MIAMI — The 105 lb. TACOLCY Raiders rewarded the community’s faith in them by defeating the Michigan City Wolves 30-13 on Friday to bring home the Pop Warner Super Bowl’s National Championship title.
It was a sweet homecoming for a Pee Wee team that might not have made the trip to Orlando if it hadn’t been for an outpouring of community love and support.
The undefeated Raiders made history by completing a perfect season and becoming the first team in TACOLCY’s history to win a national championship.
They dominated at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando by defeating three formidable opponents 32-0, 18-12 and 30-13 respectively.
The team comprises 27 boys aged 10-12 who have been playing together under the same coaches for three years.
“I’m excited to win the national championship because we worked so hard, so to play and to win is a special thing,” said Seth McGill, the Raiders’ 12-year-old starting quarterback.
Coach Derrick Britt described the victory as “a huge accomplishment.” “I knew if we could just stick together over the years, this day would come,” he said.
The Raiders originally captured the community’s heart in late November after it became known that the undefeated team had won a bid to the nationals in Orlando but did not have the money to cover the expenses.
Donations quickly reached $19,000, including $11,806.44 from Dade Medical College. TACOLCY CEO Alison Austin said the team “honored all of our hard work by becoming national champions.”
The Raiders will be given a grand welcome at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, with a official team recognition celebration at 1 p.m. at TACOLCY Park, located at 6161 Ninth Ave., Miami.
For more information, call Isheka Harrison at 305-751-1295 ext. 139 or email iharrison@tacolcy.org
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