Andrew Flores said he likes playing tackle football better than flag football. "You get to tackle another player," he said. The fullback/linebacker also said he would rather play offense than defense. "I get the ball most of the time," he said. "You get to score touchdowns. "The Pleasant School fifth-grader will get plenty of time to tackle opponents and, hopefully, score plenty of touchdowns when his traveling team, the Tulare Titans, participates in the American Youth Football National Championships from Dec. 5-10 in Tucson, Ariz.   

Vikings finish second
Championship game to air on ESPN on Dec. 25---Tulare Advance Register 11/21/06
By Luis Hernandez
Staff writer

A Tulare youth flag football team took second place Saturday in the NFL's National Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Fla. The Tulare Vikings, a Tulare Youth Athletic Association team that went by the name 49ers while representing the Northern California region, dropped only two games during the daylong tournament. The championship game the team played in will be televised on ESPN on Dec. 25. "We went out there and played our best," said Bryce Geary, a team member who is a sixth-grader at Live Oak Middle School. "We did our best." The young football players' performance made coaches and parents proud. "I think we represented Tulare well," coach John Pimentel said. "It was a good deal for the kids. They were excited." Bryce's mother, Michelle Geary, agreed." For a small town, it's a great achievement," she said. "It shows there is big talent in small towns." Pimentel said familiarity was a key factor in the team's success. Several members of the 10-player team have played together for years. "They knew what to expect from each other," he said. "That's what made them successful. "The second-place finish also underscores the quality of the local program, Pimentel said." That's the type of program of we have," he said.  The success probably will result in more people wanting to play flag football, Pimentel said. He expects league participation to double. But beyond the competition, the Tulare players got a chance to travel and compete against players from around the country, Pimentel said. Along with the team and coaches, a party of 30 supporters — including parents, grandparents and other relatives — made the trip. Michelle Geary said the Tulare group was one of the loudest. By the time the last game came around, supporters from other teams had joined in rooting for the Central Valley representative. "It was a great feeling," she said. And the support from the stands translated to a better performance on the field, she said. "It helps them to know they had that much support," Geary said. For the final game, former NFL quarterback and current TV commentator Boomer Esiason served as honorary coach, encouraging the players. After the game, the former NFL great signed jerseys and took photos with the children. Having an ex-NFL player on the sideline encouraged the player to play well, Bryce said. "It was fun," he said. "It made us want to play more. "The final game will be shown on ESPN on Christmas Day. And despite already knowing the outcome, Geary said she plans to see and tape game. She is also spreading the word about the broadcast. "We're telling everybody we know," she said.