Philadelphia

One Down, One to Go: North Philly Pop Warner Team Loses First of Two City Teams' National Title Games

Two of Philadelphia's youth football teams were playing in Pop Warner championship games in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday.

In the morning title game of the junior varsity division, the North Philly Aztecs lost to the Richmond-Perrine Giants, 20-6.

The Northwest Raiders (D1 Varsity) will play at 4:30 p.m. The game broadcast on ESPN3 and ESPNU.

In the semi-finals of the ages 10 to 13 division, the Aztecs beat the Virginia youth football team, Churchland Tigers, 45-7, to advance to the Super Bowl.

NBC10 visited with the Aztecs last month as they prepared for the big trip to Florida. Watch the video of their practices and some interviews here.

The Raiders will try to win their third consecutive Pop Warner title in the ages 12 to 15 division. They cruised by Florida’s Palmetto Raiders in a 30-6 blowout to reach the championship game. The Germantown-based team will play the Santa Clara, California, Lions.

Both championship games will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Disney World's Walt Disney Resort.

Pop Warner is the oldest and largest football, cheer and dance organization in the nation -- serving about 325,000 youths in 42 states. The non-profit, founded in 1929, is the only national youth sports organization that requires academic proficiency as a prerequisite to participate. The requirement speaks to their mission, which is to promote hard work, persistence, and leadership in its young athlete.

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