Follow
The premier youth football league in South Florida holds its grand finale this Saturday at PAL Field in Plantation. The American Youth Football League of Broward County Florida has consistently hosted the most competitive divisions and leagues throughout this 2012 youth football season. Saturday’s Super Bowl match ups feature seven games that should be evenly contested and produce a lot of lasting memories for players and coaches a like. The Pembroke Pines Bengals Optimist organization, better known as PPO, has placed a record five teams in the Super Bowl again. All hold undefeated records.
One may ask, where is the parody in this league? Well, look no further than the 13U 140 pound division where historic underdog Davie takes on the defending 120 pound champ, Pasadena. The make up of the league changed dramatically in the off season, much of it due to the shake up in the city of Miami Gardens, a Miami-Dade county city that borders Broward’s southern most AYFL associations. Parks like PPO, West Pines, Pasadena, Miramar and West Park all grew from the instability in Miami Gardens and throughout the South Florida Youth Football landscape.
But dispute how teams arrived, every AYFL Super Bowl team has proven there mettle and are poised to leave it all on the field on Saturday beginning with the 9 a.m. Pee Wee game.
Here’s a look at the previews:
PEE WEES: Pembroke Pines vs. Plantation
This is a great match up featuring the defending champion at Pee Wees (Plantation) and the undefeated PPO Bengals. A rematch of last year’s Pee Wee Super Bowl but with different staffs and kids participating. The Bengals come in to the game undefeated and are looking to complete the job but the Wildcats of Plantation have home field advantage and can use that to propel them into the winner’s circle. Coach Mike Malson, Ian Henderson and others will have PPO ready. Look for Ryan Turner and D’Mari Williams to lead the undefeated Bengals and Plantation will be balanced by their defense. When these two teams met in the regular season, PPO won 27-12, but this is the Super Bowl and anything can happen.
95 Pound:Pembroke Pines vs. West Park
Probably the second most anticipated game of the day is the 95 pound battle between coach Chris’ Bengals and coach Ceaser’s (“Ceez”) Hurricanes. This will be an absolute slug fest if the first game was any indication. Pembroke Pines came away with the 7-6 victory but everyone one present remarked about the heroics of K. Geter for the Hurricanes. His speed is world class, running for the notorious Miami Gardens Xpress in the off season. He was on full display in game one but slowed because of a rainy track. Saturday’s forecast is 76 degrees in Plantation with only a 20% chance of rain according to the Weather Channel.
Win or lose, coach Ceez probably consideration for a candidate for coach of the year by putting together a team that got to the super bowl in two different leagues in Broward County. But he’ll only be satisfied if he wins.
But for all the talent at West Park, the disciplined play is what brought PPO to this stage and unblemished at 10-0 during the regular season. Coach Chris is a methodical thinker and has tools at both quarterback and full back to accompany Mr. McBurrows who leads the way for the Bengals. It should be enough to edge the less experienced West Park team but if the Hurricanes win, it would not surprise anyone.
105 Pound: Pembroke Pines vs. Miramar
Expect a thriller in this one. Miramar is the new kid on the block and PPO comes into the game hoping to finally get over hump in this division after falling to Northeast the past two seasons. Of course, that NE Rebels team was ruled ineligible because of illegal players and those championships they won are now void. Pembroke Pines is looking to exploit the opening they now have and move firmly into the winner’s circle behind the talented backfield of Twan Massie and Brandon Brewton.
115 Pound: Pembroke Pines vs. Plantation
Coach Chuck Bender’s PPO squad has absolutely been dominant and they should take care of Plantation handily in this one. But you can never discount the home field advantage the Wildcats possess.
125 Pound: West Pines vs. Plantation
The West Pines Wildcats bring in a perfect record to Plantation but they’re facing a team with a lot of talent. West Pines should have too much for Plantation with Myles Jones and Dyllon Lester but anything is possible with the bevy of Wildcat athletes at Plantation. The quarterback and wide out are two worth of particular note.
140 Pound: Pasadena vs. Davie
This should be the highlight of the Super Bowl. See independent article on this game alone.
Unlimited: Pembroke Pines vs. Tamarac
Another Super Bowl repeat. This is a game that features a lot of explosiveness on the offensive side of the ball at PPO and defensively a Cougars team that is stout. If Tamarac can keep the game close, they have a shot to win. If PPO gets out ahead at any point by more than a touchdown, it could be a long day for the Cougars.
