Normandy – The Greater Jacksonville Pop Warner City Championships concluded this weekend crowning several teams as champions of our area. Teams competed in a seven week regular season and one round of the playoffs. The second and final round would culminate at the Normandy Athletic Association on Saturday Afternoon.
Game #1 Junior Pee Wee Div II Championships
Normandy vs West Duval
The junior pee wee division two city championships would be decided by two unlikely teams that made it to the championship game. West Duval finished the season as the #3 seed in the playoffs with a record of 6-2. Normandy finished the season at 4-3 and the #4 seed. West Duval would upset the #2 seed Kooker Park last week to advance to the championship. Normandy upset the #1 seed Pablo Creek to make way to host the championship game.
The game would begin with both teams feeling each other out. Both offenses found it hard to move the ball with consistency. But West Duval opened up the offense with big plays on offense to mount a lead that they never relinquished. Those big plays were made by #10 WR/DB De Juan Malpress, #3 RB/LB Derrick Stokes, #18 DE Darius Mays, and #9 RB/MLB Antwon McCrae. Mays and Stokes dominated the line of scrimmage for the defense helping their team pitch the shutout on the morning. The team’s captain #8 Cale Zarah plays QB for the Sharks. He was responsible for distributing the ball to the playmakers, and that he did! One of the biggest plays in the game was a 50 yard bomb to Malpress who took it to the house. Malpress also played stingy defense garnering an interception in the game.
Coach Keith credits his entire team for their tremendous effort this year culminating in West Duval’s first city championship in the junior pee wee division. The park is only in it’s fifth year, so the players that began as tiny mites at the park are the ones on this city championship team. It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication the volunteers, parents and players have put into a new and upcoming park like West Duval.
Congratulations to the West Duval Sharks ;City Champions.
Good Luck in the Regional Playoffs !
