing 15 yards on the first two plays. Not to be out done was the elusive, low to the ground, speedster’ Adam Krokos, who upped his teammate with 16 yards the next two plays.
Also crashing the running party was Michael Ordman who chipped in 15 more yards on his solo run.
In five plays, the Pioneers had 46 yards on the ground, and they weren’t done yet.
Krokos added 9 more yards on two tries along with an 11-yard burst by Patterson that had the Pioneers at the Homer 5-yard-line.
From there, Bennett Brown surprised the Stallions with a 5-yard pass completion to Ordman for the opening touchdown. Brown ran in the extra point for a 7-0 Pioneers first quarter lead.
Brown was big on the Stallions next series. Tackles by Ordman, Nick Pomonis, and Brown slowed the Stallions some, but it was an interception by Brown that ended the Homer drive.
Entering the second quarter, the Pioneers added to their lead. Patterson, Ordman and Krokos moved the ball towards the Homer endzone quickly which included a 20-yard cruise by Ordman.
Sitting 8-yards out, Ordman got the ball again and blasted up the middle for the Pioneers second score. With Krokos adding the point-after, the Pioneers led 14-0.
Just two plays later, the Pioneers were back on offense after Ordman made a hard tackle that jarred the ball loose and was recovered by Pomonis.
If you make mistakes, you’re going to pay for it, and that’s what the Pioneers did, made Homer pay for their mistake with a 29-yard touchdown run by Krokos just a few plays later. Caden Kolodziej added the point after for the 21-0 lead, headed into halftime after Jackson Biskup and Christian Paulson each made stops of the Stallions runners.
Just a couple plays into the second half, the Pioneers defense took advantage of another Homer mistake and like before, it turned out to cost the Stallions once again.
Connor Kvelland pounced on a loose ball and recovered it to bring out the Pioneers offense early.
Staying on the field, Kvelland made his mark on this game with a great 31-yard run that saw him get to the sideline, make a nifty cut in at the 10 outmaneuvering the lone Stallions defender left, scoring the Pioneers fourth touchdown of the game.
Brown connected with Thomas Sutter for the point after for a 28-0 lead.
“I was thinking I could get around them because they were all on the left side,’ said Kvelland. “I saw it was wide open to the right. I got excited. I think I am contributing to the winning on this team, I feel I am a leader out there. I think I can improve passing; I enjoy that.”
With another defensive stand, led by Brown, Will Poore, and Laith Hammami, the Pioneers were giving the Stallions not much to build on, and when their pass attempt failed, the Pioneers offense was back going for more.
Another standout on the defense for the host is Cody Godlewski. Since the onset of league play, Godlewski has been a big reason running up the middle doesn’t work for opponents. His play line play suffocates most of the tries his way.
“I just trying to get the guy with the ball,” said the stellar lineman. “I quickly see where the ball is headed, and I do what I can to stop it. I practice it a lot. I’m more of a defensive person.”
Entering the final quarter, the Pioneers were in the midst of a drive when the run of the game happened.
A handoff to Kvelland had him headed to the far sideline. Seeing the defense flow all that way, he turned all the way back, outrunning the defense to the near sideline and proceeded towards the endzone, eventually outpacing everyone for the Pioneers final tally running 91 yards on the 36-yard touchdown run for a 34-0 lead.
The Pioneers preserved the shutout with tackles from Kvelland, Chris Medina Jr., Domonic Gabriele and Hammami.
Showing steady improvement each game and working his tail off to be in the action whenever he is on the field is Jackson Biskup. Biskup has his coaching staff admiring his efforts in every game. Not big in stature but works hardest among his peers, Biskup is a work in progress with no ceiling to his possibilities.
“I’m now playing a lot more so I’m getting better,” said Biskup. “I love playing football and being in on the good plays and cheering on for touchdowns and whatever else. I’m learning to see the whole field, its taking a little time but its ok, it’s a good thing.”
Other Pioneers supporting the team through encouragement or effort included Gunner McCarthy, Keith Piekarz, Joey Zotto, Cole Baldridge, Ryan Lukas, Jase Enstrom, Vito Cangelosi, Carter and Jason Erwin, Mike Oconnor, Scott Gumienny, Lucca Morandi, Tyler Wilkie, Noah Cordoba, Andrew Richardson, Brooks Foster, Blake Nance, Yousef Yasin, Samuel Horeluk, James Okrasinski, Dominic Lach, Collin Valan, Jimmy Elsberg, Michael Galivan, Jude Morrar, Luke Krokos and Rayder Slabenak.
