A group of 25 Lake County teenagers are dreaming big about what they hope to achieve in college and beyond. They received a taste of how it might feel last month when they brought a national championship trophy home to North Chicago.
Members of a variety of youth football teams throughout the county, the youngsters were selected to join the AMO (Athletes Mastering Obstacles) football team — an all-star grouping from a variety of leagues and towns — with a goal of winning a national title.
While the players have visions of playing college football at the highest level and some professionally, the dream started with coach Michael Bone of North Chicago.
A football coach for more than 25 years, Bone felt if he could form a team of the best players in Lake County between the ages of 9 and 13, they could show they were as good as anyone in the country.
“There’s a lot of talent here, and I wanted to bring out the best in them,” he said. “They learned to believe in themselves.”
The AMO U13 football team won the All-American Bowl on Jan. 15 in Charlotte, N.C., bringing a youth football national championship to Lake County and a feeling of pride to the community.
“We showed what kids from Waukegan, North Chicago and Zion, and the whole county, can do to the world,” Bone said. “Our kids competed with the best and showed they were the best. Our kids have now formed a brotherhood.”
“These kids are great representatives of our community,” Germaine Moore, the father of the running back who scored the winning touchdown, added. “Our kids doing this was good for everyone.”
Cyrus McGinnis, a defensive back and an eighth grader at Jack Benny Middle School in Waukegan, hopes to play major college football. He said playing with such a talented group gave him and his teammates confidence.
“We grew, and nobody could mess with us,” McGinnis said. “We all ran to each other,” he added, describing how they behaved when the title was secured. “We were all gasping for air. It was unbelievable.”
After tryouts in October and starting to practice in November, the team had some games which did not go so well before arriving at the All-American Bowl tournament in mid-January. Bone said there were teams from more than 32 states.
Breezing past a squad from New York 42-5, and then Minnesota 34-6, AMO advanced to the title game against Virginia. With the score tied at 12, Bone said the game went into overtime. His team had the ball first.
Noah Breckenridge, another Jack Benny eighth grader and tackle on both the offensive and defensive lines, heard the quarterback call the play which would give AMO the lead. He knew what to do.
“It was a run,” Breckenridge said. “I threw my block, and opened up a lane. Jordan (Moore) ran through it and scored a touchdown.”
Leading 18-12, Moore, a LEARN Charter School eighth grader from North Chicago who played linebacker on defense, said the coaches told the team to expect a pass. When he saw it coming, he said he was able to tip it. Jaquel Edmonds, a Big Hollow Middle School eighth grader, saw the ball deflected.
“I knew the ball might be coming near me,” he said. “I saw it tipped and it fell into my hands,” he added, describing the interception securing the championship. “It felt like it was slow motion.”
McGinnis, Breckenridge, Moore and Edmunds are headed to high school in the fall where their football careers will continue. They all intend to play in college, and some have dreams beyond that.
Bone said he hopes to see more championships from the AMO teams. There are four, grouped by age. He works with youths in other sports as well.
