CHAMPS! Youth Football Grabs National Title

• Editor's note: Story submitted by Joe Foster of the New Lenox Youth Football Association.

A national championship comes back to New Lenox. The New Lenox Youth Football Association’s 13U Fire won it all at the "Battle in Rocky Top" in Knoxville, Tenn., this past weekend. 

More than 20 states were represented with more than 250 teams participating in this premier tournament. The 13U Fire blanked the West Virginia Vipers (10-1) with a score of 30–0 and then the Georgia Hurricanes (12-0) 24-0. 

That put the 13U Fire in the championship against the Buffalo Grove Bills. The Bills came into the championship 34-0 over the past two seasons and defending national champions. 

The Fire ended the Bills' streak in a stunning 28-0 shutout victory to become the new national champions. Seven different players scored for the 13U Fire including Gabe Montalvo, Brendan O’Hara, Ryan Foster and Bryan Ditchman.

The NLYFA Fire competes each year in one post season tournament. Last year, the team went 0-2 in close games but took back a better understanding of tournament play, coach Joe Foster said.

"We finally put together a great string of games," he said. "The kids practiced hard for the past four weeks and achieved every goal they set out to accomplish while down there."

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