Photos by Kerry E. Porter. The 12U East Orange Panthers, their Team Captains, and Head Coach Dy-Shawn Simpkins accept their Big East American Youth Football Regional runner-up trophy on November 21 in Mahopac, N.Y.
EAST ORANGE – The East Orange Panthers and the rest of the Garden State American Youth Football League enjoyed a successful first season this year. The Garden State American Youth Football League sent Montclair Cobras’ 13U, East Orange Panthers’ 12U, and Montclair’s 11U teams to the regional semifinals, with only Montclair’s 13U getting a bye for the regional championships.
The East Orange Panthers made it to the Big East AYF Championships. After being held scoreless by a very tough Somers Indians Team from Taconic Region of Upstate, N.Y, the Panthers erupted in the fourth quarter of the semifinal playoffs, which were held at Paul Robeson Stadium in East Orange. The Panthers peeled off three touchdowns to overcome Somers’ attempt at shutting them out, giving the Somers their first defeat of the season.
The Panthers suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the Brooklyn Chiefs of the Empire State AYF League, which covers most of New York City and Southern Westchester County New York. The Chiefs scored at will throughout the Regional Finals, taking the championship, 36-0, at Mahopac High School in Mahopac, NY on Nov. 21. The Panthers will look to do it again next year and possibly make a run for the nationals.
“10-1 is nothing to sneeze at,” said 12U Panthers Head Coach Dy Shawn Simpkins. “You worked very hard to get here and everyone here is very proud of you. You were out-played by a veteran team who has been here before.”
“We were one game away from going to the National Championships in Kissimmee, Florida,” said Tyrone Miles, President of East Orange Panthers and Promoting Progress for Youth, Inc.
The PPY Panthers Basketball program will start their weekly basketball camp in the coming weeks. A date has not been set for the 2015-2016 season.
The Panthers, along with their conference mates, were very pleased with the outcome of the inaugural season in the Garden State AYF. “There are plans already in the works to have more teams join our league and create a bigger and better experience,” said a league official.
For more information on the Garden State AYF, log onto www.gsayf.org.
Basketball season looms
The East Orange Panthers will continue to make progress as they prepare for the upcoming basketball season. They will be holding pre-registration for the month of December every Saturday at Cicely L. Tyson Performing Arts Middle and High School in preparation of the opening of their annual basketball skills and training camp on Jan. 2 at Cicely L. Tyson. The weekly camp is expected to run until the end of May, which will have an end-of-the-season basketball Jamboree.
For more information on this and other youth programs under Promoting Progress for Youth Inc., contact Tyrone Miles at 201-341-3933.
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