The Northwest Premier Junior Football League playoff matchup between the Gridiron 9U team and their big brothers, the 10U Gridiron team, was supposed to be a coming-out party for the 10U team to advance to the league championship game, but the 9U team had other plans.
Defensively, the 9U team was up for the challenge, while their offense was waiting for an opportunity to make big plays against the dominant defense of the 10U team.
With just over three minutes remaining in the first quarter, Gridiron 9U’s Ryan Cruz made a spectacular interception at their 37-yard line to stop a potential scoring drive by Gridiron 10U to the delight of the crowd. After the interception, Gridiron 9U’s Zion “Chunky” Taamu showcased his physical running style as he bulldozed his way to the 48-yard line. An offside penalty against the 10U team moved the ball to their 47-yard line.
But, despite their relentless efforts, the 9U team couldn’t break through the 10U defense, and with just 15.4 seconds left in the first quarter, they were forced to punt. The first quarter ended with the scoreboard reading 0-0, surprising many who had expected the 10U team to run away with the game.
As the game progressed into the second quarter, the 10U team started moving the chains. However, the 9U team’s defense remained resilient. OSA Fomai, showing his disruptive prowess, recovered a fumble at the 46-yard line. Samisoni Taufalele, who provided solid defensive support, was also a disruptive force as the 9U defense continued to make things tough for the 10U team.
With just under three minutes left in the second quarter, the 10U team looked like they were on their way to scoring, as they completed three consecutive passes to give them a first down at the 9U five-yard line with 1:22 left in the half. However, the momentum suddenly shifted as 9U’s Johnny Johnson forced a fumble, which was recovered by Reggie Brown at the 11-yard line, stopping the 10U drive in its tracks and ending the first half with the two teams deadlocked at zero.
During the third quarter, the two teams continued to fight for field position in a back-and-forth defensive battle.
As the game entered the fourth quarter, tensions were high. With just 1:26 left on the clock, the 10U team made a critical interception at the 9U 45-yard line, raising hopes of a comeback. But Gridiron 9U’s Zion “Chunky” Taamu wasn’t ready to let that happen. He came up with a big sack, keeping the 10U team at bay.
Then, with only 23.7 seconds left on the clock, a remarkable strip-ball-and-recovery play by Miles Dequier turned the tide in favor of the 9U team at the 50-yard line.
With time running out, a pass to Peyton Taito gave Gridiron 9U the ball on the 10U Gridiron 16-yard line. A facemask penalty moved the ball to the 8-yard line with just 12.3 seconds left. In a thrilling finale, Gridiron 9U’s Reggie Brown caught a touchdown pass with 7.9 seconds remaining for the game’s only touchdown. The ensuing 9U PAT attempt was no good.
With the scoreboard now reading 9U 6 – 10U 0, the final moments of the game saw Alexander Nieves-Leon recover the ensuing kickoff, sealing the victory for the Gridiron 9U team.
With the upset win over their big brothers, the underdog Gridiron 9U team had earned a hard-fought victory that will forever be etched in their memories.
After the game, Gridiron 9U Head Coach Gabe Taito said that his team gave it all they had and left it all on the field.
“Empty the tank! That’s what we emphasize and what we coach,” said Taito. “We tell these guys to empty that tank and give it all you got. It was down to the wire, and the boys fought back. Playing up, playing our older brothers.”
“These guys are young, they are growing up [on the field], and they are going to be dangerous if they stay together,” he added.
