Manatee Cup, Islanders move to elimination round
by Kevin Cassidy
Islander Correspondent
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| Islander ace pitcher Justin Gargett delivers a pitch during the Islanders 8-1 victory over Munivez Lawn Service. The Islanders advanced to the elimination round. |
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Spring football
Carmine Galati (82) of Manatee High School hits Lakeland quarterback Jared Huggens during the Hurricanes' 18-8 loss in the annual spring game held May 30 at Joe Kinnan Field, Hawkins Stadium, MHS. Islander Photo: Gene Page III |
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| Islander team manager Chris Moneuse talks to battery-mates Justin Gargett and Garrison Clark during the team’s 8-1 victory in the Manatee County Cup. Islander Photos: Kevin Cassidy |
Twenty-four major league-Little League teams have been whittled down to 12 after pool-play action in the inaugural Manatee County Cup. Cooney’s Auto Repair from Manatee National, Martin Jewelry of North River National, A-1 Metalcraft from Manatee East and still-undefeated Bonefish Grill from Manatee Central earned the top four seeds and a first-round bye in the elimination rounds.
Other teams that advanced include Trident Building Systems and Freedom Bank from Manatee National and American Car Care and Employee Leasing Solutions from Manatee Central League. Beef O’Brady’s from Manatee East, Complete Access Plumbing from Braden River and Ace Hardware from North River National join our very own Islanders in the elimination round.
The elimination rounds started June 2 and continue with four games at 6 and 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 4. The semifinals are set for 7 p.m. June 6 with the championship game scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, June 9.
Islanders advance
The Islanders defeated Munivez Lawn Service 8-1 on May 30 at G.T. Bray Park to finish pool play in the Manatee County Cup with a 2-1 record and the ninth seed.
Technically they won the game 4-0 because of a bat-throwing incident by a Munivez Lawn Service player who apparently didn’t agree with a called third strike in the bottom of the second inning. The player was ejected from the game after throwing his bat to first base.
The game continued at that point with Munivez down to eight players until the bottom of the fourth inning when a tournament official caught wind of the situation. Tournament rules stipulate that teams must field a full compliment of nine players to be eligible. The tournament official halted the game and the score at the time of the infraction was ruled as the official result.
Before the technicality, the Islanders jumped out to an early lead as Max Moneuse walked and Justin Gargett doubled, putting Islanders on second and third. Max Miller plated both runners with a single to center. Miller stole second before Lee Bergeron struck out. Garrison Clark then came up and stroked a two-out single to right center to score Miller for a 3-0 lead. Clark moved to second on the throw home and with Johnny Mattay at the plate, he stole third. Mattay then hit a grounder that handcuffed the second baseman, allowing Clark to score. Munivez pitcher Brandon Smith then induced Nick Papazian to ground out to end the inning with the Islanders up 4-0.
Justin Gargett took the mound for the Islanders and struck out the side in the first and second innings, save for a walk allowed to Sheldon Albritton.
The Islanders tacked on a run in the top of the third when Clark walked in between strikeouts by Bergeron and Mattay. Papazian came to the plate and lined a two-strike, two-out single to center to score Clark for a 5-0 lead.
Gargett started the third by striking out Josh Munivez and was replaced by Monuese on the mound to keep him eligible to pitch in the next game. Moneuse allowed singles to Nick Petrucci and Blas Rodriguez before inducing a fielder’s choice grounder by Rico Yarn for the second out. He got out of the inning by striking out Anthony Tussling.
The Islanders tacked on three more runs in the top of the fourth when Hunter Parrish walked in front of Justin Gargett, who ripped an RBI triple to the fence. Gargett waltzed home on a throwing error. Miller followed with a slicing drive down the right field line that skipped past the outfielder and rolled to the fence for an inside-the-park home run and an 8-0 lead.
Munivez got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning when Smith homered over the left-center field fence. Albritton followed with a single to center. Moneuse then struck out Sebastian Cook and Munivez when the game was halted due to the bat-throwing incident.
The Islanders were scheduled to take on Employee Leasing Solutions June 2, with the winner taking on Cooney’s Auto at 6 p.m. June 4. The Islanders lost to Cooney’s previously on May 28 in their second pool-play game by a 10-4 score.
Look for a complete report on the Manatee County Cup and how the Island boys did in next week’s edition of The Islander, the team’s sponsor.
Flag football season winds down
The regular season has come to an end and the seeds are set for the playoffs in the Anna Maria Island Community Center NFL Flag Football spring season. Ross Built Buccaneers in the 8-9 division and AMI Video Buccaneers in the 13-16 division posted undefeated records and earned No. 1 seeding in their respective divisions. The 10-12 division was tight, with three teams posting 6-3 records, but Americo Cowboys captured the No. 1 seed via a tiebreaker over No. 2 seeded Mr. Bones Steelers and No. 3 seeded Galati Marine Chiefs.
