Little Tigers 8U Claims Super Bowl Title With 20-Second Touchdown
Tate Gardner scored the game-winning touchdown with 20 seconds left, capping a comeback from a 6-0 halftime deficit and a 9-1 season.
TROY, Ill. — Tate Gardner scored on a touchdown run of more than 70 yards with 20 seconds remaining Sunday, Nov. 1, lifting the Little Tigers 8U football team to a 13-6 comeback victory over the Highland Quarterback Club and the 2026 Super Bowl championship.
The win in Troy gave the Edwardsville-area Little Tigers Football & Cheer organization its first Super Bowl title since 2023. The team finished the season with a 9-1 record in games played.
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Highland held the Little Tigers scoreless in the first half and led 6-0 at halftime. The Tigers tied the game in the third quarter before a series of late plays decided the championship.
With less than two minutes remaining, Denim Williams chased a Highland ball carrier for 40 yards and made a tackle at the 12-yard line to prevent a touchdown.
Gardner’s late scoring run put the Tigers ahead 13-6. Highland had one final opportunity, but Maverick Woodard broke up a Hail Mary pass attempt to secure the victory.
“I looked into each player's eyes when the game was on the line, and not one of them was ready to give up,” head coach Charles Bass said. “Every player had a role, every player contributed, and when it mattered most, they believed in each other. This championship was a total team effort.”
Bass led the team alongside assistant coaches Larry Davis, Brandon Ermer, Cameron “CJ” James, Sandy Montgomery, Alan Morgando and Tate Rujawitz.
“Champions are bred through identity. When you know who you are, you know where you are going. This team embraced that mentality from the beginning, and it showed when it mattered most,” Bass said.
Ryan Hargrave, president of Little Tigers Football & Cheer, credited the players, coaches and families.
“We couldn't be prouder of our 8U players and coaching staff for bringing another Super Bowl championship home to the Little Tigers organization,” Hargrave said. “This championship represents everything we strive to build through our program: hard work, dedication, teamwork, and character. These young athletes showed tremendous heart, and their success is a reflection of the commitment of our coaches, families, and the entire Little Tigers community.”
The championship roster included Abraham Smith, Alek Ambuel, Brecken Jackstadt, Caiden James, Callan Morgando, Colt Ferguson, Denim Williams, Forest Rujawitz, Jackson Jones, Kayden Nichols, Khalil Tate, Kingston Bass, Kyng Taylor, Lawrence Davis, Liam Patterson, Maddox Spees, Maverick Woodard, Reed Rose, Tate Gardner, Thor Lund, Trentyn Lund and Waylon Ermer.
Little Tigers Football & Cheer is a community-based youth sports organization serving young athletes in the Edwardsville area through football and cheerleading.
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