The Downtown Giants cruised to a dominating 30 – 0 playoff win over the Brooklyn Tomahawks in a semi-final game Saturday night on Pier 40, putting the team of 12- and 13-year-olds in the championship this weekend.
Defensive captain Brent Scardapane rushed for 150 yards on offense with two touchdowns. On defense, Brent also frustrated the passing game of the Tomahawks throughout the night.
Robert Kolb, head coach of the Giants’ Junior Midget squad and team co-founder, said: “Brent Scardapane is a scholarship kid not only in athletics, but academics. He is incredibly perceptive and intuitive on the field and very sophisticated when it comes to his game plan.”
Coach Carl Frye said, “Brent asks football questions of me that are at a college level.”
Aaron Alers, tailback and linebacker for the Giants, was untouchable on offense, gaining 125 yards with two touchdowns. On defense, he helped keep the Tomahawks from gaining a first down until the second quarter. Quarterback Devin Kolb was able to drive the team to three touchdowns in the first half and scored on a rushing touchdown despite a 102 temperature and flu.
Other notables were linebacker Matt Vella, who had 4 sacks, and Gilbert Almodovar, who had 3 sacks and 5 assists.
Dylan Weathered, linebacker and tight end, said, “we are like the little engine that could. Last year we were 1-7, this year we are undefeated and playing for a championship next weekend.”
Brian Griffin, president and a co-founder, worked arduously to make sure the team could play the game Downtown. The Downtown Giants program has no field. They were lucky enough to secure field space at Pier 40 as late as Wednesday of last week.
Three of the four Downtown Giant teams are playing this weekend for a championship.
Frye said the program “is a closely knit family. These young men have not only learned to love the game of football, but more importantly, they have learned to care for each other. Football more than any other sport requires a certain amount of trust in your teammate.
“When we started back in August, we were a group of individuals. Now, throughout this championship run we’ve molded into a brotherhood. It’s … an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
On Sunday, the Giants’ Junior Midget team will play the Staten Island Hurricanes for the championship at Old Boys High School in Brooklyn at 4 p.m.
On the same field and day, two other Giant teams will also play for the title. The Junior Pee Wees will play the East Harlem Titans and then the Pee Wees will play LP Farm. Those games will begin at noon.
