Read about Ricky’s story and  the Ricky McGregor Scholarship Fund here.

Here are 4 organizational ‘firsts’ we accomplished in 2011 -

Hosting a Preseason Jamboree

In August, for the first time, we hosted at Wilkins a preseason jamboree. Sixteen scrimmages with three other towns all from Massachusetts: Winchendon, North Middlesex and Triton, MA. The event was a big success and we are hoping to build on it in 2012.

Concussion Awareness Initiative

We implemented a new, more proactive approach to concussions.  We administered ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), as a means to keep our athletes safe. ImPACT testing has been done at the high school level for a few years, but this is the first year it has been implemented in NH with kids this young.

Passionately Pink Event

We teamed up with Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink for the Cure® to raise money and help tackle life-saving research, education, screenings and treatment programs in the fight to end breast cancer forever. We raised over $1,600 in support of the cause.

AED Medical Devices at Practice

We received a very generous gift of two AED Plus® (automated external defibrillators) machines from Zoll Medical Corporation.  If you have not heard the story yet, check out this video on how a Zoll AED device saved a NH football players life.  We are very grateful to Zoll and JPW parent Jurgen Kappers, for making this gift and keeping the safety of our players and coaches a top priority.

In addition to the firsts above we also continued our success in the classroom and on the field in 2011 with sixteen Little Scholars .Football and Cheer state champs, PeeWee regional finalist and SV Saber divisional finalist. Wishing you all  happy and safe holidays, and here’s to the best in 2012!

Mount Hope and Amherst both held off very tough opponents in the Semifinals for the right to this rematch of last year’s Jr. Pee Wee Championship game. The game will feature many of the same coaches and kids from last year game. The Patriots lost to the Cowboys 25-6, so as if getting to nationals wasn’t enough, the Patriots are looking to settle the score. These two teams play very different styles of football.  The Cowboys known for speed and pizazz, the Patriots for playing old school grind it out football. This should be a great game!

Winners of the New England Regional Championships will advance to the 55th annual Pop Warner Super Bowl at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex™ in Lake Buena Vista, FL, Saturday, Dec. 3-10. The last time a New Hampshire team competed in the Pop Warner National Championship Tournament was Plymouth, NH in 1997.

The Patrtios post season began earlier this month when they won the New Hampshire Pop Warner Pee Wee championship against the Merrimack Cardinals (20-0), with that win they advanced automatically to the New England Regional Tournament.

In the quarterfinals they faced the Randolph-Holbrook (MA) Blue Devils.  The previously unbeaten Blue Devils showed up ready to play, but the Patriots stifling defense and dependable offense were too much for the team from Massachusetts.  The Patriots defeated the Hockomock League champs 26-0.

The semifinals, last weekend, were against the Scouts from Billerica, MA.   The Scouts were the winners of the Pop Warner Football Conference of Eastern Mass.  This game was played in Taunton, Mass with the two teams playing scoreless football in the first half.  The second quarter ended with the Patriots stopping the Scouts just shy of goal line to preserve the tie.  Billerica scored first in the third quarter, but failed to convert the extra point (score: 0-6).  As the fourth quarter rolled on the field possession slowly shifted in favor of Patriots.  With less than four minutes remaining the Patriots blocked a punt and managed a short drive from the Billerica twenty for a score and the extra point! (score: 7-6) This was an exciting win against a very talented opponent.

The Patriots are now preparing to face the winners of the Ocean State League, the Mount Hope Cowboys (Providence, RI) in the Pop Warner New England Division 2 Championship game (view brackets here).  This is a rematch of last year’s Jr. Pee Wee Championship game with many of the same coaches and kids on both sides of the ball. The Patriots lost that game 25-6, so as if getting to go to Florida wasn’t enough, the Patriots motivation for this game is clear.  Not to mention, the last time a New Hampshire team competed in the Pop Warner National Championship Tournament was Plymouth, NH in 1997.  Visit http://www.amherstpatriots.org for more information.

The Amherst Pee Wee’s traveled to Taunton, MA on Sunday to face the undefeated champions of the Pop Warner Football Conference of Eastern Mass, the Billerica Scouts.  The two teams battled scoreless for the first half. The Patriot’s made a huge stand with time expiring in the second quarter to keep the Scouts out of the end zone and the score 0-0.

The Patriots surprised the Scouts with a successful onside kick to to start the second half, but unfortunately were not able to capitalize on the recovery (four and out).  The Scouts took over on downs and passed their way down the field to the end zone and a 6-0 lead.

The two teams traded possessions for the remainder of the third and in to the forth with field position gradually shifting to Amherst’s favor.  With about five minutes remaining and their backs to their own goal line, the Scouts were forced to punt. The Patriots partially blocked it and took over on the Billerica 20. With the game (and their season) on the line the Patriots pushed their way to the end zone, scoring and converting the extra point (with a pass) for a 7-6 lead with just 3:25 left in regulation.

Amherst kicked off to Billerica with time winding down, the defense held and the Patriots won in exciting fashion.  Next up:  A rematch with the Mount Hope Cowboys next Saturday at Foley Stadium in Worcester for the right to represent New England in Florida next month at the Pop Warner National Championships.