Pasco News
Salvation Army youth football crowns champions
By Carl Orth | Suncoast News
Published: November 10, 2012
NEW PORT RICHEY - For excitement, college bowl games and the NFL playoffs have nothing on the Salvation Army youth football league.Published: November 10, 2012
Teams in three divisions squared off last weekend to claim the crowns in the Tournament of Champions that concluded the season. The Gulf High School stadium was the scene of the bedlam.
In the Mini Mites division for the youngest players, the Gators won 38-6 over the Lions in a blowout. Running back Peyton Glinkowski made some big gains for the victors.
In the second game for the Mites crown, the Lions prevailed over the Gators 53-13. The one-two punch of cousins Rashaud Higgins, No. 2, and Emanuel Higgins, No. 3, helped the Lions outdistance the Gators.
In the varsity game for the oldest players, the Chargers triumphed over the Lions, 27-19.
Some 215 players had competed since the season openers in late summer to earn the right to advance to the championships.
Cheerleaders revved up the crowds, who cheered whenever their favorite teams made big plays.
The league is pretty popular, Bobby Riordan, Salvation Army's community center manager and the league director, said. The league is divided into three age groups with four teams each. No traveling is involved. Chief cook and bottle washer Riordan supervised the games, handed out trophies and fired up the grill to cook burgers and hot dogs for halftime concessions to help raise funds.
corth@suncoastnews.com (727) 815-1068