Cougars win Pinal County Youth Football League championship, 22-0

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For the first time in its history, a team from the Maricopa Youth Football League won a Pinal County Youth Football League Championship.

The Cougars, representing the seven and eight-year-old age bracket for the city, defeated the Casa Grande Navy Cyclones 22-0 on Saturday.

Kenny Churchwell, who scored three touchdowns on carries of 36, 15 and 43 yards, led the Cougars. While the point after touchdown attempt on the first carry was unsuccessful, Parker Henley and Philip Nesbihal were able to score two-point conversions on the next two to bring the Cougars to their final score.

On their first possession of the game, the Cougars were able to move the ball downfield, setting up the first touchdown run. But it was the subsequent play by the defense that helped them to solidify the shutout victory.

Playing as a team, the Cougars defense was able to limit the Cyclones throughout the game. Casa Grande crossed the 50-yard line on only one possession in the entire game, on a drive that was stopped when they fumbled away the ball deep in Cougar territory.

After the game, head coach Larry Davis gave praise to his players and fellow coaches. “I’ve been telling these kids all year that when you take an exceptional group of people and put them together that you’re going to have an exceptional team. I’m so proud of them.”

Even in a championship game, the Cougar coaching staff could be seen instructing their players. Davis said of his coaching staff, “They’ve been great. They’ve been teaching the kids the fundamentals of football, all while raising up great young men of character for this community.”

The win closes out the fall season for the Cougars, who finished undefeated at 10-0. Including the spring season, this team had a total record of 18-0 for the calendar year.

The full roster of the championship Cougars includes:

Andrew Alvarez
Colby Bevell
Lathan Brandt
Reuben Charlie
Kenny Churchwell
Larry Davis
Parker Henley
Frankie Jones
Matthew Kudray
Dawson Lair
Jed Lederhos
Chase Mitchell
Jonah Modica
Kevin Napier
Philip Nesbihal
Jesse Olguin
McKenzie Poterf
Daniel Ritchie
Gage Selig
David Shaffer
Kobe Wade

Photos by David Vargas