Competition slims in kids football, horseshoes produce gold
A week ago there were three undefeated teams — one in each age division — in the youth flag football league at The Center of Anna Maria Island.
Running the table is hard to do no matter the age, so going undefeated through five weeks is no small feat, and going unbeaten through a whole season is virtually impossible.
Team Mannino earned three of their five wins by comfortable margins before running into Team Cuva Feb. 19. Cuva put an end to the Mannino winning streak with a 46-40 victory in the league’s 14-17 division. Team Mannino remains in first place with a 5-1 record, while Cuva moves into third place at 2-4. Second place LPAC improved to 4-2 after defeating Team Snyder 26-12, which fell to 1-5 on the season.
Sugar Beach Digital had five wins in a row by an average margin of victory of 25 points. The score looked the same during Sugar’s Feb. 16 game, but the team ended up on the wrong side of a 39-6 loss to Air & Energy. The result put Sugar and A&E even for second place at 4-1.
Meanwhile, the Feast, 19-16 winners over Truly Nolan, improved to 5-1 and moved into sole possession of first place, leaving Truly Nolan at 2-3 on the season. LPAC captured its fourth win in a row to move to 4-1 on a win over Progressive Cabinetry, which is still looking for its first victory. Signarama improved to 2-3 thanks to a 25-13 victory over Tyler’s Ice Cream, which dropped Tyler’s to 1-4 on the season in the 14-17 division.
Meanwhile, in the 8-10 division, the younger Tyler’s team improved to 4-2 and a tie for second place Feb. 15 by keeping AMI Vacation Rentals winless after a 29-12 victory. Bark & Co. improved to 4-2 thanks to an 18-7 victory over Beach Bums, dropping them to 4-2. Team Heidi Johnston ReMax also gained a 4-2 record after defeating Miller Electric 37-20 and dropping them to 1-5.
The one team that hasn’t dropped a game yet is LaPensee Plumbing, which rolled to a 29-8 victory over Eason Builders. LaPensee got on the board on its first possession when, after a long, time-consuming drive, Andrew Hyman connected with Jack Proctor on a 1-yard touchdown pass. Hyman then hit Peyton Harlan for the 2-point conversion to give the plumbers an 8-0 lead that would not be relinquished.
Eason Builders got the ball, but a three-and-out gave the ball right back to LaPensee, which wasted no time capitalizing. After a 7-yard run by Brenna Heckler on first down, Dante Tilelli got loose on a 38-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead. Hyman hit Proctor for the 2-point conversion and the route was on.
Eason Builders next offensive possession got off to a promising start after an 8-yard run by Mikey Bowes was followed by an 11-yard run by Byron Law. The drive came to an abrupt end when Proctor came up with an interception on third down, giving the ball back to LaPensee, which ran out the first-half clock.
Eason Builders got the ball to open the second half, but another three-and-out gave the ball back to LaPensee and, again, they wasted no time in taking advantage. On first down, Julian Lazzara swept right and raced 45 yards for a touchdown and a 22-0 lead.
Eason Builders got the ball back and after an incomplete pass on first down, Law got loose on a 45-yard touchdown run and, with Tommy Baugher’s 2-point conversion, pulled them to within 22-8. Eason then held LaPensee to a three-and-out, giving them the ball with 6:06 remaining on the clock and a ray of hope.
But any hope was snuffed by another interception by Proctor that gave LaPensee a first down at the 9-yard line. Thatcher Turner ran it in for a touchdown on first down and, after an extra-point catch by Heckler, LaPensee had an impressive 29-8 victory and remained unbeaten.
Proctor had a great all-around game, finishing with a touchdown reception, a 2-point conversion, three flag pulls and a pair of interceptions. Turner, Lazzara and Tilelli all scored touchdowns, while Hyman had one touchdown pass and Harlan added a 2-point conversion in the victory.
Law scored the lone touchdown for Eason Builders, which also received a 2-point conversion from Baugher and three flag pulls from Bowes in the loss.
Adult flag football plays on
The adult flag football league at the center completed a fourth week of action and Moss Builders are on top of the standings after rolling over Truly Nolen by a 42-24 score.
The loss dropped Truly Nolen to 0-3 on the season, while Moss Builders improved to 3-0. Beach House Real Estate moved into second place after defeating Coldwell Banker 34-28, handing Coldwell its first loss of the season. The decision leaves both teams at 3-1, a game ahead of Beach to Bay Construction, 55-20 winners over Tyler’s Ice Cream, putting Tyler’s 0-4 on the season. Mason Martin won its first game of the season when they rolled past Tyler’s by a 47-8 score.
Horseshoe news
The AMI pitchers had a nice showing in the Gulf Coast Senior games horseshoe competition Feb. 18 at G.T. Bray Park in Bradenton.
The following players won medals in various age groups at the tourney: Bob Palmer, Jay Disbrow and Bob Rowley brought gold medals back to the Island. Dom Livedoti, Herb Puryear, Jim Kleiner and Gene Bobeldyk captured silver medals, while Bill Fox, Steve Hooper and Fred Gelderman earned bronze medals.
Five teams advanced to the knockout stage during Feb. 17 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall horseshoe pits. First round action saw Bob Mason and Bob Palmer eliminate Bob Lee and Bill Fox 21-11, while Hank Huyghe and Steve Hooper advancded with a 21-18 victory over Bob Rowley and Tom Skoloda. Mason-Palmer moved to the finals with a 21-10 win over Rod Bussey and Gene Fehi, and followed that up with a 22-14 win over Huyghe-Hooper to claim the day’s bragging rights.
Two teams advanced to the knockout stage during Feb. 20 action at the pitts. Palmer was back in the thick of it, this time walking his way to the winner’s circle by defeating Gene Bobeldyk and Tim Sofran by a 23-14 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. followed by random team selection. There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.
Key Royale golf news
The Key Royale Club men had a busy day on the golf course Feb. 15. The morning started with a nine-hole, individual-low-net match that saw Bob Reid fire a 6-under-par 26 to earn a one-shot victory. Vince Mercadante was one shot back in second place, while Bruce Allan took third with a 4-under-par 28.
Later in the day, Bill MacMillan and Wayne Patterson both carded plus-5s to take first place in a modified-Stableford System match.
The team of Tom McDonnell, Dan Richardson, Dave Richardson and Gary Risner carded a plus-3 for the best team round of the day.
The women took to the course Feb. 16 for a member/guest scramble at the club. Seventy-two golfers turned out at the behest of event chair Barbara Estok and her committee.
The team of Debi Wohlers, Joanne Roberts, Lori Waggoner and Joy Detra combined on a 3-under-par 29 gross score to take first place.
Estok, Cathy Rice, Carol Peterson and Jeanette Pappas took second with an even-par 32 after a tiebreaker. The same tiebreaker separated third-place finishers Marilyn Niewjik, Marie Cote, Jan Turner and Debbie Milder from the team of Marcia Helgeson, Carol Duncan, Brenda Solleveld and Diane Milller, who all finished at even-par 32.
Other competitions saw Erica Bayer named best dressed and Mary Lou Dreier grabbing a closest-to-the-pin prize. Wohlers won longest drive, while Marie Cote and Lori Waggoner finished first and second in the putting contest.
The men were back on the course Feb. 18 for a team scramble that saw Jack Isherwood, Hoyt Miller, Rich Papini and Gary Razzi take first place on a combined 5-under-par 27.