Center play: Playoffs loom in youth soccer
The regular season of youth soccer at The Center of Anna Maria Island is over and now the second season, the playoffs, was to start with the 11-13 division game Nov. 3.
Win or go home is the mantra from the coaches to their players.
Top seeded Progressive Cabinetry, which boasts a division best 5-1-1 record, was to take on winless Wash Family Construction at 6 p.m., while No. 2 seed Sugar Beach Digital and No. 3 Tyler’s Ice Cream were set to face off at 7 p.m. for a chance to advance to the championship game 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9.
Also on tap for the 11-13 division is the all-star game, where coaches pick the four best players from their respective teams to make up two teams. The 11-13 all-star game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.
Miller Electric sits atop the three-team 8-10 division with a 5-1-1 record, which earns them a bye into the at 6 p.m. Nov. 9 championship game They await the winner of the Nov. 4 matchup between No. 2 seed West Coast Air Conditioning and The Feast.
The 8-10 all-star game is set for 7 p.m. Nov. 6.
The 6-7 division does not keep standings and there are no playoffs as the focus remains on player development. There is, however, a “7-up” game that allows the division players who are 7 years old to get their first taste playing on the center’s full-sized field. This game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 6.
The awards ceremony for all age divisions is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at the center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.
Adult soccer continues
With three regular-season games remaining in the center’s adult soccer league, Sato Real Estate continues its quest for an unbeaten season and league-best 5-0 record. Island Pest Control is on their heels with a 4-1 record, while Ross Built and Slim’s Place are tied for third at 3-2. Mason Martin and Progressive Cabinetry follow with matching 2-2-1 records, while Beach to Bay Consruction and Island Time are both still in search of a first victory.
Action Oct. 29 got started with a 6-6 tie between Progressive Cabinetry and Mason Martin. High-scoring Anthony Barberio was held to “only” four goals, while Kim Dean and Scott Eason each added one goal. Nate Talucci made 11 saves and Blair Scholossberg added one assist.
Austin Wash paced Mason Martin with three goals, while Danny Anderson added a goal and an assist. Jeff Walker and Adriana Gantz scored one goal each, while Frank Agnelli made nine saves in the tie.
Lexi Braxton had four goals and an assist and Josh Sato had two goals and an assist to lead Island Pest Control to an 8-2 victory over Beach to Bay Construction. James Lynch scored two goals to complete the scoring for Island Pest Control, which also received five saves from Nick Sato and three saves from brother Ben Sato in the victory.
Rico Beissert and Bing Robinson scored one goal each to lead Beach to Bay, which also received 15 saves from Shawn Kaleta in the loss.
Sato Real Estate polished its winning season with a 4-2 victory over Ross Built in the third game of the evening. BJ Grant had a goal and an assist to lead Sato, which also received single goals from Matt Kretzman, Kris Yavalar and Cory Wash in the victory. Goalie Jason Sato made nine saves to help preserve the victory.
Eric Pullen and Chris Circharo scored a goal each to lead Ross Built, which received six saves from Richard Fosmore in the loss.
The last game of the evening saw Slim’s Place ease past Island Time by a 4-2 score behind two goals and an assist from Jeff Gonzalez. Matt Plummer and Darin Wash each scored one goal to complete the scoring in the victory.
Tim Tedesco and Kyle Parsons scored a goal each to lead Island Time in the loss.
Adult basketball season winds down
With two weeks to go in regular play for the adult basketball season at the center, the standings are pretty tight. LaPensee Plumbing and Gator Man Pools are both 3-1 with West Coast Air Conditioning only a game back with a 2-2 record. Miller Electric is still in search of its first victory with an 0-4 record.
Gator Man Pools rolled to a 78-37 victory over LaPensee Plumbing to earn an important tiebreaker during Oct. 27 basketball action at the center. Aaron Dudukes poured in 36 points to lead Gator Man Pools, which also received 15 points from Dale Smith, 11 points from Joe Combs and 10 points from Scott Elisio in the victory.
Shawn Hubbard scored 14 points to lead LaPensee, which also received 12 points from Jordan Demers in the loss.
WCAC blew out Miller Electric by a 75-44 score in the second game of the night behind a game-high 23 points from Mindavgus Pakstas. Joe Bazzo added 15 points and John Tsakiri fnished with 11 points to lead West Coast in the rout.
Miller Electric, which played with only four players, was led by Jason Mickan’s 22 points and 12 points from Derrick Gargett in the loss.
Horseshoe news
Two teams emerged from pool play and advanced to the championship match in Oct. 28 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall horseshoe pits. Bob Palmer emphatically ended the match with a double ringer as he and partner Norm Langland earned a dominating 25-7 victory over walker Neil Hennessey.
Palmer found himself back in the winner’s circle on Halloween when he and partner Gene Bobeldyk rode an 18-point scoring streak to cruise past walker Hank Huyghe by a 21-10 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. followed by random team selection.
There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.