The Cardinals 14U team won two of the three games it played at American Youth Football Nationals in Kissimmee this week, good for third place.
KISSIMMEE The Ocoee Cardinals 14U team concluded play at American Youth Football Nationals the morning of Dec. 10 by dominating a team from East Valley, Ariz., 32-0.
The dominant victory locked up third place in the 14U A Bracket for the Cardinals and came just two days after Ocoee defeated a team from Salem, Mass., by the same score of 32-0.
In the tournament's opening round, on Dec. 6, the Cardinals struggled in part due to the long layoff between Southeast Regionals and Nationals. The break was nearly a month, as AYF Southeast Regionals wrapped play on Nov. 13. Ocoee, which also was down to 17 players due to injury, fell to the Osceola Panthers in that opening contest, 28-0.
"I'm proud that they worked through their adversity," head coach Julian Pittman said. "We have a lot of injuries and a couple guys that didn't make it to the second and third game. So, for these guys to come together and play through adversity, I'm just very proud of them — hats go off to them."
Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].
