Parents called it a true “Bad News Bears” story after a Dawson County team won the Super Bowl for their age group earlier this month.
A team of mostly first year players, the six and under Maroon Dawson County Tigers weren’t expected to score even one touchdown, according to parents.
They’re now one of only nine teams across the state invited to compete in the state playoffs the first week of December.
Quarterback Aidan Kudlas said the team, coached by Anthony Monkus, wasn’t always that good.
“I knew a lot about football before we first started practicing. I just didn’t have the experience to play,” the Coal Mountain Elementary first grader said.
Kudlas said the boys realized they were the team to beat after winning against first place Towns County in the regional playoffs.
“We wanted to beat them really bad,” he said.
The win over Towns sent the team to the North Georgia Youth Football Association Super Bowl in Lumpkin County to play against Dawson County’s other six and under team.
Right wing Sawyer Bearden, one of the team’s youngest players at 5-years-old, remembers how difficult it was to play so hard against his friends from school on the other team.
“But we got the biggest trophy,” he said.
Full back Kincaid “Shooter” Schuette said the team’s success was the result of many hours of practice.
“The way we got so good was because we practiced so much,” he said. “And we hustle, we listen and we do what we’re told.”
Full back and backup quarterback Braedon Hubbard, a first grader at Robinson Elementary School, said those rules are key going into next weekend’s state championship, double elimination in Cobb County.
“We’re going to make sure to block the ball, make sure we run the ball and make sure we tackle and cover the ball up,” he said.
Kudlas added: “And don’t do penalties.”
Dawson County Park and Rec Athletic Director Kristie Creegan said the success of such a young team “makes Dawson County’s football future bright.”
“I am very proud of our 5/6 Super Bowl Champions. They fought hard and earned every victory,” she said.