What's in store for 2009?

As the Rebels season has come to a close on all levels – let’s review. Pee Wees – Playoffs. Intermediates - Champions. Jr. Pros – Only one win. Usually, the Older Rebel team does well while the others have less than stellar seasons. Now, Out younger teams know what post season success means. This will only help the entire program as we prepare for 2009. What changes are in store? PLENTY!!

We will be adding coaches, moving coaches throughout the organization, and adding teams to our roster. The Jr Pro team will be disbanded as it stands, and REBELS SUPER-PREP will take it’s place. We are also adding a Jr Pee Wee squad to meet the expansion of the Gridiron Elite with a Jr. Pee Wee Division. The Pee Wee and Intermediate teams are solid, and so are their coaches, as now the Intermediates move to become the top team in the program. New fundraising, new Gridiron Elite Tickets – veteran players being able to play for nearly free, are some of the new program incentives.

Coaching Clinics, will be held, possibly JPD and HSPD to be held @ Evander Childs,  a Rebel Adult and Youth Speed Clinic being developed by our new speed and conditioning coach, Spring football, the Gridiron Elite Youth Football Flag League, the Rebels Adult Football Tournament, SUPER PREP Travel, are among the activities being planned. Want to be involved, you need to stay tuned here – it’s about to get very interesting…         

Pee Wees Honored @ Gridiron Elite Championship Day

Coach Blake’s Boys were honored by the Gun Hill Youth Football & Cheerleading Alliance and the Bronx Rebels during the Gridiron Elite Championship Day. The Rebel Pee Wees were honored due to their outstanding play during their playoff game vs. the Brooklyn Renegades. Coach Blake, Coach Frank Rue, and Coach Lou Roman, and parents, were on hand to give trophies for their effort, and the season. “Many of these kids never played football before. We felt it was important to honor them on this day, and make them and the world know we are very proud of their accomplishment” said Coach Blake.

Rebel Pee Wee Power is scheduled to play a final Bowl Game versus the Pelham Bay Warriors the weekend after Thanksgiving. More details to follow. Congratulations Pee Wees!!        

Bronx Rebels are the Gridiron Elite of 2008!!

In an impressive victoy, the Bronx Rebels have won the very first Gridiron Elite Youth Football League Intermediate Divsion Championship over the Brooklyn Wolfpack.

As the trophy was passed from the officials of the Gridiron Elite to Head Coach JT Tisdale, he and his Rebels beamed with pride on their accomplishment. The Rebels beat every team in the divsion, out working a hard charging Wolfpack team to win the Elite Cup. 

“My boys and Coaches worked hard all year to earn this”  said Coach Tisdale. The Rebels held the Wolfpack to less than 70 yards in total offense for the day. The score will not be posted here, as the Wolfpack are themselves an impressive team, and beat all odds to make it in their first year to the Championship round. This reporter believes they will return in years to come.

CEO of Gun Hill Youth Football & Cheerleading Joe Thompson was at the game and brought some star power with him to witness the first ever Rebel Championship win. Councilman James Vacca, and from Congressman Joe Crowley’s Office Elena Schwartz, came away very impressed with the team, and our program.  Ms. Schwartz is actually the reason the Rebels were able to win the championship this year. Evander Childs High School and the Department of Education informed the Rebel program that the Take the Field Foundation’s inititive to allow community groups access to high school fields had ended. CEO Thompson contacted Ms Schwartz, who at the time worked for Councilman Vacca’s Office, to investigate and find out why the Rebels were no longer allowed to use the field. Due to the determination of Ms. Schwartz and the people she reached, the Rebels were able to return and use Evander’s field to practice and play. Thus, paving the way for a great season. Ms. Schwartz was honored during the trophy presentation with an honorary Rebel Jersey, and the thanks of many grateful players and parents.

There were other guests in attendance at the game, as coaches from Salisbury Prep, and Sacred Heart High Schools were on hand to watch. Both Coaches had the opportunity to speak to the players, congratulating them on their hard work, and inviting several to their respective schools.

The game’s Most Valuable Player award went to Robert Mervin # 34 Running Back and Defensive End from the Rebels. Rob is a two year player who currently attends Columbus High School in the Bronx. Robert was scouted by the schools in attendance, and has interest from other area schools as well. ”If his grades are good, he can write his own ticket” said Coach Tisdale.

CEO Joe Thompson and Bronx Rebels Officials thanked all the Coaches for their effort in brining the Rebels their first championship win.  “The Rebels have been in several championship games over the past three years, on every level, but winning one is great” said Thompson. Coaches Dennis O’Neal, Mike Davis, and Coach Rob steered the ship for Coach Tisdale. The Rebels led the league in scoring, shutouts, and turnovers. “That’s the way to win a title” said Coach Davis.

Before the game began, Coach O’Neal told the players they were winners already. He must have had a premenition, as the Rebels dominated the day. Congratudations to Bronx Rebels Intermediate team – The Gridiron Elite of 2008.         

         

Championship Weekend @ Gridiron Elite Stadium

The weather has cooled, and the snow will be falling this week. Sounds like championship football weather to me. And, just in time, we have the very first Gridiron Elite Youth Football Championships taking place @ Gridiron Elite Stadium – Home of the Bronx Rebels. 

