Oswego Bears Pop Warner Team Wins Regional Championship

OSWEGO, IL — The Oswego Bears Junior Pee Wee football team are the Pop Warner Mid America Region Champs. Over Thanksgiving weekend, the Bears beat the Kearney Bulldogs (Missouri State Champs) 35-8 at Ames Field in Michigan City, Indiana. The Pop Warner Mid America Region includes 12 states surrounding Illinois.

The Bears won the toss but chose to defer and start on defense. After not allowing a first down, the Bears got the ball at the 42 yard line of the Bulldogs. 5 plays later, Jackson Gillen rambles 23 yards for a Bears TD. Tyler Bibbs runs in the extra point. Bears up 7-0.

The Bulldogs showed they had some fight as they drove the ball down and completed a 2 yard pass for a TD and a kicked extra point. Little did the Bulldogs know that would be the only points they would put on the scoreboard all day. Bears 7, Bulldogs 8.

Bears drive down the field but turned the ball over on downs. Chris "Disco" Dicosola had a forced fumble and recovery to get the ball back for the Bears on the Bulldogs 18 yard line. Bears drive down but a good goal line stance by the Bulldogs stopped the Bears short of the end zone. 3 plays later Dicosola gets a sack in the end zone for a Bears Safety. Bears up 9-8.

The Bibbs and Gillen tandem pound the ball down the field on this possession. A nice 15 yard completion from Gerwig to Bryson Mello, then a 4th an 2 run by Bibbs kept the drive alive. It was Ryan Murray out of the backfield wide open that Gerwig found for another Bears TD. Extra point was stopped, Bears up 15-8 at the half.

Bears open up the 2nd half with the ball and on 4th down and 8, Gerwig rolls left and passes to Bryson Mello on the left sideline keeping both feet in bounds for a 1st down. Gillen takes a swing pass on the outside, with a couple key blocks from Maddox Gerwig and Mello, runs in for a TD. Bears up 21-8.

Chase Gerwig had an intercepted a Bulldog pass to get the ball back for the Bears at midfield. It was Bibbs pounding downfield and eventually in the endzone on a 1 yard run. Zack Clark kicks the extra point. Bears up 29-8.

When the Bears got the ball back on downs, Bibbs was at it again and found the outside for a 32 yard ramble for a TD. Bears up 35-8 and that is where it would stay until the game ended.

The backfield of Jackson Gillen and Tyler Bibbs pounded the ball all day for 100+ yards each and had great blocking from the o-line. Defense was stingy again allowing only 8 points.

The Bears finished the season 12-1 and Mid America Pop Warner Regional Champs, putting up 399 points offensively and allowing only 27 points for all 13 games.

The Oswego Bears Roster includes: Chase Gerwig, Christian Martyn, Tyler Knizner, Aiden Moriarty, Bryson Mello, Jackson Gillen, Ethan Brauer, Nick Tickle, Zack Clarke, Derek Gordon, Kian Triplett, Colin Ryan, Maddox Gerwig, Tyler Bibbs, Chris Dicosola, Isaiah Logan, Ryan Murray, Colin Brown, Zach Sempetrean, Hunter Smith, Grant Adams, Andrew Wiggins, and David Drendel. The Bears are coached by Kevin Gerwig, Matt Gerwig, David Drendel, Jeremy Smith, Paul Dicosola, Jason Martyn, Ernie Brown and Gary Tickle.

Submitted by the Oswego Bears Junior Pee Wee Football Team