10U GOLD HEADED TO SUPER BOWL
The Hinsdale Falcons 10U Gold Team completed its season-long quest of securing a Super Bowl berth by beating a determined and gritty Downers Grove Panthers team 20-12 at Dickinson Field.
A pair of Charles Calhoun explosive touchdown runs gave the Falcons the lead 12-6 at the half.
The offense played ball control for a large portion of the third and fourth quarters and added another Calhoun touchdown run to make it 18-6. Jupiter Pohlenz threaded the needle on the 2-point conversion pass and Brian O’Malley snagged the pass in traffic to boost the score to 20-6.
Colin Palm, Donny Mershon, Franklin Chemmachel, Michael Panzica, Owen Sanderson, Miko Zecevic, Alex Tafoya and John Breton powered the defense with fantastic tackling in the fourth Quarter to secure the victory with a score of 20-12.
Next stop: Illinois Benedictine College stadium at 10 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, for the Super Bowl!
VARSITY BLACK FALLS TO PANTHERS
The Falcons Varsity Black team faced the Panthers on a cold, windy day with driving rain throughout the game.
The Panthers struck first with long touchdown run off the edge. Brady Koschik recovered a fumble to negate the conversion. The Panthers tried to sneak on an onside kick, but Kellen Tran recovers the ball. Magnus Kumskis continued his power running off tackle. The drive was capped with a great pass from Jett Hilding to Carter Contreras for a touchdown. Tran’s kick is good to make it 8-6 Falcons.
On the ensuing kick off, Scott Cherry had an athletic open field tackle on the returner. The Panthers’ drive ends with an interception by Tran at the Falcons’ 30-yard line. After a couple of long runs by Hilding and Kumskis, the Falcons’ drive stalled on the Panthers 20-yard line with a fumbled snap as the ball was rain soaked.
The score remained 8-6 Falcons at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter started with an 80-yard Panthers touchdown run to make it 12-8 Panthers. Mason Brady recovered the onside kick. Then, Kumskis sprinted 60 yards on great blocking by the offensive line. Panther interference in the end zone led to first and goal, and Hilding scored on a quarterback keeper to make it 14-12 Falcons. However, the Panthers bust two more long touchdown runs to make it 24-14 at the half.
The weather worsened in the second half. The Panthers used size advantage to score two more touchdowns, making it 37-14 going into the fourth quarter.
The Falcons fought to the end but could not outmuscle the Panthers.
VARSITY RED HEADS TO SUPER BOWL
On a beautiful, sunny day at Dickinson Field, the Falcons Varsity Red team earned a trip to the Super Bowl by beating the Raiders.
Misha Antipov set the tone with strong running on the edge. Andrew Lyne made a critical interception, but the score remained tied at zero after the first quarter.
The Falcons pinned the Raiders deep in their territory and forced them to punt. Sammy Davino returned the punt to the Raiders’ 20-yard line. Then, Kevin Coan threw a dart to Lyne for a touchdown. The entire offensive line of Mustafa Rashid, James Clark, Jack Costello, Michael Plunkett, and Edward Kentra had great blocking. Anthony Tiritilli’s kick was perfect to make it 8-0 Falcons. Peter Skokna made a great open field tackle on the ensuing drive. Zach Kruse made several great tackles to stuff the Panthers. Adam Ortiz recovered a fumble. And Noah McCurry had a clutch interception on the Falcons’ 20-yard line to stop the Panthers.
The score is 8-0 Falcons at the half.
Coan started the third quarter with a booming kick to the Panthers’ 20-yard line. Ortiz sacked the quarterback at the Panthers’ 2-yard line. Coan returned the punt all the way to the Panthers’ 12 yard line. Then, Antipov sprinted off the edge for a touchdown run. Tiritilli’s kick was good to make it 16-0 Falcons. Kruse had a big tackle in the middle on fourth down to end another Panther drive.
In the fourth quarter, the Panthers pushed the Falcons back inside their 10-yard line. Momentum clearly shifted as the Panthers blocked the Falcons’ punt and recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. The pass conversion is good to tighten the game to 16-8 Falcons. However, the Panthers momentum stalls when Braden Howe makes a critical onside kick recovery. The Falcons drive deep into Panthers territory but fumble with two minutes left in the game. The Panthers’ desperate drive ends on downs in Falcons territory.
The final score 16-8 and the Falcons are headed to the Super Bowl.
Kruse received the Hammer award for being a tackling machine and Coan won the Pancake award for sparking the offense, but everyone hustled. For a team that barely had enough kids sign up in the summer, a chance to win the championship is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the kids and coaching staff.
