Super bowl Sunday: Wareham Tigers send two teams to championship games
After successful regular seasons during the fall, the Wareham Tigers Athletics Association concluded the football season by sending two teams to their respective super bowls.
The Wareham Tigers Athletics Association has been around for many years and it is a youth athletics organization that gives kids the opportunity to compete in a variety of different sports throughout the year. The Tigers have football, cheerleading, wrestling and basketball teams at different age levels.
In the first super bowl game of the day held in Sandwich, Sunday, Nov. 10, the Wareham Tiger's Mites team took on the Sandwich Bulldogs. The Mites made it to the super bowl after earning 7 wins in the regular season and playoffs and losing only 1 game.
The Mites team is the youngest age group consisting of eight and nine-year-olds and despite a strong regular season, the young Tigers lost 40 to 12 against the Bulldogs.
Despite the loss, Head Coach Joseph Silvia commended his team for the hard work they have put in all season.
"I'm extremely proud," said Silivia. "The kids have worked hard since August. They have practiced two hours a day, five days a week and it's hard for kids to maintain their focus but they did."
Silvia added that the loss presents itself as a learning opportunity for the kids.
"I tell them all the time if you're not the bear you're going to get eaten by the bear," said Silvia. "They have got to come out and take advantage of every opportunity when it's presented to them."
The Tiger's Pee Wee team totaled 4 wins and 4 losses in the regular season before earning a win in the playoffs that got them to the super bowl.
The Pee Wee team lost the last super bowl matchup of the day against the Abington Green Wave's Pee Wee team 30 to 0. The Pee Wee teams consist of fifth, sixth and seventh graders.
Head Coach of the Tiger's Pee Wee team Matthew Woodside echoed a similar message, explaining his team should be proud of the work they put in all season.
"For being a team that has the youngest squad in the division, and making it to the super bowl, it's just a testament to them working hard, playing physical and getting the team to where they need to go," said Woodside.
Woodside added the team learned valuable lessons after the loss that he believes will help the kids grow.
"What they can learn is that sometimes when you work hard you still fall short but it's important to stay hungry because eventually you'll get it," said Woodside.