May 29, 2025
Sports

Tri City Chargers Cadet team wins national title

Three wins in five days secured United Youth Football League championship.

By Jason Rossi

Members of the Tri City Chargers Cadet team celebrate their UYFL title. Team members include Nick Anton, Andrew Balmes, BJ Crossen, Jack Dixon, Josh Friedland, Reggie Garcia, Jake Guzick, Nathan Hull, Ben Morvice, Michael Ninni, Jacob Robak, Mark Sastre, Hunter Scharenbroch, Peyton Schroeder, Jack Settle and Ricky Williams. The coaching staff is comprised of head coach Jack Hull, defensive coordinator Joe Ninni, and assistants Peter Balmes, Geno Calcagno, Josh Haston, Mike Haston and Todd Robak. (Submitted photo)

The Bears' hopes of a championship seem to be waning, but at least one football team from the area secured a national championship.

The Tri City Chargers Cadet level travel team competed in the United Youth Football League National Championships in Tampa last week and brought home top honors. They clinched the title with a 7-0 win over the God Children Cowboys of western New York Dec. 7.

"It's extremely special," head coach Jack Hull said. "It's the first national championship Tri City has ever had."

The national title came on the heels of the Chargers' Greater Chicagoland Youth Football and Cheer Super Bowl victory over the Addison Cowboys in late November.

The Chargers finished the season with a record of 13-1, and the secret to their success was no secret at all.

"Every game we played, the best kid on the field was probably on the other team, but we were the best team, period," Hull said. "We played as a team. Nobody was selfish. Everybody wanted to win for each other."

The victory over God Children Cowboys was the highlight of the Chargers' week in Tampa, but their first game of the double-elimination tournament was probably the most exciting.

Trailing the Levittown Lions late in the game, the Chargers got a 25-yard touchdown pass from BJ Crossen to Jake Guzick to earn a narrow victory.

"Jake Guzick caught it and fell into the end zone," Hull said. "If it were 26 yards out we probably wouldn't have scored."

The thrilling win in the first round gave the Chargers a momentum boost that they rode all the way to a title.

"We were pretty much tied or behind the entire game," Hull said. "We were nine seconds away from losing, but we found a way to win and we got on a roll."

The team mentality was evident everywhere. Crossen, Guzick, Ricky Williams and Jake Robak all took turns powering the running game as the offensive line paved the way. The 11 boys on defense swarmed the ball each play, making things tough on their opponents.

Off the field, the team spent time together at the beach and deep-sea fishing. Even with the extra activities, nothing distracted from their goal of winning a title.

"I tried to tell the boys to get out of the mindset that it was a vacation and remember it was a business trip," Hull said. "I'm not sure what the idea of a business trip means to a 10 year old, but they didn't let anything distract them."

Next season the Cadet level players will look to defend their title while playing up at the Junior Pee Wee level, but the group certainly has the championship pedigree.

"I got a similar comment from a lot of people, and what they said was, 'Congratulations. We didn't see it coming,'" Hull said. "That's a compliment to how well they came together as a team. We might not have had the best player on our sideline each game, but we had the best team on our sideline each game.

"They jelled well together. They're confident in each other. They want to play for each other. It's the ideal dream for a coach."

Championship scores
Cadets’ winning results at nationals:

22-20 vs. Levittown Lions (Pa.)

27-0 vs. Brooklyn Renegades (N.Y.)

7-0 vs. God Children Cowboys (N.Y.)