Hoffman Estates Pop Warner team loses title game

A group of youth football players from the Northwest suburbs didn't achieve their dream of a national championship, but their coach said they still created memories for a lifetime.

The Hoffman Estates Redhawks junior midget team made up of seventh and eighth graders from Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg and Bartlett lost the Pop Warner National Championship Super Bowl game on Friday afternoon to the Jensen Beach, Fla., Falcons with a score of 36-14.

“It was a rough one,” said Coach Gregg Kirkwood. “Obviously we are disappointed, but other than that, after it set it a little bit, I'm beyond proud of my kids and my coaching staff and the parents who are a part of this organization.”

The game was tied 14-14 going into the fourth quarter, but Kirkwood said they couldn't keep up with the Falcons, who practice year round and were essentially playing a home game in the championship in Orlando.

“We just ran out of gas. That cards were kind of stacked against us,” he said.

But, the loss hasn't stopped the team from enjoying the weeklong trip to Florida.

“The experience has been amazing for the adults and the children. It's a once in a lifetime thing,” Kirkwood said.

The team is also enjoying one more day of Florida weather before heading back to Chicago where snow and freezing temperatures are in the forecast.

“They are absolutely loving it,” Kirkwood said. “They keep getting reminded that it's 5 degrees back home.

The team raised thousands of dollars from local and corporate donors to make the week possible.

“Our community backed us 100 percent. We represented our town and our state with class and dignity and we are all extremely grateful and appreciative of what everybody did for us,” Kirkwood said.

The Redhawks cheer team was also in the Pop Warner National Competition, coming in fourth place on Tuesday, said coach Caroline Abbinante.

The coaches said they will be planning a celebration for the successful teams once they get back to the Chicago suburbs.