Sports
Center season-ending soccer awards announced
by Kevin Cassidy
Islander Correspondent
The Anna Maria Island Community Center hosted its season-ending soccer awards ceremonies Monday, Nov. 8. Instructional league players, the youngest bunch, all received participation trophies for all of their fun and hard work learning the sport, while each of the three division-winning team members took home individual trophies.
In addition, each division handed out Kenny Randall Sportsmanship Awards, Dennis Grandstadt MVP awards and female MVP trophies. A new addition to the awards ceremonies was the "Coaches Tradition Award," given to coaches who have put in more than four years of service coaching youth soccer.
Four-year "Tradition" winners included Mike Brusso, Joe Garbus and Denny Thompson, while Mark Howard received a six-year award. Last but not least was Scott Lindsey, who won a 10-year Traditon Award for his many years of coaching youth soccer. Congratulations guys!
Division III (ages 8-9) individual awards went to Emily Rappe of the West Coast Surf Shop who received the Kenny Randall Sportsmanship Award, while Pine Avenue Store's Kylie Brownewell was named female MVP.
Rappe scored a pair of goals this season while giving the Surf Shop strong play from her midfield position. Brownewell finished the season with three goals, and she proved to be a major cog to opponents for the Pine Avenue offense with her dribbling ability.
Division III MVP was shared by Giorgio Gomez and Jack Titsworth. Gomez finished second in the league in scoring with 17 goals, which accounted for more than 60 percent of the Surf Shop's goals this season, while Titsworth scored 12 goals and played strong defense for division-winning Island Animal Clinic.
Division II's (ages 10-11) sportsmanship award went to Jordan Sebastiano who led his Danziger Allergy & Sinus team with eight goals. Air & Energy's Martine Miller was named female MVP, having led her team in scoring with 20 goals, which was good for second in the league.
Division II MVP deservedly went to Joey Hutchinson, who scored an incredible 37 goals in leading his Gateway Solutions team to the Division II title.
Division I (ages 12-14) sportsmanship winner was Sean Edwards of Mr. Bones, while Division I champion West Coast Air Conditioning defender Amber Wright captured the female MVP. The Division I MVP award was split between ReMax Gulfstream Realty's Ben Valdivieso, who scored an unheard-of 57 goals while leading his team to a third-place finish, and Preston Riede of LaPensee Plumbing, who split his time between sweeper and forward, but still managed to score 31 goals in leading his team to a second-place finish in Division I.
Congratulations to all of the players, coaches and parents for another great season of Island soccer.
Flag Football tourney Saturday
The Anna Maria Island Community Center's first ever Island Turkey Bowl, a charity flag football tournament that is raising money to help less fortunate families this holiday season, is being played Saturday, Nov. 20.
The tournament is smaller than the Center had hoped, with only six teams entering in the adult division, but hopes are that it will grow into something bigger.
Come on down to the Center Saturday morning and take in some of the action. For more information, call the Center at 778-1908. |
