By Ed Muniz-Photos by Jenn-Anne Gledhill
**Additional Photos are available for purchase at justallsports.zenfolio.com/2022pioneers.**
The Varsity Semi-Finals of the River Valley Youth Football League headed to Sandburg High School on November 6.
At stake was a berth in the Championship game to be held this Sunday, November 13 at St. Xavier University in Chicago.
For the Pioneers and coaches Todd Shelton and Chris Stefanos, a win would put them in the Championship game for the fourth consecutive time and first at the Varsity level.
Through the regular season, the top two teams were the Pioneers and the Frankfort Falcons, each winning all their 8 games, so the likelihood of them finally clashing was high.
The Pioneers continued their winning ways, remaining unbeaten in 10-games, cruising to an easy 35-6 victory. But The Mt. Greenwood Colts upset the previously unbeaten and top seed Falcons, 38-14.
The highly anticipated match-up would never materialize as so happens often in such a competitive league.
The Pioneers came into their semi-final knowing what was at stake. They had two-weeks previously defeated the H-F Kings but that was a physical game that left starting quarterback Sean Ruisz unable to play in the first playoff game due to injury.
Ruisz returned to take over the reigns offensively and play his linebacker position defensively.
What the Pioneers feature that no other team has is Quinn Durkin. The eighth-grade football phenom has been attracting all season coaches from the surrounding area high schools and beyond.
Some of the best parochial football programs in the state have left awe struck with one HS playoff staff still in contention mentioning, “Whoever gets him is going to be set and be incredibly lucky”
He hasn’t disappointed any of them and now is highly coveted like no other this reporter has seen the last eight years. Durkin doesn’t have a ceiling as far as his football skills are concerned. He will undoubtedly improve as he matures and will excel wherever he ends up.
His speed is impressive, his ability to catch the ball seems effortless and his field vision is advanced beyond this level of play, and that’s just offensively. Above all his football abilities, he’s simply a nice kid too and quite modest. Always sharing his good fortune with and because of his teammates.
In this game he was his usual self. Short or long runs, he gives his all, but he isn’t alone. Several Pioneers showcased their talents both offensively and defensively.
Beginning the game, after giving up a first down, the Pioneers forced a punt. The H-F punter was introduced to Kendall McDowell, who sliced in and blocked the punt.
The short field became shorter on the Pioneers first play. Durkin took off for 18-yards and made it look easy. Two plays later, Ruisz found an opening off his right tackle and ran untouched 14-yards for the Pioneers opening score. The failed conversion-kick left the score at 6-0
Brody Wantroba set the tone on the next Kings series, making a tackle that loss 4-yards. Two plays later, Durkin intercepted the errant pass, returning it 13-yards. Immediately after the Durkin interception, Ruisz went to the air and connected with Barret Sigel for 31-yards, stopped just short of the goal line.
Wantroba cashed in from a yard out, and with a second failed conversion-kick, the Pioneers led 12-0.
The Pioneers added another touchdown after stopping the Kings on four downs. A handoff to Jake Tomczak went around left end, reaching the end-zone on the 6-yard touchdown run. Jack Clifton converted the point-after kick to up the lead to 20-0 still in the first quarter.
It was obvious the Pioneers came ready to play.
Headed into the second quarter, the Pioneer defense was sharing the wealth with tackles being made by Ruisz, Wantroba, Toddy Shelton, Egan Kelly and McDowell. During the Kings next possession.
H-F managed to move the ball and got as close as the Pioneer 14-yard-line, but Rusiz stepped infront of a Kings pass for the second Pioneer interception.
From their own 7-yard-line, on the ensuing play, Durkin took a Ruisz hand off, sprinted to the edge and simply outran everyone giving chase. What impressed many watching was Durkin’s ability to turn up his speed and pull away going 93-yards for the Pioneer touchdown.
“I just try and work as hard as I can and get as many yards, fight off for those extra one or two yards, which can make a big difference in the game,” said Quinn Durkin. “If I don’t see a hole, I just try to power run and get those one or two yards, when I see a gap, I go as fast as I can, get to that end-zone.”
When asked if he feels any pressure knowing all the football folks are watching him, Durkin said with a chuckle, “No, I just like to play my game, get out there and get a win. I can get better by listening and be coachable at practice, work as hard as I can and make everyone else better as well.”
