CAMDEN FALLS IN REGIONALS-SUPER SEASON IN THE BOOKS
Camden’s Daniel Alberico (34) lunges for extra yards as he’s wrpped up by Albany defenders. Camden’s Austin Baker (32) looks on.
Jeff Pexton-MHTS-PGI
The Camden Pee Wees Pop Warner Football Team lost in the Eastern Regional Playoffs today, to a very tough Albany Pop Warner, by a score of 33-12.
Despite the loss, Camden capped a season which resulted in the Queen City’s very first Tri-Valley Pop Warner team to bring home a TVL title.
Camden defeated an equally tough New Hartford Pee Wee Team last Saturday in Waterville to advance to today’s Regional Playoff Game.
Albany, the 2011 Capital District Pop Warner Champion, brought to the field a big, physical, fast, disciplined football team that was completely representative of a city with a population slightly over 300,000.
Ethan Avard (4) dashes toward the endzone for Camden's first touchdown.
Camden’s Pop Warner program draws from a population of just under 2,300.
I could go on and on with cliches about David and Goliath, but I would rather simply tell the story of two youth football teams meeting on the field today to decide who would represent Eastern New York State in the Northeast Regional two weeks from now in New Jersey.
The winner of that game will have a date with Mickey Mouse himself at Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida.
The Albany squad took today’s contest by a score of 33-12, to advance to New Jersey. Hats off to the boys in black and gold.
Any casual observer at today’s game may have thought that Camden was playing the Black Knights of West Point. Again, the discipline, the size. The gold “A” on the black helmet was pretty intimidating also.
Albany’s Kevin Mitchell returned the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown to start the game and it was downhill to New Jersey from there. Albany took a 27-0 lead to halftime.
Camden quarterback Rowan Connor (12) looks for some second half yardage.
Trailing by a whole bunch and without much working on offense after 20 minutes of play, Camden absolutely refused to raise the white flag in the second half.
The Junior Blue Devils got touchdowns from Ethan Avard and Hunter Holliday in the second half, which led to Camden outscoring Albany 12-6 in the second half, to make this a game.
Albany entered today’s game as the champs of the Capital District, without suffering a loss all season. Camden was only the second team in the 2011 season to score more than 10 points on them!
Camden was 8-0 in the regular season in the always tough Tri-Valley Football Conference before advancing through the playoffs.
The Junior Blue Devils finish a great season at (10-1) and will forever cherish the Tri-Valley League Championship.
Congratulations to both teams on your memorable seasons!
2011 Tri-Valley Pop Warner Pee Wee Champs - Camden
Albany 33 Camden 12
Boxscore
1 2 3 4 Total
Albany 20 7 6 0 33
Camden 0 0 6 6 12
