Rock Hill youth football: Demons, Falcons crowned as champions; All-Star teams selected
The Rock Hill youth football program has crowned its champions, and the next step is getting ready for the state playoffs with its All-Star teams.
This past week the Small Fry and Pee Wee divisions played their title games at Cherry Park.
In the Small Fry division, which had six teams participate during the season, the Demons defeated the Trojan Tigers, 34-6. In the Pee Wee group, which totaled seven teams, the Falcons topped the Demons, 26-0.
The coaches in each division have chosen their 25 player All-Star teams, and practice has already started in preparation for the postseason.
Nate Baker of the Trojan Tigers will head up the Small Fry team, which is composed of players 7 and 8 years old. He will be assisted by Steve Freeman, who also coached the Trojan Tigers during the regular season.
Lawrence Brown of the Falcons will be the head coach for the Pee Wee team, which is composed of nine and 10 years old. He will be assisted by Buster Howard, who coached the Lesslie team during the regular season.
Julian Patton, who serves as the youth football coordinator for the city of Rock Hill, is very pleased with the caliber of coaches heading up this year’s teams.
“These men have been coaching for many years,” he said. “They are dedicated to football, but more importantly they are dedicated to the young boys who participate in the program. It is super important as to what they are doing in providing quality leadership for our youth.”
He added that the same sentiment is true for all of the coaches who participated during the regular season.
“It is remarkable the job that all of them do,” Patton said. “It is very rewarding for me to watch them as they teach the game as well as sportsmanship to the players in the program.”
The teams will hold a scrimmage at Hargett Park on Saturday, Nov. 20. The Small Fry contest will start at 10 a.m., with the Pee Wee game set for noon. The event will be concluded with the Rock Hill Gra-Y All-Star team playing at 2 p.m. The admission for the scrimmage is $4 for adults and $2 for children.
Following that scrimmage, the teams will continue practicing before hosting the first round of state playoffs at District Three Stadium on December 4. There will be six games that day with each division playing two games.
“Playing in District Three is super rewarding for these kids,” said Patton. “They get to play in the venue where they are now watching players who came through this program play for the three high schools in Rock Hill. It will be something they will always remember.”
The playoffs will culminate in the State Championship game, which will be played at Easley on December 11 at 12 p.m.
The Rock Hill youth program has another participant in the program in the person of longtime Northwestern head coach Jimmy “Moose” Wallace.
He conducts clinics for the coaches and players before the season starts. Once practice and games begin he makes his rounds at practices and games for all of the teams. During his trips to practice, he checks to make sure that all of the coaches and teams follow safety guidelines as well as seeing that all techniques and drills are taught properly.
“Having Coach Wallace assisting us in this manner is very important,” added Patton. “He is very concerned about safety, and he wants everything to be taught and done correctly.”
All of the youth coaches in the Rock Hill program are also certified by the USA Coaches Association.
“We go to great lengths to make sure that our players are being taught to play the game correctly and safely,” he added. “That is very important to me, but is also very reassuring to all of the parents.”