Defense Holds Strong for Pee Wee Dodgers' 2-0 Start

The Madison Dodgers Pee Wee football team earned its second straight win to open the season by defeating the Parsippany Hills Vikings on Saturday, 13-6. 

The game proved to be a thriller for the Dodgers fans right from the start. On the opening Vikings kick, Madison's Sam Rosselli carried the ball past the entire Vikings kickoff team, thanks to key blocking help from his receiving team, all the way into the end zone for the 80-yard touchdown.  The point after touchdown (PAT) pass from quarterback Emilio Egea to Matthew O'Donnell was good for the extra point. 

At that point the defense got busy, and stayed busy for a long time. Will Scavone kicked deep into Viking territory and Andrew Novotny made the first tackle of the game, stopping the kick return at the Dodgers 46-yard line.  The Vikings have a healthy passing game but intense pressure by Michael Kearney caused the Vikings quarterback to rush the throw for an incomplete pass. Hard hits by Dante Di Ionno, Scavone and O'Donnell forced the Vikings into a fourth-down-and-13 situation. The Vikings punted to the Dodgers 31-yard line. 

For the Dodger soffense, Brian Kraska was snapping the ball to Egea, who tried a variety of running plays, but the Vikings kept the Dodgers from converting a first down. The Dodgers' tough "D" went back to work. Defensive Coordinator Whitey Vitale had his hands full helping these young defenders manage the Viking passing threat, but he and his team were obviously well prepared. 

The Vikings were poised to score with first-and-10 at the Madison 11-yard line, but Max Downing, just back from the injured list, made a big tackle at the 9-yard line.  A false start penalty against the Vikings helped next. Then Kyle Monaco made a key stop while an illegal motion penalty on the Vikings put them further behind. Next Kearney tackled the Vikings in the backfield, putting the Vikings at fourth-and-25.  The Vikings quarterback passed deep to his wide receiver, but Madison's Bobby Samara hit the receiver so hard he was thrust backward, giving the Dodgers the ball at the Madison 24-yard line.  Also working hard for their Dodgers were William Capuder, Dean DiFonzo, George Patke, Trevor Jasen, Ryan Weck and Tommy D'Ambola, another player just back from the injured list. 

Once again the tough Vikings defense kept the Dodgers from converting a first down. Madison's Stephen Esposito punted to the Madison 44-yard line. The Vikings offense mixed running with passing. They were stopped by a hard hit by Christian Pedersen and another receiver was downed by Samara at the right sideline.  However, the Viking passing game was strong and they threw into a first-and-goal at the 10-yard line, followed by a touchdown pass. The Dodgers defense blocked the extra point attempt, which ended the first half.

At half time, the Dodgers Cheer Squad, including Lauren Ebert, Rachel Hall, Riane Monaghan, Krysta Parisi, Nicole Parisi, Julia Prout and Fiona Purce, danced to Dynamite by Tao Cruz. Their energy and spirit were important to the young Dodgers team, who were clinging to a one-point lead. 

The second half started with Madison's Tommy Neville calling the kickoff charge as Scavone attempted the onside kick but the Vikings took the ball at the Dodger 45-yard line. The Vikings passing game was thwarted by a tipped pass from O'Donnell and a smashing hit by Matthew Boyd in the backfield. The Vikings once again made it into the red zone, threatening to take the lead in the game but the Dodgers defense stepped it up another notch. On fourth-down-goal at the 1-yard line, the tight defense denied the quarterback sneak attempt. 

The Dodgers offense carefully moved the ball forward from the 1-yard line, seemingly inch-by-inch. However, on the fourth down, with eight yards still needed to convert the first down, head coach Bob Strelec made the incredibly gutsy call for the half-back option pass. He showed total confidence in his offense and it rose to the challenge. The entire battery executed the play perfectly. Kraska snapped to Egea who pitched right to Esposito. Esposito rolled further right and then sailed a perfect pass to Rosselli, who pulled in the ball over his right shoulder despite tight man-to-man coverage, giving Madison the first down at the 25-yard line. 

The renewed vigor of the Dodgers offense continued as Egea passed to Kearney, who took the ball to the Viking 29-yard line. A few more running plays and an offensive foul on the Vikings set up first-and-10 at the Vikings 12-yard line. Egea handed the ball to O'Donnell who carried the ball to the one yard line, for first and goal. On the third down a key block by Novotny opened a hole for O'Donnell to score the touchdown. The Vikings blocked the PAT attempt so the score stood at Madison 13, Vikings 6. 

As the Vikings tried one last time to even the score, an interception by Madison's Samara stopped them in their tracks. With a minute left in the game, Egea handed the ball to Rosselli for a carry up the middle and then took to his knee to earn the Dodgers Pee Wee team its second consecutive win. 

In two weeks, the Pee Wee Dodgers will next play the Denville Blue Angels on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 5 p.m. in Denville. This will be an important matchup as both teams are currently undefeated. The Dodgers look forward to the return of Cole Fennimore and Max Perrello to help them in that contest and hope for a speedy recovery of Ryan Schmitz, who remains sidelined due to injury.