Tri-City Chargers head to Florida in search of another trophy

The entire Universal Studios theme park in Orlando, Fla., is your personal playground for a few hours.

Can you imagine telling a 10-year-old kid that?

A group of 17 boys, ages 8 to 10, from the Tri-Cities will have that popular theme park pretty much to themselves the night of Dec. 9. But wait, there's something even more important than that in store for these youngsters.

They are members of the Tri-City Chargers youth football league Cadet level team that rang up an undefeated 10-0 season and toppled Naperville 6-0 in the Midwest Region Super Bowl Nov. 7 to become the Midwest Regional representative in the national championship tournament in Florida.

With the American Youth Football National Championship game set for Dec. 9, it could very well be that the young boys representing the Tri-City Chargers will be celebrating something special that night at Universal Studios.

“We are so proud of this team,” said coach Dominick Donatelli of Geneva. “They gave up only two touchdowns all season, but more importantly they are just real good kids and real good students in school.”

Donatelli said when the Cadet traveling team was being formed he told his coaches that these young athletes were so impressive that the only thing that could hold them back would be “if we screw this up.”

They didn't. This Cadet team is the first in Tri-City Football's 37-year history to play for a national title in a tournament that will feature six teams at Cadet level trying for a spot in the title game to be held at a youth sports complex in Orlando, Fla.

“We're the No. 1-ranked Cadet team in the nation, according to the America Youth Football League rankings,” said Donatelli, whose team will play its first game Dec. 5 or 6. “If we win our first game, we would be in the winner's bracket and would need to win one more game to reach the final.”

Assistant coach Mark Alberts said he knew right away he was dealing with a special group of athletes.

“They are just bigger, stronger and faster than their peers,” Alberts said. “It's like when you see a thoroughbred running among all of the other horses. I just knew something special was going to happen.”

In addition to the thrill of playing for a national title, Alberts said some of the boys are fired up simply because they will be taking their first plane ride.

“We try to keep it fun every week and I think the boys understand that this is more about the journey and experience, and making friendships while getting better at football,” Alberts said.

The coaches are planning to expose the boys to some heat and humidity while in full pads with a couple of indoor practices before the team heads to Orlando Dec. 3.

The team of 104-pounders has followed three 10-year-olds who are considered the leaders Clayton Isbell of St. Charles, Thomas Schroeder of St. Charles and Michael Donatelli of Geneva. Others on the roster include Mason Alberts, Riley Anderson, Jacob Doyle, John East, Ryan Fleck, Tyler Garibay, Nick Garlisch, Carson Hughes, Justin Hull, Brenden Ivie, Michael Jaffe, Dylan Johnson, Jordan Perez and Evan Turcich.

“The boys will be very excited and we've already talked to them about being focused on getting their school work done while we are in Florida,” Donatelli said. “And all of the teams, from all levels, will have Universal Studios available to them that one night.

“But I have told the parents, while we want the kids to have fun, these are all very good teams now and we have to be focused and ready to play.”