After just two weeks of regular season play the jury is still out about who is the team to beat for the playoffs. Nevertheless, the RAVENS are the early frontrunners for 10/11-year-old division after beating the CARDINALS 20-13. The win elevated the RAVENS to a league-best 2-0 record.

Ever so often a young athlete jumps on the scene and wreaks havoc on all opposing defenders. Usually these gifted playmakers earn legendary nicknames like “Super Cleats” or “Head & Shoulders.” With all due respect to those players, the RAVENS have identified the league’s newest human highlight film.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! BOYS AND GIRLS!

It is my pleasure to introduce you to RAVENS’ Wide Receiver Shea Champine A.K.A. “Shea Butter” (because his game is smooth like that). Time after time Shea Butter broke the ankles of CARDS’ defenders that were courageous enough to try to stop him. On one play in particular, Shea caught a simple screen pass from Luca Michnowicz and juked Kalondre Stokes out of his cleats.

“He’s a good player...he’s NICE,” Luca said about Shea.

Speaking of the RAVENS’ quarterback, Luca demonstrated a much improved pocket presence against a ferocious pass rush than he did in previous seasons. His individual success and that of the team’s offense is predicated on his faster release and decision-making with the football.

Although heaping too much praise on a young player can cause the development of superiority complex, Shea is simultaneously able to take compliments about his play in stride while sharing the spotlight with his teammates. For example, when asked to express what skills that Yusuf Mendosa Jr. brings to the team Shea replied, “Yusuf brings speed when I’m out and good defense.”

Despite losing the game, the CARDS played extremely well. Quarterback Sam Kelly is one of the most resilient signal-callers that I have ever seen. After turning the ball over on downs and facing a two-score deficit, the savvy QB picked off Luca and scored a TD to bring his team within seven points of the RAVENS. Regardless of how upset Kelly was with himself for not being able to win, the red-headed passing phenom should like his chances in the grudge match.