By Patrick Z. McGavin- Photos by Jenn-Anne Gledhill
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p784418814 **
Nobody is ever going to accuse the Jr Celtics 12U team of playing boring games.
Win, lose or draw, the team has a flair for the dramatic, and a sense of the operatic. How else to explain the final three minutes of their game against Tri-City Wolverines.
The volatile nature of the game means that radical shifts in mood and tempo happen all the time.
The Jr Celtics seemingly lost and won the game at various stage, always coming up with a second or even third life. The luck finally ran out with the hard fought and deeply entertaining 26-19 loss in a Pop Warner Game at Main Park on Sunday, September 10.
“The game had almost everything,” Patrick Conroy said. “I thought we played pretty well for the most part, but we also could have done better in certain spots, like targeting some of their better players.”
“You saw everything out there, some excitement, but also some rust, but overall I’d say the experience has been pretty good.”
Despite a superlative performance by all-around star Dylan Fox, the Jr Celtics could not quite contain the big-play capability of the Wolverines’ top player, a lethal and versatile receiver and running back who scored all three of their second half touchdowns.
“We gave effort the whole game, no matter what the scores was, or how much we were down,” Fox said. “We all said to ourselves, stay on your blocks, run hard, and make plays.”
Fox started the day out perfectly with an aggressive, tackle-busting run down the left edge that culminated with his 33-yard run for the opening touchdown.
“I just try my hardest every time, and run hard and try to help my team as much as I can,” Fox said. “Everybody remembers what happened last year. We played this team last year, and we lost somewhere between 50 to 60 points.
Some breakdowns and an early mistake enabled the Wolverines to forge the first of three ties. Drawing on the example of Fox, Maddox Sperry took matters into his own hands, or more accurately feet, in the second quarter.
He broke two tackles and tight-roped down the right sideline for an entertaining and deeply satisfying 35-yard touchdown run for the 13-7 lead.
“The hole was not open, so I had to bounce it out,” Sperry said. “I knew they were blitzing from the right side, at the exact spot I was supposed to run, so I just got outside and ran my hardest all the way to the end zone.”
Fox has a more punishing and electric style. Sperry hits the hole hard, and is also elusive and hard to pin down.
“My style is shifty and fast, and I try to get in open space in front of me,” he said. “We had some really good running plays today. The offensive line did a great job of creating the holes. We just have to do better and continue to improve, and get ready to improve.”
If Fox and Sperry provided the offensive jolt, the defense played exceptionally well in the first half in limiting the big play capability of the Wolverines.
Kelly Slucki, Victor LaPointe, Tyler Fox and Jaxon Chalupa stepped up for the defensive, causing havoc in the backfield and doing an exceptional job of flowing to the ball or the Wolverines’ playmakers.
Now the team just needs to fuse all the parts together. The team played well in spurts. Now the effort has to become more consistent.
“I think our blocking was fine, but we broke down a couple of times,” quarterback Kalan McCarron said. “We were able to hold them for a second, and then we let them off and they got our backs a couple of times.”
The offense remains a work in progress The signs are there. Now consistency is the only true question.
“I think we just have to keep working hard, and get better and improve in our offense line,” Slucki said. “We ran the ball well, and we moved it when we had to. Now we just need to make improvements with our offensive and defensive lines.”
The 13-7 lead did not last very long for the Jr Celtics.
The Wolverines’ big, fast and athletic recover broke a tackle and took a pass for an 84-yard touchdown pass. In one moment, the Jr Celtics were back to square one.
The big play and some unfortunate turnovers prevented the Jr Celtics from breaking free. The highlights were there, like an interception by Jaxon Chalupa that prevented the Wolverines from taking the third quarter lead.
“I was blocking a guy, and trying to get off of him and release and get back into covers, and I saw the ball coming right here, and I grabbed it and tried to run before I got tackled,” Chalupa said.
The back and forth nature of the game played down to the virtual wire. In the closing minutes, the Wolverines appeared to take charge with a 37-yard touchdown run with just 4:21 remaining
Fox had other ideas.
“Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, that’s my running style,” he said. You just give me the ball, and nobody can catch me.”
On the ensuing kickoff, he originally controlled the ball on the right edge before deftly reversing fields
Catching the Wolverines off balance, he caught a wave of blockers and ran 78 yards down the left edge before being knocked out at the two-yard line.
McCarron scored one play later for the potentially go-ahead conversion with 3:51 remaining. He was stopped short, maintaining the 19-19 game.
The Wolverines’ big play standout was not to be denied, ripping off two long runs that culminated in a 25-yard touchdown run. The Jr Celtics were unbowed. Fox and Sperry provided a final burst of energy.
Fox carried the ball six consecutive times, reaching vicinity of the Wolverines’ end zone until time ran out. Progress was undeniable.
“I was excited because we got destroyed by this team last year,” McCarron said. “We were close against them, and that was a good feeling that showed definite improvement.”
Despite the 26-19 loss, the Jr Celtics 12U team featured many excellent players, including Jeremiah Turman, Jayden Hollins, Christopher Gravitt, Tegan Walsh, Quinton Hoffman, Robert Gena, Michael Fryza, Andrew Feith, Dylan Fox, Cordae White, Christian Flores, Henry Rettberg, Henry Ambrose, Lincoln Lopez and Anthony Aldworth.
The Pee Wee Jr Celtic cheerleaders created a beautiful energy and grace with their passion and routines. The Pee Wee Jr. Celtics performed during the first half, alternating with the JV in the second half The Pee Wee Jr. Celtics featured Brianna Adair, Madison Baker, Chloe DiBennardi, Angelica Enright, Charlotte Fowler, Madison Janik, Luciana Kolenko, Gabrielle Migacz, Eloise Morrison, Penny Oeser, Gianna Picciola, Gianna Ponzi, Mia Rhodes, Bevin Scanlan, Jessica Short, Teagan Smith, Anya Stojak, Madison Varnado and Alexis Vollman.
During the second half, the JV Jr. Celtics took part in the celebration. The members included Raelynn Anderson, Vivienne Andresen, Kalista Balenciaga, Mia Calleros, Maleah Capadona, Grace Crowhurst, Ella Dobbelhoff, Alexis Firlit, Skyler Guinea, Emma Hamstra, Riley Hoffman, Audrey Larson, Roe Lubovich, Gracelyn Marinello, Charlotte McDonald, Charlotte Ozinga, Giulianna Ramus and Elle Taylor.