Fourth-seed Mike Norman Realty Browns was set to take on the Americo Cowboys at 6 p.m. June 2, post-deadline for The Islander, while the Chiefs took on the Steelers that night at 7 p.m. The 8-9 division wild-card game between the Sparks Seahawks and LPAC Eagles was to be played June 3 at 6 p.m. with the championship game scheduled for June 4 at 7 p.m. The 13-16 division’s wild-card game between the Island Animal Clinic Falcons and Pine Avenue Bills was to be played June 3 at 7 p.m. That championship game is scheduled for June 5 at 7 p.m.
On May 29, Jared Wacaser scored two touchdowns and Josh Zawistoski added one as Mr. Bones Steelers edged Mike Norman Realty Browns 18-12 — by one touchdown — during 10-12 division action.
Luke Shakleford and Jack Blauvelt each scored one touchdown for the Browns in the loss.
The Americo Cowboys edged the Galati Marine Chiefs by two points to win 26-24 in 10-12 division action on May 29 to clinch the number one seed for the playoffs. Austin Marrow and Denver Hardy scored two touchdowns apiece to lead the Cowboys, which also received extra points from Jake Parsons and Logan Reiber in the victory.
Chris Galati led the Chiefs with three offensive TDs and one defensive score in the loss.
On May 28, the Galati Marine Chiefs scalped the Mike Norman Realty Browns in 10-12 division action 45-14. Chris Galati led the way with three offensive TDs and an extra point, while sister Anna Maria Galati added a pair of offensive touchdowns and a defensive score. Seth Walters chipped in with an offensive TD, while Joey Cucci added a pair of extra points.
Kelly Stewart and Jack Blauvelt each scored a TD for the Browns, which also received a pair of extra points from Morgan Greig in the loss.
On May 28, the AMI Video Bucs defeated the Pine Avenue Bills 37-12 in 13-16 division action. Tommy Price and Brandon Gengler each had a pair of defensive touchdowns and one offensive TD to lead the Bucs, which also received an extra point from Chris Pate.
Kyle Aritt led the Bills with an offensive and defensive touchdown in the loss.
On May 27, the Ross Built Buccaneers grounded the Eagles 36-14 in 8-9 division action behind two touchdowns apiece from Parker Landsberg and Jake Ross. Jackson Sauerbeck and Andrew Ross each added a single touchdown for the Bucs.
Gavin Sentmen and Joey Alchoff each scored a touchdown for the Eagles, which also received a two-point conversion from Brenden Murphy in the loss.
On May 26, The Americo Cowboys defeated the Mr. Bones Steelers by a 31-13 score in 10-12 division action to wrap up the number one seed. Logan Reiber led the Cowboys with two touchdowns while Keegan Murphy and Zach Stewart each added one offensive TD. Travis Belsito chipped in with a defensive TD in the victory.
Josh Zawistoski scored a pair of TDs to lead the Steelers, which also received an extra point from Noah Connors in the loss.
Horseshoe news
John Johnson and Jerry Bennnett produced the only unscathed pool-play record during May 28 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall pits to earn undisputed champion status. Ron Pepka and Norm Good defeated Debbie and Tom Rhodes 21-5 to earn runner-up status.
Four teams emerged from pool play during the May 24 games. The team of Sam Samuels and Hank Huyghe cruised past Tom Rhodes and Chuck Bell, while George McKay and Debbie Rhodes advanced in similar fashion over Ron Pepka.
McKay’s “six-pack” double ringer broke a 19-19 tie that vaulted he and Rhodes to the victory circle with a 22-19 win over Samuels and Huyghe.
Play gets under way at 9 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m. followed by random team selection. There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.
Key Royale golf news
The Key Royale Club men played an 18-hole, low-net-of-partners game on May 28. The team of Jim Thorton and Bob Elliott carded a 9-under-par 119 to edge a pair of teams for first place. Bob Kral and Vince Mercadante matched the 120 carded by John Driscoll and John Heiselman to tie for second place, while Dick Grimme and Chris Collins were in third place at 128.
The men played a nine-hole, low-net-of-partners game on May 26 that produced a three-way tie for first place. The teams of John Atkinson and Dick Grimme, Pieter Thomassen and Gordon McKinna and Jerry Brown and Jim MacVicar all carded 3-under 61s to share clubhouse bragging rights for the day.
The women joined the men in a “throw-out-the-worst-hole” game on May 23. The team of Frankie Smith-Williams, John Driscoll, Matt Behan and Gordon McKinna carded a 42 to edge the team of Rose Slomba, Joyce Brown, Jane Winegarden and Dorothy McKinna by four strokes for first place.
Gordon McKinna and Rose Slomba each had chipins on the day.
Anna Maria Flag Football standings
as of May 29
8-9 division
TeamWonLoss
Ross Built80
LPAC26
Sparks26
10-12 division
Americo63
Bones63
Galati63
Norman09
13-16 division
Video80
Pine Ave.35
IAC17
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