Palos Stars at Oak Forest and New Lenox

When the Palos Stars went to Oak Forest, it was a cloudy Saturday, with on and off rain. Thankfully, the expected storms held off until football and cheerleading was done for the day. The Oak Forest Raiders, like many other programs, had special pieces in place for Coach Lou. In memory of the long time Palos Stars coach, the initials LT were painted on the 50 yard line.

The 44 yard line was also marked with a red line, in honor of Coach Lou having been #44 in his football playing days. Before the Varsity game, both teams met at the LT. They knelt down together in memory of Coach Lou's pre-game tradition. They then stood together circling the LT while listening to the national anthem.

It was a fitting tribute and a beautiful thing to see the teams come together before a tough game.

The Mighty-Mites had a fun time on the field. #28 Rodgers and #51 J. Farr had a good tackle. #53 Mauldin had a good tackle. #65 Larkins had a great outside tackle. #74 L. Farr had a great run for a Stars 1st down. #16 Inabi threw a great pass to #74 L. Farr, who ran for a few yards. #56 Zuleger had a good carry. #38 Sotiropoulos and #65 Larkins had a good tackle for a loss. #65 Larkins had a great backfield stop. #28 Rodgers pushed a runner out of bounds. #65 Larkins had a great tackle. #28 Rodgers had a good tackle.

#46 Lichtenberger slowed the runner in the backfield and #28 Rodgers was able to tackle at the line of scrimmage. #46 Lichtenberger and #53 Mauldin had a great tacklel. #46 Lichtenberger once again slowed the runner in the backfield and this time #65 Larkins made the tackle to stop the Raiders. At halftime, the Mighty-Mites Cheerleaders showed off an extension of their routine.

Everyone in the stands could tell just how SUPER they are. #53 Mauldin had a good carry. #67 Wodarski had a good carry. #24 Carroll and #74 L. Farr had a good tackle. #28 Rodgers had a great backfield tackle. #16 Inabi had a great outside tackle. #46 Lichtenberger handed off the ball to #53 Mauldin, who ran the full field for a Stars touchdown.

#42 Coleman-Foster had a great backfield tackle. #24 Carroll had a great touchdown saving tackle near the goal line. #28 Rodgers had a great backfield tackle. #24 Carroll had a great tackle on a receiver. #42 Coleman-Foster had a great tackle. There was a Stars Constellation tackle lead by #24 Carroll. #28 Rodgers recovered a fumble to end the game with a Stars possession.

The Widgets played next.

#19 Larkins had a good carry. #9 Vara had a good carry. #78 Larkins had a good carry. Then #78 made a great tackle. #21 Storrs had a great outside tackle.

#84 Smith slowed the runner and #23 Eid made the tackle. #19 Inabi had a great tackle for a turnover on downs. #78 Larkins had a great carry up the middle. #19 Inabi had a great carry for a 1st down. #84 Smith and #78 Larkins had good carries. #84 Smith had a good backfield tackle. #78 Larkins and #2 Compean had a great tackle at the halftime buzzer.

#72 Ruggio and #2 Compean blocked the extra point attempt. #84 Smith had a good carry.

#27 Bowater and #84 Smith had a great tackle. #78 Larkins had a great carry. #9 Vara had a good carry for a Stars 1st down. Final score, Stars 0, Raiders 19.

The Pee-wees showed great improvement.

#5 Akel and #50 Cohs made a great tackle. #5 Akel and #30 Inabi worked together with a good tackle. #10 Dickerson caught an interception on an extra point attempt. #43 Al-Ibadi had a great tackle.

#30 Inabi blocked the kick attempt on the extra point try. The Pee-wees cheerleaders had a great halftime performance, showing off new skills and great cheers.

#17 Clarke had a good carry. #10 Dickerson and #50 Cohs had another good tackle.

#5 Akel and #81 had a good tackle. #33 Carrillo and #57 Muhsen had a great tackle. #57 Muhsen had a great backfield tackle. #42 had a great tackle.

The JV squad was up next.

#47 Jackson Jr had a great tackle. #86 Goelitz and #9 Ennis had a great tackle. #11 Greenway had a great tackle. #47 Jackson Jr had a good carry. #21 Madsen had a good carry up the middle. #44 Gonzalez had a good tackle. #44 Gonzalez and #16 Tyma had a good tackle. #9 Ennis had a good tackle. #9 Ennis thebln blocked the extra point attempt. #21 Madsen and #47 Jackson Jr had a good tackle. #11 Greenway had a great tackle. #25 Montoya recovered a fumble that was forced by a constellation of Stars.

#21 Madsen had a couple good carries. #18 Werdeg had a couple great carries. #9 Ennis caught a great pass from #18 Werdeg. #44 Gonzalez had a great tackle. #18 Werdeg threw a great pass to #21 Madsen.

#16 Tyma and #17 A. Bittner had a great tackle to finish to the game.

The Varsity team came on next.

#87 Reid-Doss had a great tackle. #5 Workman had a great tackle.

#12 Pettinga recovered a fumble.

#5 Workman had a great tackle and then a good carry.

#5 then had a great catch and big long run on the kick return. #12 Pettinga had a great run for big yards.

The rain had picked up by halftime of the game but that didnt stop the cheerleaders from going out and performing their best!

