Clarkston Chiefs continued their winning streak for one more weekend and won the North American Youth Football Championships during Thanksgiving weekend.
The Freshman teams were divided up into two teams – 8-year-olds and 9-year-olds for any boy who wanted to play at the nationals in North Carolina.
Freshman White Head Football Coach Joel Wells headed the team of 8-year-olds and Freshman Blue Head Football Coach Steve Groulx headed the nine-year-olds.
“It was amazing. We didn’t know what to expect and thought it would be tough,” said Wells. “Our boys were just that good.”
Both team were undefeated as they faced off from teams from the Eastern part of the country.
The 8-year-old team shut out the North Carolina Ballantyne Gators, 14-0, and Niagara Falls Cataracts from New York, 21-0.
The boys had to play the Gators one more time in the final round.
“They were the next best team,” said Wells. “We were down 6-0 at half-time. The rain and cold didn’t stop the boys.”
They won the game, 13-6.
The 9-year-old team didn’t give their competition a chance to score any points on them. The boys shut out Virginia Spotsylvania Wolverines, Ohio East Cleveland Chiefs and the Virginia Dale City Bengals.
Each player received their own trophy and the teams received a larger trophy.
The Chiefs left an impression, not only on the boys they played against but the coaches and referees.
“I was most proud of the way the boys handled themselves, not only on the field but off,” said Groulx. “I talked to a lot of coaches who couldn’t believe how were organized, trained, and the sportsmanship the boys had.”
Groulx had seen information about the championship in a newspaper when he was in Charlotte, NC on a business trip for WorkLife Financial.
One of the requirements to play in the event was to win their division – which the boys did.
Groulx talked to the parents and got the ball rolling.
WorkLife paid for the entrance fees and sponsored the event.
Between players and their families – a total of 260 respresented Clarkston at the championships.