Montclair Jr. Pee Wee Football Team Hangs Tough Against East Orange Jaguars

It was billed as a non-scored scrimmage with the Division One East Orange Jaguars but it turned into a dramatic moment for the Montclair Jr. Pee Wee players-- one many of them may never forget.

In their first taste of battle against an unknown opponent, the Montclair  Jr. Pee Wees,  aged 9-12, hosted the formidable East Orange Jaguars at Nishuane Park.   The team played with a lot of courage against their fleeter, more aggressive opponents.  The game set in motion this week's grueling training regimen, as the Montclair coaches used what they learned about their Jr. Pee Wee team to shape them up for this Sunday's opening game.

Montclair now prepares to face Maplewood Wednesday night, August 25, in their last practice season scrimmage.

A scrimmage is a non-scoring competition against another district. The purpose is to allow both teams to prepare for the regular season, which starts Sunday, August 29 at Woodman Field against the Rahway Chiefs. 

The scrimmage against the  East Orange Jaguars held great importance, however, for both the players and the coaches.  It gave the coaches a taste of what their novice Jr. Pee Wee team can do in a game.  The team demonstrated their strengths and weaknesses, providing an opportunity for them  to fine tune their game in the crucial final week of practice.  

For many players, it was their first opportunity to practice blocking, tackling and hitting with total strangers. Many of the onlookers stayed to watch as the excitement unfolded, sensing  the tension and drama in the air.  

The experienced East Orange Jaguars quickly established dominance in offense, showing their Division One competence and skill at organization.   Some onlookers thought the Montclair Bulldogs would be routed and embarrassed with multiple sacks and missed tackles.  But the Jr. Pee Wees thrilled the crowd by rising to the occasion and delivering key passing plays and sacks of their own.

 The game ended at nightfall and the East Orange Jaguars seemed to have gained a healthy respect for the admittedly uneven Montclair squad.

Coach Spivey of the Jr. Bulldogs said prior to the game, "Coaches can't get their feelings involved, it's about teaching and learning."  But don't tell the parents and spectators who attended the scrimmage. For them, it was an emotional event.

James Puryear, head coach of the Jr. Pee Wee Bulldogs, realized  his team was lacking in certain areas when they struggled to keep up with the  fleet-footed Jaguars as they ran the ball for several touchdowns.  The Coach warned his team after the game that there would be intense running and tackling drills in the future.   

  One Montclair coach acknowledge after the game "Our weaker team went up against their first team and we still held our own".  The scrimmage seemed to give the Montclair Jr. Pee Wees a leg up for the opening season - it boosted their confidence and unified them, helping them learn and grow in their experience so they will be ready for their season opener.