The next weekend, the Palos Stars played against the New Lenox Mustangs in New Lenox. There is a lot of history between the two programs, as the late Ron "Papa" Schaper and Coach Lou worked together on growing their youth football programs and joining together in the Southwest Midget League. When Papa passed away, Coach Lou donated a monument in honor of the Schaper family. Before the start of the Varsity game, the New Lenox Mustangs JV and Varsity teams stood on the field, with the Palos Stars JV and Varsity teams, surrounding Coach Lou's Daughter and grandson, Vanessa and Braxton.

The Schaper family presented a check to the Trench Family, to be used for a monument at the Stars field in remembrance of Coach Lou. The touching moment was graced by the rays of the sunset hitting the field over the stands. A beautiful backdrop for a beautiful moment of family.

Mighty-Mites pplayed first. This was the second time the Mighty-Mites played at New Lenox but this was against their other team. #65 Larkins had a great backfield tackle. #24 Carroll and #28 Rodgers had a great backfield tackle.

#74 L. Farr had a great run for a Stars 1st down, breaking out of attempted tackles on his way. #42 Coleman-Foster had a great carry. #74 L. Farr had a great carry for a big 1st down. #65 Larkins had a great backfield tackle. #28 Rodgers had a great tackle. #53 Mauldin had a great tackle. At halftime the Mighty-Mites Cheerleaders performed an excellent and super routine.

After the cheerleaders were done, a few Stars moms got to come on the field for a fun round of My Mom can throw farther than Your Mom. Taking first place for the farthest throw was Mom of #42 Coleman-Foster, Dr. P!

Back after the half, #65 Larkins had a good carry. #53 Mauldin had a good carry. #65 Larkins broke away from the Mustangs and ran in a 34 yard touchdown. #59 Flores had a great tackle after chasing down the runner. #42 Coleman-Foster had a great tackle near goal line. #16 Inabi had a great tackle in the backfield. With #67 Wodarski holding a great block, #65 Larkins ran in for a Stars touchdown. #56 Zuleger had a great backfield sack with help from #16 Inabi. And then they did it again on the next play, too! #16 Inabi got in the backfield and grabbed the ball from the Mustangs quarterback for a turnover for the Stars. #42 Coleman-Foster had a great tackle. #74 L. Farr had a great outside tackle. And #16 Inabi had a great tackle to end the game.

The Widgets played next. Great tackles were made by #27 Bowater, #52 Ennis, #19 Inabi, #6 Slansky. #78 Larkins had a great run for a Stars 1st down. #19 Inabi got out of a few tackles for a Stars 1st down. #9 Vara had a great carry up the middle. #78 Larkins and #19 Inabi had good carries. #72 Ruggio and #78 Larkins had a good tackle. #84 Smith had a great carry up the middle. #19 Inabi had a great 55 yard touchdown run with 1.9 seconds left before the half. #9 Vara pushed his way in for the extra point. During halftime, another group of Moms had their try at My Mom can throw farther than Your Mom! Another Stars Mom took 1st place, congrats to Mom of #32 and #43 the Al-Ibadi twins. After the half, the excitement of mom winning must have fuled #32 K. Al-Ibadi as he had a great tackle. #19 Inabi had a good tackle. #23 Eid slowed the Mustangs in the backfield and #21 Storrs tackled the runner. Final score Stars 7, Mustangs 34.

The Pee-wees game was next. #50 Cohs pushed the runner out of bounds. #10 Dickerson and #30 Inabi had a good tackle. #17 Clarke held onto the foot of a Mustang ball carrier to stop him. #30 Inabi and #50 Cohs made a good tackle. #10 Dickerson had a great run until stepping out of bounds. #31 Bittner pushed the runner out of bounds. At halftime the Pee-wees Cheerleaders put on a great performance full of spirit! The Moms had another round of My Mom can throw farther than Your Mom. This time, a Mustangs mom took 1st place but the participating Stars Moms gave it their best! #10 Dickerson had a great run for a Stars 1st down. #10 Dickerson caught a great pass from #7 Quinn. #17 Clarke and #10 Dickerson had good tackles. #17 Clarke had a good carry. A Stars Constellation tackle at the 5 yard line ended the game.

The JV teams were next up. #18 Werdeg, #86 Goelitz, #80 Gray, #16 Tyma, and #11 Greenway all had great tackles. #21 Madsen, #47 Jackson Jr and #11 Greenway had great runs. #2 Poe and #16 Tyma had a good tackle. #47 Jackson Jr had a great tackle. #18 Werdeg and #34 Alberts had a good tackle. #21 Madsen had a good carry. #44 Gonzalez, #17 A. Bittner, and #16 Tyma had a good tackle. #44 Gonzalez had a good tackle. #18 Werdeg, #3 Flynn and #16 Tyma had a good tackle. At halftime, the Stars Moms were back for My Mom can throw farther to Your Mom. The 1st place title went back to the Stars as #2 Poe's Mom won for the farthest throw. #9 Ennis, #21 Madsen, and #47 Jackson Jr had great carries. #11 Greenway, #9 Ennis, #16 Tyma and #34 Alberts had great tackles.

The Varsity teams were up last, as the sun went down and the field lights were coming on. #5 Workman had a great return on a kick off. #35 Carroll had a great carry. #5 Workman had a great tackle. #5 Workman, #17 Matula and #7 Portugues had good tackles. #2 Gordon had a great carry for a Stars 1st down. #5 Workman had a great carry for a Stars 1st down.

They Varsity Cheerleaders kept the stands lively with cheers and they performed great at halftime. The final round of My Mom can throw farther than Your Mom took place. And making the Stars Moms winners in 4 of the 5 rounds, the Cheer Mom of Andi and Jojo took 1st place!

The Stars return home this weekend for games against the Alsio Falcons.