Clifton again put the extra-point through the uprights, which elevated the Pioneer lead to 28-0.
The Pioneer defense again stopped the ensuing Kings effort and again intercepted a pass. Sigel snagged the Kings pass and returned the Interception 17-yards with under two minutes till half.
The Pioneer quickly moved the ball. Ruisz was getting the football to Durkin, Jake Drew and Sigel while also using his legs to pickup 17-yards on one run.
Time was expiring, twice, passes to Sigel were dropped, the last before half at the goal line on fourth down which could have added another score. Not the usual from the sure-handed receiver.
The Pioneers took the ball to open the second half and proceeded to work their way down field. Runs by Durkin, Wantroba and Rusiz quickly had them at midfield, but a Ruisz pass was intercepted which ended the promising drive.
After being up 28 in the second half, the league requires a running clock.
Late in the third quarter, the Kings found the end-zone, scoring from 7-yards out on a run.
The score seemed to rile the Pioneers. Now in the fourth quarter, Ruisz hooked up on a pass to Wantroba that went 41-yard for the touchdown, and the final scoring play of the game. Another Clifton boot made the score 35-6, which remained the rest of the game.
“I feel blessed to be around these boys,” said Coach Todd Shelton. “What’s great about this team is they are a Band of Brothers, they know that this part of the job is done, there’s no need to celebrate or get crazy because we still have a job to do, the season is not over, we will celebrate at the end of the year.”
The Pioneer defense has stepped up with one single thought on their minds and that could happen next Sunday.
Among the Pioneers doing all they can is Kendall McDowel. His steady improvement all season has helped make the Pioneer defense even better.
“The Coaches helped me out a lot, on the sidelines, during the games and at practice all year,” said McDowell. I try to work hard every practice, during sprints, sometimes I try to lead. I just keep working harder. I need to tune it up next week and work on my mistakes before next game.”
Fifth Quarter standouts included quarterback Taylor McDoniel and defensively, Egan Kelly.
Kelly seemingly found a way to be around the ball nearly every running attempt by the Kings. His play warrants mentioning not only in the Fifth Quarter but also when he was on the field during the playoff win.
“This team, I just like to hit them hard,” said Egan. “I just felt good coming into today. Everyone did their job today and everyone played good together. We’ve been there before (Championship game), we can do it again. We have great coaches that have taught us how to play fair and within the limits. I get better working harder.”
McDoniel put on his best Fran Tarkenton impression, scrambling around, eluding tacklers and completing passes. The first-year player has been very impressive and has taken to football like a duck to water.
“A lot of my play is just reaction and not letting myself take a play off,” said the “Junior Tarkenton“ McDoniel. “They had a really big line today; I don’t want to get smushed. In practice on scout team, we have a great defense, I’m so used to having to get the ball out quick, seeing it from a different perspective.”
“Even though we are supposed to help them get better for the game, they have actually helped me a lot with knowing what to do. Next week will be a pretty cool experience for me, I’ve never been before, but of course, we seem to be there every year.”
Other pioneers who’ve contributed to the successful and unbeaten season are Henry Selof, Devin Stefanos, Logan Kondziolka, Zayne Salah, Ethan Krueger, Cash Phillips, Nolan Rodriguez, Jad Jaber, Carson Conrad, Jordan Masino, Chase Czerwonka, Othman Mizyed, Adam Hoak, Briggs Corona, Luke Kruszynski, Will Beeler, Adam Danko, Mohammad Ghadban, Ibrahim Jaffal, Shafik Yasin, Rami Agha, Nolan Torgerson, David Klimaszka, Jax Arocho, Blake Wagner, Matt Durkin, Rocco McCarthy, Jake Buechele, Stephen Caxton-Idowu and Keegan Kirk.
Cheering the players on all season are the Varsity Pioneer Cheerleaders who include Ava Brennan, Madeline Carrier, Mia Franzese, Emery Gasa, Sophia Gasior, Ella Groark, Chloe Havens, Tayla Lovitt, Lily Masino, Audrey Mitchell, Rain Murphy, Fiona Sejud, Bella Senese, Kiera Ulaszek, Summer Vahl, Giselle Velasco, Kylee Votteler, Julia Werner and Anna Woloszyk.
