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Greencastle youth football teams take home two of three All-Star titles
As the changing of the tree leaves usher in the turn of a new season, so does the calendar turn from one youth season to the next as our local athletes will soon be turning in their fall sports equipment for basketballs, swimming suits and wrestling singlets.
But, before turning in any equipment, the Greencastle Youth Football Teams decided to take the field one last time to be a part of the first annual Clay Youth Football League All-Star Tournament this past weekend in Brazil.
The tournament consisted of all-star football teams from Brazil, Cascade, West Vigo, South Putnam and Sullivan. The teams were divided into divisions based on grade levels, with the Rookies formed from 1st and 2nd graders, Minors formed from 3rd and 4th graders, and Majors formed from 5th and 6th graders. The all-star tournament saw the communities suit up their best team at each division in an attempt to bring home the trophy over two days of intense football, with each team playing no less than four games in the two-day span.
The Rookies team picked up where they left off from the regular season, after being named Super Bowl champion and finishing the league with the most points scored and fewest points scored against, by going undefeated on Saturday and running their consecutive win total to 13 at the end of the day.
Sunday the young Tiger Cubs ran their air-raid offense to perfection, the same offense the high school team runs, and pitched two more shutouts on defense to bring home the first trophy of the day for the Greencastle Youth Football League (GYFL) beating the host Brazil Knights in dominating fashion 29-0 with a touchdown was given at the end of the game in a show of sportsmanship by both teams to Brazil for a kid who was new to football, but didn’t count against the final score.
At the end of the day Sunday, with a final record of 15-0, the Rookies added to their impressive season haul and are now Super Bowl Champions and All-Star Champions.
The Tiger Cub Rookies are coached by Zach Combs and members of the team include: Bentley Albright, Landon Clair, Liam Cloncs, Evan Combs, Ezekiel Downing, Mikah Duncan, Oliver Genotte, Weston Haisten, AJ Kimmel, Maverick Lewis, Keyon Long, Kole Miles, Braxton Neal, Avery Skelton, Ayden Skelton, and Ian Young.
After the youngest Tiger Cubs made their imprint on the turf of Northview High School football field, the Minors team suited up to see if the GYFL could bring home another trophy on the weekend. The Tiger Cub Minors all-star team, a combination of players from two teams from the season, put on a defensive clinic over the weekend giving up only 6 points over their 4 games total, and had an average point differential of 26 points.
Not to be outdone by the defense, the scoring for the Minors came on all three facets of the game, as the Tiger Cubs were able to score on offense, defense and special teams over their four games. As the clock ticked down to zero and the score reading 14-0, the Tiger Cub Minors team stood victorious over the defending super bowl champions Cascade all-stars and the Tiger Cubs were handed the second trophy of the day for the GYFL.
The Tiger Cub Minors are coached by JD Miller and assisted by Isaac Case. Members of the team include: Paxton Beasley, Tyson Bell, Tucker Case, Eli Combs, Brooks Cooper, Corey Green, Brevin Grimes, Lane Hatfield, Bryson McCullough, Gannon Miller, Chayton Pingleton, Mateo Pingleton, Remington Rich, Keegan Shamel, Waylon Shepherd, Rowan Thompson, Joshua Edwards, Blaze Anderson, Keegan Archer, Barrett Boggess, Nixon Catonwine, Cole Carrico, Jase Ekensten, Paxton Ensor, Edgar Fleshman, Henry Genotte, Braxton Hall, Tripp Lewis, Blake Monroe, Blake Tiedemann, and Owen Woods.
Also participating in the tournament, and arguably the most improved team in the area, was the Tiger Cub Majors team. Although they didn’t play for the championship, they played the best football they had played all season, scoring more points and giving up less than they had all season over a four-game span.
The Majors team rallied to the football and executed the air-raid offense to perfection at times, even sprinkling in some hard-nosed wishbone offense at times to muscle out tough yardage situations.
The Tiger Cub Majors team is coached by Aaron Dayhuff and is assisted by Nathan Day. Members of the team include: Jase Beauchamp, Jager Berry, Kieran Day, Tyler Ekensten, Clayton Fleshman, Lucas Gray, Hunter Hubbard, JD Kimmel, Brayden Majors, Andrew Poole, Arlo Schwipps, Dalton Short, Ryland Spurling, Gage Velazquez, Joseph Ausman, Ayden Dayhuff, Travaris Fortner, Mason Goodpaster, Justin Gorrell, Tucker Hatfield, Langston Humphrey, Hunter Monroe, Easton Neeley, Hunter Neeley, Bryce Petiniot, Gabriel Whitman, and Waylon Willis.
With the last games in the books and our athletes now ready to turn in their pads for their next season’s equipment, room will now need to be made for the two giant trophies that represent months of hard work and stand to show the future of Greencastle football has something to look forward to in the coming years.