Flag football season, bowl game finale
by Kevin Cassidy
Islander Reporter
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Ross Built Raiders, 10-12 division champs: Emma Moneuse, Sydney Cornell, Anthony Cucci, Jake Ross, Jack Shinn, Tyler Yavalar, Joey Cucci and Andrew Ross. Coaches: Greg Ross and Joe Cucci.
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Tapes Tennis Titans, 13-16 division champs: Kyle Parsons, Chandler Hardy, Max Miller, Coach Gabriel Ferrer, Austin Ferrer, Nick Mello, Nick Papazian and Patrick Edwards.
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Sparks Steel Art Eagles, 8-9 division champs: Tori Walter, Annie Walter, Marlin Ellis, Jack Mello, Truman Carlson, Dylan Joseph, Coach Chris Joseph, Leo Rose and William Bernet.
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The adult division Super Bowl was a matchup between the Bengals and Titans. The game went into 4 overtimes, resulting in both teams calling it a tie. Islander Photo: Courtesy Drinda Procter
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Another great season of NFL Flag Football came to an end this past week. March 2 saw the Anna Maria Island Community Center league hand out season-ending awards, while champions were crowned March 6 at four Super Bowl games.
The 8-9 division saw Sparks Steel Art Eagles make a clean sweep of the awards. Sisters Anni and Tori Walter shared the sportsmanship award while Leo Rose captured the defensive most valuable player award. Offensive MVP went to Eagles’ speedster Jack Mello.
The 10-12 awards were divided among three teams with Raiders quarterback Jack Shinn taking the sportsmanship award. Raven player Josh Zawistoski captured the defensive MVP award, while Bengals player Logan Reiber took home the offensive MVP award.
Anna Maria Galati won the sportsmanship award in the 13-16 division with Raven Tommy Price taking the defensive MVP. Aaron Van Hook of the Raiders was named offensive MVP for the season.
Like many Super Bowls in the National Football League, all three youth championship games turned into one-sided affairs, starting with Tapes Tennis Titans 49-6 blowout of Galati Yacht Sales Raiders. The Raiders did it with a quick-strike offense that saw them score five touchdowns of 40-plus yards.
It started with a 35-yard TD run by Austin Ferrer on the Titan’s first offensive possession. Ferrer then passed to Chandler Hardy for the extra point and a 7-0 Titan lead. Next time with the ball, Ferrer connected with Hardy on a 45-yard bomb on a fly pattern.
The Titans closed out the first half when Ferrer found Kyle Parsons behind the Raider secondary for another 45-yard pass play. Ferrer found Max Miller for the extra point to give the Titans a 20-0 lead.
If the Raiders had any hopes left for a comeback, Ferrer quickly dashed them when he completed an electrifying 45-yard touchdown run that saw him sweep left and cut back right before again reversing field. Ferrer then connected with Nick Papazian for the extra point and a 27-0 lead.
The Raiders then hurt themselves with a snap into the end zone for a safety, giving possession to the Titans, which then methodically marched down field where Ferrer found Miller with an 18-yard TD pass.
The Raiders desperately tried to get on the scoreboard, only to watch as Ferrer made a juggling interception. On the next play, Ferrer found Patrick Edwards streaking down the left sideline for a 30-yard touchdown pass and a 41-0 lead.
The Raiders finally put a drive together that ended when Daniel Doyle caught a 4-yard TD pass from Aaron Van Hook to pull to within 41-6. Another bad snap gave the Titans a safety and possession of the ball. On the first play, Ferrer connected with Kyle Parsons on a 45-yard bomb to complete a 49-6 blowout victory.
Ferrer, who was somehow shut out in the awards race, finished with 233 passing yards and five touchdown passes, while also rushing for 80 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Ferrer also added a team-high six flag pulls and an interception.
Daniel Doyle led the Raiders with 118 passing yards and a touchdown.
