By Karrington Kincaid, The Seattle Medium
The finale of the Northwest Premier Junior Football League’s championship games didn’t disappoint as the matchup between the number one seed Gridiron 14U team (8-0) and the second-seeded HEIR 13U team (6-2) kicked off into the rainy evening.
Prior to the game, 14U Gridiron Head Coach Taalo was excited and confident about his team’s chances of getting a win.
“Well, it’s exciting to be able to put together a team this year,” said Taalo. “We’re repeating champions from last year, and to be able to repeat it this year has been great. We’ve had seven returners from last year, and the rest are new guys, so the fact that we have so many new guys that helped us get this far says a lot about our club.”
13U HEIR Head Coach Scott Halasz was confident that his battle-tested team was ready to play.
“We’re feeling good,” said Halasz. “We’ve been here before as this is our fourth straight championship appearance.”
“We love the challenge in front of us as we get ready to face these guys,” continued Halasz. “It’s a huge game for us, and we’re excited to be out here representing.”
The beginning of the game started well for the Gridiron, as quarterback Jack Heartly worked some early improvisational magic, scrambling for first downs while evading the oncoming pressure of Heir’s defense. After that, it became a defensive battle as both offenses struggled to gain yards, resulting in a scoreless first quarter for both teams.
After back-and-forth punts by both teams, Gridiron struck first with a 50-yard touchdown run by Kenei Kennady, making the game 6-0 after a missed PAT. The momentum continued to rise for Gridiron as they recovered their own onside kick, giving them another opportunity on offense.
After taking possession of the ball, Gridiron’s second quarterback, AJ Tuivaiave, hit JD Gonzalez on a 17-yard bootleg pass to the left sideline, setting them up deep in Heir Territory. Tuivaiave would finish the drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Chris Ah-Loe, making the score 14-0.
The momentum continued to stay with Gridiron as their defense suffocated Heir’s offense for most of the first half.
Heir looked to capitalize on the mistakes made in the first half by ensuring that they scored on every possession they got in the second half. Running back Jaiden Williams helped set the tone for HEIR as he efficiently navigated his way through Gridiron’s defense. Williams would cap off the 16-play drive, which took 8:25 off the clock, with a 4-yard touchdown run, making the game 14-8 Gridiron.
With the momentum shifting towards Heir, Gridiron would go three and out on their following possession leading to a punt to begin the fourth quarter.
Heir would put together what looked like another solid drive by running the ball. However, Gridiron would bat down a fourth-down attempt to force a turnover on downs.
Gridiron worked the clock as efficiently as possible as they ran the ball heavily with Elu Feo. As the offense took about 4:30 off the clock, Kenai Kennedy broke loose for a 40-yard touchdown, making the score 20-8 with 1:39 left in the game.
Heir showed some fight as they scored on a 47-yard kick return for a touchdown by Kaleb Massey, making the score 20-15.
Gridiron would eventually seal the win after forcing an offsides penalty on Heir, setting up an automatic first down. Gridiron would go on to win the game 20-15 in an upset.
Gridiron felt great about the win, and their supporters couldn’t be more grateful for how the team fought throughout the night.
“I feel just real proud of the boys,” said Gridiron CEO DeQuin Evans. “Everyone sees the success firsthand, but no one ever sees the struggles behind the success, including the long hours and the dedication that they put into this sport.
“This is more than football; it’s a family,” added Evans. “You learn life lessons and how to have self-control in any situation, and with this win tonight, I couldn’t be any happier for the guys.”
The MVP of the game was Kenai Kennedy, along with the Defensive MVP Chris Ah-Loe, who led the game in tackles with 12 and had a touchdown in addition.
The 14U Gridiron are the 2023 Champions of the 14U division in the Northwest Premier League.
