Round robin tennis tourney has triumphant finish
For several decades, the Anna Maria Island Community Center has been home court to the Round Robin Tennis Players. The group has a core of “year-rounders” from the island, and more than 50 snowbird players participate in the winter months.
All players are center members.
The group has fostered life-long friendships and a devotion to Anna Maria Island. Play takes place 8-11 a.m. Monday through Saturday. The group also hosts a potluck dinner at the center and put on an annual tournament and banquet.
This year’s tournament took place March 16-19. Rob Grey of Sussex in the United Kingdom walked away with the coveted top prize in the Round Robin Tournament.
Grey came in nursing an injury, but came back strong to edge Lydia Blassiole and Peter Rock for top honors. A three-way tie for third went to Robin Cummings, Mary Hunter and Mo Mallet, while Pat Sakellis took fourth place.
Trophies were awarded at a March 23 banquet at the Sandbar Restaurant in Anna Maria.
More tennis news
Registration is open for adult and junior league tennis at the center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.
The league includes women’s, men’s and mixed doubles play 5:30-9 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Cost is $40 for members and $60 for non-members.
The junior league will see action in two age groups on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Ages 6-10 play 3:30-4:30 p.m., while ages 11 and up take the courts 4:30-5:30 p.m. The junior league runs April 7 to May 28 and the cost is $160 for members and $200 for non-members.
Registration deadline is April 1. For more information, call the center at 941-778-1908.
More center sports
The center is registering youth and adult basketball, youth baseball and adult soccer.
Cost for the center’s spring basketball is $90 for members and $120 for non-members and each player receives a jersey. Tryouts will be April 6-8.
Adult soccer tryouts take place at 8 p.m. April 7. The cost is $90 for members and $120 for non-members.
No information was provided on the baseball league.
For information, call the center.
Key Royale golf news
The Key Royale Club held its men’s senior club championship March 18 and March 20.
Vince Mercadante captured the top spot with an 18-hole net score of 54, 10-under-par. Chet Hutton and Jim Auch were one shot back in a tie for second, while Gino DiClemente was alone in third place with an 8-under-par 56.
In other golf news, the men played a nine-hole, modified-Stableford System match on March 23.
Buddy Foy took individual honors with a score of plus-6 with Terry Schaefer one point back in second place.
The team of John Estok, Herb Clauhs, Barry Izzard and Bob Lang were the top scoring team at plus-6.
The women played a nine-hole event to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the Key Royale Club. The game of the day commemorated the anniversary year on strokes on hole numbers 1,9, 6 and 5.
Debi Wohlers totaled an 18 to win Flight A, while Carol Duncan’s 20 put her in first place in Flight B. Terry Westby took Flight C with a 21, while Markie Ksiazek took Flight D with a 24.
Sue Little and Pam Lowr carded 4-under-par 28s to take low-net in Flight A, while Carol Duncan rode a birdie on the seventh hole to win Flight B with an 8-under-par 24. Sue Wheeler was alone in second place with a 31.
Terry Westby grabbed low-net honors in Flight C with a 6-under-par 26 with Marty Clark alone in second with an even-par 32.
Markie Ksiazek took medalist honors in Flight D with a 4-under-par 28.
The men played a nine-hole, team scramble match March 26. The team of John Purcell, Fred Miller and Greg Shorten combined for a 6-under-par 26 to take first place by one shot. The team of Jon Holcomb, Barry Izzard and Dean Christensen matched the 5-under-par 27 carded by the team of Terry Schaefer, Quentin Talbert, Bob Blazer and Larry Pippel to tie for second place.
Horseshoe news
Four teams advanced to the knockout round during March 28 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall horseshoe pits.
In the first semifinal match, the team of Jim Kleiner and Dom Lividoti cruised to an easy 22-12 victory over Hank Huyghe and Loren Hall, while the second match saw Gene Bobeldyk and Tim Sofran roll past Bob Mason and Al Kaleel 22-6 to advance to the finals.
Kleiner-Lividoti stayed hot in the finals, recording a 21-7 victory over Bobeldyk-Sofran to earn bragging rights for the day.
Two teams recorded 3-0 pool play records during March 25 horseshoe action. In the final, Adin Shank walked past Steve Hooper and Norm Langland by a 21-14 score.
Play gets underway at 9 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m. and everyone is welcome.