In Pee Wee action, the Brooklyn Wolfpack led by Coach Joe Ramos will play the Brooklyn Renegades for the right to be called Pee Wee Elite of 2008. The Wolfpack, at Brooklyn’s Sternberg field,  handled the Brooklyn Wolverines in fine fashion and showed why they are undefeated in the division. From the opening kickoff, the Wolverines (Rhinos) never got their offense off the ground consistently, and were defeated by a better team. However, @ Boys and Girls HS, there was a different story to be told. The Renegades did not have an easy time of it at all with the storied Bronx Rebels.

The Rebels came to play, with both teams marching up and down the field. The Renegades were a bigger team, but not necessarily a better team, as the defenses shut down the offenses for most of the game. The scoring barage came in the fourth quarter, as the Rebels tied the game on a bootleg pass in the endzone, and stuffed the Renegades a few plays later on a tremendous goal line stand. This led to the first ever Gridiron Elite Shootout, where both teams would try to score and defend to determine  a winner.  The Rebels had the ball first and was unable to score on 4 downs. The Renegades did score on their posession, and the game was over – the final being 18-12.  Coach Blake’s boys were a bit emotional at the end of the game, as they overcame a lot of adversity to reach the playoffs and have the season end the way it did. Congratulations to the Renegades, but we are very proud of the Rebel Pee Wees. Coach Frank Rue and Coach Lou Roman vow to be back and get Rebel Pee Wee Power to the championship in 2009. On to the Intermediates….

Again, both the Wolfpack and the Rebels showed why they are both in the championship game this weekend, as both team vanquished their opponents, leaving no doubt as to whom the better teams were. However, the Rebel – Wolfpack matchup is an interesting one. The only loss by both teams are to each other during the regular season. The Rebels outscored everyone during the regular season, but the Wolfpack had the best defense in the league, giving up the least points, and that was only seperated by theree points. The history of both franchises through the years has been interesting as well. The Wolfpack first met the Rebels in championship play in 2006 in the Big Apple Metro Division Championship, won by the Wolfpack. The two franchises met again in 2007 in the East Coast Football Leauge, and the Rebels defeated the Wolfpack by a large score. So now, it comes down to this. Who is better?? We will find out Saturday afternoon. Let me tell you folks, if you want to really see some good hard hitting football action this Saturday, make sure you are at Evander Childs High School this weekend. Entry is 5.00 at the gate, with all proceeds going to the Gridiron Elite Youth Football League.                    

Rebels Run Over Wolverines!! Secure Homefield in Playoffs

On Saturday  November 12th, the Bronx Rebels took a long bus ride to Brooklyn with only thing on their mind – Victory.  A win on this day would guarantee the Rebels home field advantage throughout the playoffs but it would not be easy.  The Rebels were coming off a tough loss on the road, were  without their main offensive play caller and were missing several starters due to injury.

Once the Wolverines, who were previously shut out in their last meeting, scored on their first drive to take a 6-0 lead, it was gut check time for the Rebels.  Would they fold under the mounting pressure or would they respond like a team on a quest for a championship?

The Rebel defense provided the first spark after DB Michael Colbert (#12) recovered a fumble to set the offense up with great field position.  FB Robert Mervin(#34) would make the Wolverines pay for their mistake by scoring on a brutal run and then punishing their defense once again for the two point conversion, giving the Rebels an 8-6 lead.  After the defense would force another 4 and out, Rob would run over the home team for another long touchdown run  and put his team up 14-6 going into halftime.

That would prove to be all the Rebels needed because the defense dominated in the second half.  DT Julian Serrano (#87) and SS/LB Tego Guerrero (#2) lead the way by recording 7 tackles each in the second half to keep the Wolverines at bay.  They would only pick up one first down for the rest of the game.

Despite the bad weather and mounting challenges, the Rebels never backed down and showed what they were truly made of. There were all sorts of reasons for them to lose the game, but they found a way to win…the way champions do.

1….2…..3…..CHAMPIONSHIP BOUND!!!!!!!!

Wolfpack Roar Past Rebels in A Close One

In a battle for the right to be called the best of the best in the Gridiron Elite, the visiting Rebels and the Brooklyn Wolfpack played a game for the ages.  The game started out well for the Rebels, when OLB Diego (#27) returned a fumble for a touchdown and CB Charles Edmon (#81) intercepted the pass of the ballgame.  However, the Wolfpack came storming back by attacking the rebels on the ground for a score, but the missed the 2 pt conversersion to make the score 8-6 going into the half.

Defense prevailed in the second half when neither team was able to move the ball with much success.  The Rebels went ahead 14-6 after HB Quayvon Gonzalez (#21) took an option pitch for a 65 yard score.  The Wolves defense would buckle down and after intercepting a pass were in position to tie late in the fourth quarter.  The Rebel defense would battle to maintain the lead, however the Wolfpack were able to complete a 23 yard touchdown pass on 4th down and go on to tie the game with a successful conversion.

The Rebels were playing to run the clock out, but the Wolfpack were able to force another turnover and return it the length of the field for the game winning score.  The final score was 18-14.

The Rebels suffered their first defeat of the season but have still not lost sight of their goal – 1…2….3….CHAMPIONSHIP BOUND!!!