The Hoffman Estates Redhawks are one win away from claiming a national championship in Pop Warner football, the final act of a season that began in the heat of a sultry Midwestern summer and will end in the mild Florida sunshine.
The Redhawks, made up of seventh- and eighth-graders, were undefeated in their eight-game regular season, then won four playoff games to qualify for the championships, held at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex outside Orlando.
But just getting there required a fundraising sprint to collect about $20,000 to pay travel and tournament expenses, said Jonathan Bell, the team's defensive coordinator.
"We did 'shake the bucket' at (the corner of) Roselle and Higgins, then we set up a funding website for the team, then we got some private donations," he said.
The Pop Warner Super Bowl is an annual goal for some Chicago-area teams, and several made the trek this year, including teams from Calumet City and Harvey. Pop Warner also hosts a national championship for dance and cheerleading teams, and 14 Chicago-area squads are competing for titles this week, according to the organization.
Participating means missing a week of school, but Harvey Colts administrator Marques Johnson — whose team finished in the consolation bracket of its division — said players work on their studies between practices, games and theme park rides.
"Scholastics is the most important part," he said. "You have to have a (strong) GPA just to step on the field. While the kids are down here, they have two hours of study hall a day, so (ignoring homework) is not an option."
When the Redhawks take the field Friday for the championship game — which will air on ESPN3 at 12:15 p.m. — they'll face a juggernaut from Jensen Beach, Fla., that mauled its semifinal opponent 36-0.
Mike Eppenbaugh, 14, a running back and safety, said that sort of competition helps to focus the mind amid the palm trees.
"It's a whole different level from back home," he said. "You'll see people who are a lot bigger, a lot faster, a lot stronger and just a lot better."
Twitter @JohnKeilman
