The North Raleigh Bulldogs Silver and the Durham Screaming Eagles football teams, along with five cheerleading teams and one dance team, will continue their quests for national championships after winning regional titles on Saturday in Gastonia.
Each football team won its Pop Warner Mid-South Region championship, and the cheer and dance teams finished either first or second, to advance to the Dec. 4-11 Pop Warner Football Championships and National Cheer and Dance Championships at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Six other football teams, like the Bulldogs and Eagles part of the Triangle's Consolidated Football Federation, saw their seasons end in Saturday's regional finals.
The North Raleigh Bulldogs Silver defeated the Kernersville Raiders 14-12 to win the Division II Junior Midget regional championship, and the Durham Screaming Eagles defeated the Coastal Cowboys 18-0 on Saturday to win the Junior Pee Wee Division II bracket game.
The national championships are divided into Division I and Division II, and the 64 teams will compete for titles in four age and weight ranges - Junior Pee Wee (ages 8-10, 60-105 pounds), Pee Wee (9-11, 75-120), Junior Midget (10-11, 85-135) and Midget (11-14, 105-160).
The Eagles, coached by Joey Strong, head for nationals with a record 11-1 overall after outscoring their 12 opponents 248-26, including 10 shutouts, team representative Chris Brown reported.
The North Raleigh Bulldogs, coached by John Houston, are known for outstanding sportsmanship and academics, assistant coach Rob Bowers said, but they play tough, too.
"Other teams perceive us as small since all of our players are not at the maximum weight of 144 pounds," Bowers said via email. "However, after we play them, every team comments that this team is one of the most physical teams they have faced."
Donations to help the Bulldogs make their first trip to the Pop Warner Super Bowl can be made at www.northraleighbulldogs.com.
Teams from Wake Forest Titans, Apex Cougars, Tri County Panthers and the Capital City Steelers also will be heading to nationals after finishing first or second in the regionals.
Football
Division II Junior Pee Wee: Durham Screamin Eagles 18, Coastal Cowboys 0
Division II Junior Midget: North Raleigh Bulldogs Silver 14, Kernersville Raiders 12
Division I Pee Wee: Virginia Beach Mustangs 32, Durham War Eagles 13
Division II Pee Wee: Winston-Salem Rams 26, North Raleigh Bulldogs Red 12
Division Pee Wee: Newport Vikings 26, Apex Cougars 20
Division III Junior Midget: Central Virginia Jets 22, Apex 6
Division I Midget: Oak Ridge Colts 22, Durham Eagles 0
Division II Midget Division: Kernersville Raiders 12, Wilders Grove Wolfpack (Raleigh) 7
Cheerleading results
Junior Pee Wee Small Novice: 2, Wake Forest; 4, Apex
Pee Wee Large Novice: 1, Wake Forest
Junior Midget Small Novice: 1, Apex; 3, North Raleigh
Junior Midget Small Novice (Non-Advancing): 2, Garner Trojans (division does not advance to nationals)
Midget Small Novice: 1, Capital City; 2, Apex
Dance results
Junior Midget Dance: 1, Tri County
*** Got recreational sports news? E-mail Teri Boggess at play@newsobserver.com. ***