The Raiders advanced to the Super Bowl thanks to an exciting 27-25 triple-overtime victory over Anna Maria Oyster Bar Panthers March 3. The Titans squeaked past Island Real Estate Ravens 30-24 March 5 to advance to the finals.
The 10-12 division Super Bowl pitted the No. 1 seed Ross Built Raiders against second-seed Mr. Bones Bengals. The Raiders and Bengals traded possessions with neither team managing a first down until midway through the first half when Jack Shinn connected with Joey Cucci on three straight passes, the last one a seven-yard pass with Logan Reiber draped all over him. Jake Ross then found Shinn for nine yards before Shinn threaded a 13-yard TD pass to Tyler Yavalar, giving the Raiders a 6-0 lead.
The Bengals got the ball back with QB Andrew Zink finding Reiber on a shovel pass for eight yards. On second down, Zink tried to connect with Chris Gunn, but Yavalar stepped in front to intercept the ball and return it for a touchdown and a 12-0 lead. Jake Ross then connected with Shinn for a two-point conversion and a 14-0 lead. The Bengals got the ball back, but on first down, the snap went over the QB’s head and into the end zone for a safety and a 16-0 lead. Shinn kneeled down to end the half with the Raiders holding a commanding lead.
The Bengals got the ball to start the second half, but they went three and out, giving the ball back to the Raiders. Two runs by Shinn sandwiched around an incomplete pass gave the Raiders a first down past midfield. From there, Shinn connected with Jake Ross on an 18-yard TD pass to give them a 22-0 lead. That lead was expanded two plays later when Shinn stepped in front to intercept the ball and return it seven yards for a touchdown and a 28-0 lead.
The Bengals finally got on the board when Andrew Zink connected with Robert Oshaben on a short pass that he turned into a 45-yard touchdown pass to pull to within 28-6. The Bengals held the Raiders on their next possession, but Shinn got the ball back when he intercepted a second-down pass attempt to give the ball back to the Raiders deep in Bengal territory. Sydney Cornell ran for 13 yards down to the five where Andrew Ross found Yavalar with a five-yard TD pass. Andrew Ross then connected with Anthony Cucci for a extra point to end the game with the Raiders on top 35-6.
Shinn paced the Raider defense with five pulls and two interceptions, while Yavalar finished with three pulls and a pick. Reiber led all players with seven flag pulls including a QB sack in the loss.
The Raiders advanced to the Super Bowl on the strength of a 32-6 victory over Walter & Associates Titans March 5, while the Bengals advanced by defeating Island Real Estate Ravens 39-23.
The final championship game saw the second-seeded Sparks Steel Art Eagles fly past the Sandbar Saints 32-6 in the 8-9 division. Unlike the two other championship games, the Saints got on the scoreboard first when Andrew Proctor put together runs of 16, 22 and 7 yards to score the games first touchdown for a 6-0 Saints lead.
The Eagles came right back when Jack Mello ripped off runs of 14 and 31 yards to tie the score 6-6. The Saints tried to answer with Joe Joe Rogers connecting with Ben Calhoun for 10 yards, but Proctor was stopped short of a first down when Leo Rose came up with a flag pull.
The Eagles took over on downs and Truman Carlson connected with Dylan Joseph for nine yards. He followed that with an 11-yard pass to Joseph for a first down. Mello took it from there when he outran everyone around the left end for a 24-yard touchdown run and a 12-6 lead. Carlson then connected with Marlin Ellis for the extra-point pass giving the Eagles a 13-6 lead as the half came to a close.
The Saints got the ball to start the second half, but other than a 7-yard pass from Proctor to Rogers, the Eagles were able to stymie them, giving the Eagles the ball at their own five-yard line. Two incomplete passes were followed by a short pass from Carlson to Joseph that Joseph took to the house for a 45-yard TD play and a 19-6 lead. Carlson went back to Joseph for the extra point and a 20-6 lead.
