Dr. Phillips Panthers reach National Championship event at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex for first time in nine seasons

The Dr. Phillips Panthers (Dr. Phillips, Fla.) are among the 70 teams from across America who battled their way through regional competition to advance to the weeklong Pop Warner Super Bowl of youth football, which has produced many past and present NFL stars. National champions will be crowned in four divisions based on age and weight – Jr. Pee Wee (ages 8–11), Pee Wee (ages 9– 12), Jr. Midget (ages 10–13) and Midget (ages 11–15).

The Dr. Phillips Panthers qualified to compete in the Super Bowl against the best teams from across the country for the first time in nine years after winning the Southeast Regional Championship on Nov. 29. In their first game of the Pop Warner Super Bowl, the Panthers will put their perfect 14-0 record to the test in the first round on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 9 a.m. on Field 18. If they win their first two games, the National Championship game will be played on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 9 a.m.

Pop Warner is the nation’s largest and oldest youth football, cheer and dance organization, and the only ones that require academic proficiency in order to participate. More than 70 percent of about 1,800 active NFL players got their starts competing on Pop Warner teams across the country, including currents stars such as five-time league MVP Peyton Manning (Denver Broncos), 2014 Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman (Seattle Seahawks), two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Andrew Luck (Indianapolis Colts) and 2012 NFC champion Colin Kaepernick (San Francisco 49ers).

For scores and info during the 2014 Pop Warner Super Bowl, visit http://www.popwarnersb.com. You can also follow the Pop Warner Super Bowl on Twitter @Pop_Warner, @ESPNWWOS, #PopWarnerSB and on www.facebook.com/espnwwos. ESPN3 is offering live video streaming of all Pop Warner Super Bowl Games on Field 17 throughout the week on WatchESPN and the WatchESPN application.