News

Lawrence youth football team celebrates trip to national tournament

LAWRENCE, Mass. — A Pop Warner football team from Lawrence is celebrating it's first taste of success after a trip to a national tournament in Florida.

The Lawrence Hurricanes say they bring fire into every game, which is definitely how they were chosen for a trip to a national tournament at ESPN's Wide World of Sports facility earlier this month.

At this level, they're still learning the game, but the team takes the sport very seriously, so much they came home with the hardware to prove it.

"They just loved the hype of it to see all those kids from all over the world, being there and stuff like that," said Leida Feliciano, mother of Zion, one of the boys in the team.

It was the first chance the Hurricanes had to test themselves against some of the best competition around.

Despite still getting the hang of the game, the coach said there was no let up as they notched wins against a New Jersey team and a Georgia one en route to an unbeaten season.

"It makes me confident because I'd getting this far," said Zion.

Confidence goes a long way for Zion and his three dozen seven to nine-year-old teammates.

"Anyone who knows Lawrence knows that Lawrence is a lot in the media for negative stuff, so you know and it's always nice even if it's small especially youth related and its positive it’s awesome," said Leida Feliciano, Zion's mother.

By next season, everything will get more competitive as the players advance to a higher level of pop warner. Coming off the success in Orlando, their confidence is brimming and their coach says it should be.

"They're going to be a very good team," said coach Ryan Mustapha.

TOP STORIES: