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AMERICUS – On Saturday afternoon, October 22, three youth recreational football teams earned the right to be crowned as champions at the 2022 Sumter County Parks and Recreation Department’s youth recreational football championships at Alton Shell Stadium.

All three games were tight, hard-fought contests and all three of them had to be decided in overtime, which is a first in the history of the SCPRD Youth Football Championships.

The first game in which a champion was crowned was in the 8U Division, as the 8U Cincinnati Bearcats faced off against the 8U Georgia Bulldogs. After a hard-fought four quarters between the two teams, the score was tied at 7-7, but the game couldn’t be decided in regulation. However, in the overtime period, Cincinnati Running Back Jamier Cross ran the ball around the left side and down the sidelines for the game-winning touchdown, giving he Bearcats a 13-7 victory and the 8U championship.

The second game featured the 10U Championship between the 10U Georgia Bulldogs and the Michigan Wolverines. This game was a defensive struggle throughout between both teams and it had to be decided in overtime. However, the Wolverines were able to come out on top by the score of 8-6.

The third and final game of the day was the 12U Championship featuring the 12U Georgia Bulldogs and the Michigan Wolverines. Once again, the game was a hard-fought battle between two solid teams and at the end of four quarters of play, the score was tied at 8-8. In the overtime session, the Wolverines were able to stop the Bulldogs on their offensive possession and on their final possession in overtime, 12U Wolverines Running Back Alex Brown Jr. scored the game-winning touchdown to give his team a 14-8 overtime victory and the 12U Championship Crown.

Many of these players will be chosen for the Sumter County 8U, 10U and 12U All-Star Teams that will compete in the upcoming Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) District Tournaments in Tifton the weekend before Thanksgiving.

A year ago, all three All-Star Teams made it to the GRPA State Tournament in Effingham County. This year, the GRPA State Football Championships will be played in Carrollton the first weekend of December.