Orlando Fl- The Jacksonville Jaguars may not be headed to the Super Bowl, but one local football team is. The Westside Wildcats PeeWee team advanced to the 61st Annual Pop Warner Super Bowl when they defeated East Bay 24-13 in the semifinal contest. Quarterback Nikko Bates hit Elijah Wescott on a 30-yard touchdown pass late in the game to ensure the victory as onlookers at Disney’s Wide World of Sports celebrated with joy a Super Bowl Birth.
It was a hard fought game but Westside is a hard fit team, built from the “Wildlife” as they so affectionately adorn themselves. After defeating Hoffman in the quarterfinals, Westside turned their attention to an Eastbay team sprinkled with athletes and playmakers. However from the game’s onset, the Wildcats sent an emphatic message to the Warriors with hard hits and tough running. Westside boasted great athletes as well.
That toughness forced Eastbay into mistakes as Westside recovered a kickoff deep into Warrior territory after the ball carrier bobbled the football. Nikko Bates would score on a quarterback sneak to give Westside a 6-0 advantage.
After Eastbay scored on an end around, Westside’s defense would step up when Jayden “Big Brother” Griffin-Haynes recovered a fumble and raced 35-yards for a touchdown. Westside increased their lead when Bates would score with his legs around the left side, and Eastbay’s sideline looked on with astonishment and frustration. The Warriors were down two scores and needed an answer on offense. They would get it when Aaron Woodard scored on a long touchdown run.
However Westside proved too much, as a close game was quickly blow open by Bates as Christipher Grubbs decided to go to the air. The big play by Bates and Wescott paid off as Westside will face the Far West Jets from Arizona in the Super Bowl Saturday.
Video Courtesy of ESPN/ POP Warner/ Disney
