Pop Warner Falls Just Short of Eastern Mass. Crown

Head coach Gerry Sullivan's halftime speech during the Pop Warner Eastern Massachusetts Championship game ended with a question. "Are you guys having fun out there?"

At the end of Wednesday's game there weren't too many smiles on the faces of Wilmington players, but it was still a wildly successful campaign for the local D1 team made up of 11- and 12-year-olds.

Wilmington fell, 19-0, to West Lynn under the lights of Alumni Stadium as the Wildcats settled for a second place trophy. Still, it was the team's only loss of the year and players learned valuable lessons throughout.

Sullivan said he strived to find a balance throughout the year, seeking to find a middle ground between the fun of youth sports and the competitive streak needed as the athletes grow up.

Despite the lopsided score, Wednesday's game was close for the majority of the game. West Lynn held a 7-0 lead at the intermission, and led just 13-0 until there were two minutes left to play.

"It was really a great turnout for the town," said Sullivan. "Hopefully it catapults the town to get really behind these kids, because that's what it's all about. They're building memories for themselves."