Hold that line

As the Park Ridge-Emerson third and fourth graders were ending their game last week, with just minutes remaining in the clock, they wanted to score again. The PRE quarterback handed the ball to running back Will Gibbons. Gibbons ran as fast as he could toward the right side and scored a touchdown. The PRE team won 19-6 over the Westwood Cardinals.

“The second touchdown I was parallel to the ground, but I stayed on my feet,” Gibbons said.

Once the third and fourth graders finished their game, it was time for the fifth and sixth graders to play against the Cardinals. Within three minutes, the Cardinals were on the board with a score of 7-0.

Before the end of the first quarter, the Cardinals scored twice making it 21-0. PRE suffered a few injuries in the third quarter. Fifth graders Lucus Benefield and Damiano Dillow both rolled their ankles. Then, a Cardinal player hit sixth grader Gavin Tannenholz in his shin.

“We tried our best but we couldn’t hold the line. Westwood had very good and physical players,” said Jackson Nepola, a fifth grade player.

No matter win or lose, sixth grade player Joey Cottone said, “It is what we love doing.”