The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for the Naples Hurricanes, but it all paid off. For years, the team has been working to get to the Pop Warner Super Bowl and finally, they did it.
"We worked at it for, like, five years now," said Naples Hurricanes wide receiver Joshua Rivera.
"It's been a long, long process, to say the least," added head coach Jerry Craft.
It was the first Nationals appearance for the Canes in the program's 31 years. Year after year, the guys got so close, so the goal was clear this season.
"We knew we could do it from the start," said James Hess, Hurricanes middle linebacker and tight end. "Just keep pushing, keep going, and eventually we're going to get it done."
After falling in the regional championship last season, the 13U squad flipped the script and checked it off their list this year, punching their ticket to play at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Not only did the Canes pick up win after win after win, they dominated in each of the games, outscoring their three opponents 110 to 18. The 13U squad secured the 2024 Pop Warner Super Bowl championship.
"Everybody was there with the purpose and everybody was there to compete," said Rivera. "And everybody really tried as hard as they could."
"It was kind of a shock at first," said Craft. "But now it's like, it finally kicked in. We beat everyone in the nation."
The back-to-back-to-back Peace River Conference champions go way back. Almost the entire roster has been playing together since 10U or before.
"We have a lot of chemistry," said Hess. "We have a lot of bond that you can't break. And it's really important."
They've spent years growing together as a team and putting in countless hours of work to achieve all their success.
"We did a lot of work throughout the summer and season," said Hurricanes defensive tackle Jaden Vera. "Lots of conditioning, lots of practice and hard work."
"For a bunch of middle school kids to go out there to take their summer to go do summer workouts, to go push sleds, to go flip tires, to go and just lift and workout and then go four days a week at practice, film nights...it's just it's a lot to do," said Craft. "For middle school kids, six seventh, eighth graders all these years to put in that much work and effort, it's unbelievable the amount of determination these kids had."
Even though this is their last year playing altogether on one squad, the legacy they've left and memories they've made will last a lifetime.
"I love the experience," said Vera. "I got to be with them for years of my life. The best years of my life."
Naples Hurricanes Pop Warner Super Bowl results:
Quarterfinals 12/7: Naples 32, 719 Outlaws (CO) 0.
Semifinals 12/10: Naples 39, Plainfield Saints (IL) 6.
Finals 12/14: Naples 39, WestHaven Seahawks (CT) 12.