The teams traded possessions before Leo Rose helped ice the game with a pair of big plays. First he intercepted Proctor giving the Eagles the ball deep in Saints territory, which the Eagles took full advantage of when Carlson found Joseph on a crossing pattern for a 26-6 lead.
The Eagles again got the ball back and on first down, when Rose got loose on a 45-yard touchdown run to complete the 32-6 victory.
The Eagles advanced to the finals thanks to a 22-14 win over the BeachHouse Cardinals March 3, while the Saints upset top-seeded Tortilla Bay Dolphins by a 20-14 score March 5.
The Super Bowl in the adult division pitted the Bengals against the Titans and unlike the other divisions, the game was a barn burner that ended in a 33-33 tie. Presumably, the adults got a little tired after five overtimes. The Bengals were led by Scott Dell, who passed for 156 yards and five touchdowns, Bill Malfese who finished with 74 receiving yards and three TDs. Andy Jonatzke added 62 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns and two extra points. Tyler Bekkerus finished with 49 receiving yards and an extra point in the tie.
Will Bouziane passed for 246 yards and five touchdowns, including two to Chad Titsworth, who finished with 64 receiving yards. Blair Schlossberg added 75 receiving yards, a touchdown, a two-point conversion and an extra point, while Gregg Ross added 81 receiving yards and a touchdown. Matt Hendricks completed the Titan scoring with a touchdown to go along with 42 receiving yards.
Key Royale golf news
The men of the Key Royale Club played an 18-hole, best-ball-of-foursome tournament March 3. The team of Earl Ritchie, Ed Havlik, Tom Lewis and Carl Voyles combined to card a 14-under-par 50 to take first place. Second place went to the team of Jim Thorton, Dick Eichhorn, Garry Harris and Bob Elliott with an 11-under 53. Bob Kral,
The women of the Key Royale Club played a nine-hole, individual-low-net game March 2 with Sue Hookem taking first place in Flight AA with an even-par 32. Two shots back in a tie for second place were Judy Crowe and Jean Holmes.
Flight A saw Patty Townsend card an even-par score to take first place by two shots over Joyce Brown and five shots over third-place finisher Tootie Wagner.
Meredith Slavin and Sue Christenson both carded 2-over par 34s to tie for first place in Flight B. Flight C produced the only score cards with under-par scores led by Billie White’s 3-under-par 29, one shot better than Mary Pat Swamy. Barb Harrold finished in third with an even-par 32.
Erma McMullen fired a 37 to take first place in Flight D, nine shots ahead of second-place finisher Mary M. Dikenson.
Judy Crowe won the game of the day on individual low putts with 13 putts.
The men played a nine-hole, best-ball-of-foursome match March 1 with the team of Tom Warda, John Piris, Tom Lewis and Tom O’Brien taking the prize with a score of 8-under 24. Three teams — Jerry Micho, Jim Helgeson, Neil Hammer, Peter Thomassen along with Jim Krumme, Jim Maciver, Tom Steele, Russ Olson and last, but not least Paul Kaemmerlen, Barry Martin Jim McCartney and Paul Proxy — all managed to card 6-under-par 26 to finish in a tie for second, while five teams tied for third place.
Thomas selected for FACA all-stars
Islander/Manatee High school senior Stephen Thomas was recently chosen to represent the western region for the Florida Athletic Coaches Association senior all-star soccer game. Thomas is the only senior player selected from both Sarasota and Manatee counties to play in the game, which is being held in Ocala. Thomas, who lives in Anna Maria with his mom Susan and his dad Richard was a four-year starter at Manatee. Congratulations Stephen!
Horseshoe news
Three teams emerged from pool play during March 6 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Jeff Moore and Ron Gagnon drew the bye, which left Debbie Rhodes and Bob Lee to do battle with Norm Good and Dave Super. Good and Super won 26-18 to advance to the finals where they fell to Moore and Gagnon with Moore tossing a six-pack to end the match.
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.
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