By Jim O'Sullivan

Another November, another postseason march for the Eagles. The Dorchester dynasty, preadolescents in pads, has reprised its role as the region's preeminent pigskin powerhouse this year, quietly rolling up enviable win-loss records, all the while with an eye on the elusive prize: a national championship under the Florida sun.

On Sunday, three Dorchester Pop Warner teams will put their shoulders into a playoff drive that local rooters hope can bring a measure of vengeance to two near-misses, and cement the program's reputation as a national juggernaut. With all three state semifinal games at the North Attleboro Community Field, the 9-10-year-old D team takes the gridiron first, matching up against Attleboro at 10 a.m. The 12-13-year-old A team plays North Attleboro at 2 p.m., followed by the 11-12-year-old B team's showdown with Apponequet at 4 p.m.

The D team, after going undefeated last year, suffered one blemish on their record last year, but look to erase it in the postseason campaign. Both the A and B teams boast undefeated and unscored-upon records.

"I think the B's are a lock, just because those kids have been playing together," said Joseph Kirnon, the program's treasurer. "But the A team is very talented and impressive."

Kirnon said the D team, whose loss this season was their first in two years, are a "dark horse" team with potential.

Kirnon warned that the playoffs are a new season, and said the teams are confident, but not overly cocky - and with good reason. "If you have an off game, you can forget it," Kirnon said.

Last year, the B team took their season all the way to the goal line before falling in overtime of the last game to a team from Illinois. The year before, a similar heartbreaker robbed them of championship glory. This year, players hope to cap their Pop Warner careers with a national crown and a nice taste of redemption.

All three teams won quarterfinals last week in Walpole. The next step after Sunday is the state championship level, then onto the New England Regionals. If the ball bounces right and the Eagles keep up their winning ways, they'll be Florida-bound and one step closer to the slippery national title.

  Back to Reporter Home Page