Warriors head into battle
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 4, 2002
Here in Suffolk, snow is in the forecast for this week. By tonight or tomorrow, Suffolkians could find themselves up to their knees in flaky white precipitation, which is just waiting to be balled up and thrown at unsuspecting passersby.
However, the Bennetts Creek Midget football team, which burned through the regular season with a 10-0 regular season record (never allowing more than seven points per game) will be getting a great release from the winter cold; this weekend, they’ll be sunning it up in Orlando, Fla., preparing for the Pop Warner National Championships!
In their Nov. 10 13-6 defeat of Pfafftown in the regional playoffs, the Warriors needed three overtimes to complete a 13-6 victory.
Perhaps fearing another marathon, they took care of business quickly last Saturday in Wilmington, N.C., riding three first-half touchdowns to a 28-7 victory over the McAndonville (Raleigh) Dolphins for the title, becoming the sixth team in BC’s 15-year history to make it to Orlando (no team has yet won).
While high school, college, and professional players usually get a week to rest their bodies between game, the little Warriors (ranked in the top six in America) won’t get that luxury.
To take the title, they’ll have to win games on Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday. Their first game will be against the Mo’ Better Jaguars of New York, who defeated them 6-0 in the preseason.
But such a long trip isn’t cheap. The bus ride down alone will cost the organization roughly $6,000, and room and board will run BC upwards of $15,000. When food and other expenses are added in, the journey will run a tab of between $30, and $35,000.
That why the young Warriors are asking their friends, fans, and fellow Suffolkians to do a bit more than stand on the sidelines and cheer. They need locals to step out of the bleachers and concession stands and open their wallets to help them make Peanutville proud. Donations of any amount will be accepted.
For defensive lineman Leon Gibbons, BC has taken a trip to Disney World from a dream into a reality. &uot;I’ve never been there before,&uot; says the Lakeland High School student. &uot;It’s going to be great to finally meet Mickey Mouse!&uot;
Want to help? Contact league president Mike Bowles at 869-9967 or vice president Floyd Dugger at 650-5649.