Pictured, top row from left, are Owego Junior Football League Coaches Will Zepkowski, Adam Cole, Bob Struble and Jared Taylor. Pictured in the third row, from left, are Kenya Smith, Bobby Struble, Evan English, Zachary Bensley, Andrew Smith, James Serio and Kingston Brainard. In the second row, from left, are Lucas Boccasini, Caleb Cole, Kameron Wicklund, Dominic Classen, Collin Monell and Jack Buchsbaum. In the first row, from left, are Cadin Hannum, Sawyer Taylor, Carter Rieg, Atlas Boland and Tristan Thompson. Missing from the photo is player Kace York. (Provided Photo)
The 19-members of the Owego Junior Football League (OJFL) made it to the Pee Wee Super Bowl, held at Montrose High School in Pennsylvania, after rounding out seven regular games with six wins and one loss, and reigning at two additional playoffs against Candor and Apalachin, whom they handily defeated.
The OJFL is comprised of seven and eight-year-old members, and is run as an organization that falls under the West A Division. With signups beginning in May and June, and practice typically beginning in August, the youth work hard to hone in on their field skills.
For the recent Pee Wee Super Bowl in Montrose, in which the Owego team challenged Chenango Valley, they walked away defeated (45 Chenango Valley, 22 OJFL), but it was a huge accomplishment for the youth as it was the first year in the league’s history that they made it all the way to the Pee Wee Super Bowl.
“They were thrilled,” said Melissa Struble, adding, “They were upset about the loss, but glad they made it to the Super Bowl.”
Tom Taft serves as president for the OJFL, with the team being a part of the West A Division comprised of teams from Maine-Endwell White, Tioga, Owego, Spencer Van Etten and Schulyer County.
During the signup period, according to Struble, it is announced on their Facebook Page under OJFL, and signs are usually placed around the area to inform interested players.
Struble also noted that there are no tryouts, and that practices are held at the Owego Free Academy field.
“They were thrilled,” Struble concluded. “They won their Division, won the Conference, and made it to the Super Bowl.”
