The Delray Rocks got off to a slow start but finished strong in their American Youth Football League season opener Aug. 5 against the Hallandale Beach PAL Chargers at Mills Pond Park in Fort Lauderdale.
The Rocks won six of eight matchups between the two programs.
The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Delray Rocks 9-Under Division squad ran its league-high winning streak to 27 games dating back to the past two seasons as they blitzed the Hallandale Beach PAL Chargers, 50-0.
No. 0 and No. 21 each scored on short runs in the first half as the Rocks blanked the Chargers 14-0 in the 10-Under Division contest.
In other games, the Rocks defeated the Chargers 6-0 in the Mighty Mites Division; 26-0 in the 8-Under Division; 28-6 in the 12-Under Division; and 38-0 in the 13-Under Division.
The Hallandale Beach PAL Chargers secured two wins with an 18-12 victory in the 7-Under Division and a 12-0 win in the 11-Under Division.
In its 57th year of existence, the program has eight teams from 6-Under to 13-Under, with more than 280 players and over 100 cheerleaders, according to Rocks president Bernard Wright, who’s had the position for the past eight years
“This is fun, dealing with the youth is always fun,” he said with a smile. “We can let the kids come out and have fun. It’s great to mentor the kids.”
Wright said their philosophy is to have youths in the program grow. They have had success on the field, as the 8-Under and 12-Under teams both won Super Bowls, and the 12-Under team went on to win nationals.
“We want the young men and women in the program to become better young men and women,” he said. “We want them to grow up and be productive in society.”
The tricounty league has 15 teams, also including the Boynton Beach Bulldogs, Hollywood PAL Eagles, Lauderhill Broncos, Miramar Wolverines, Pembroke Pines Optimist Bengals, Plantation Eagles, Sunrise Hurricanes, Tamarac Cougars, West Pines Panthers, Miami PAL Chiefs and Kendall Kolts.
Some, like the Coral Springs Chargers, dropped out of the league and several new programs joined this year.
“It’s always a challenge to play teams you haven’t played before,” Wright said. “It’s a new experience, and you are creating bonds with teams that you haven’t played before.
“When we are looking to add teams to the league, they have to present the AYFL values,” Wright added.
The Delray Rocks start practicing in May and the first half of June with conditioning, and they have hit the ground running. Last year’s Super Bowl champions just returned from a successful stint in Georgia playing in a preseason tournament.
“Some of these kids have never been out of state before, so it was good to get them that experience,” Wright said.
9-Unders shine in Georgia; 12-Unders split
Delray Rocks 9-Under coach Eric Davis couldn’t have been happier with his team in the Georgia tournament where they won 48-0 and 42-0, while the 13-Unders won 45-0 before falling in the second game 18-12.
“It wasn’t about the scores. We wanted the kids to have the experience of traveling, playing outside their own element and competing,” Davis said. “We had a good fan base from Delray travel there, and we just want to thank the donors who helped us get there and the fan base that showed up.
“The kids had a great experience. I couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out.”
