The majority of organized sports on and around the island, both for youth and adults, were on hold for the holidays.
Merry Christmas to all of our Islander readers and to those who contribute to the weekly sports scene.
Horseshoe news
Dec. 21 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall pits saw three teams advance to the knockout stage. Bob Baker and Tom Skoloda drew the bye into the finals and watched as Bob Rowley eliminated Bob Heiger and Bob Palmer 23-13. Baker and Skoloda won the day’s championship with a 21-11 victory over Rowley.
It was another three-team affair during the Dec. 24 games with the bye going to Lisa Allen and Tom Farrington. Bob Mason and Bob Lee cruised to a 23-6 victory over Skoloda and Steve Doyle to advance to the finals. Mason and Lee eased past Allen and Farrington 23-20 to earn Christmas Eve bragging rights.
Play gets underway at 9 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m., followed by random team selection and competition.
There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.
Key Royale golf news
Golf action at the Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach got started with the men playing their weekly modified-Stableford system match Dec. 19. John Solar and Quentin Talbert tied for first place with matching scores of plus-3. The trio of Ron Huibers, Art McMillan and Ron Vandeman were all a point back in a three-way tie for second place.
The women played their weekly nine-hole individual-low-net match Dec. 20 in two flights. The trio of Nina McSparren, Phyllis Roe and Sue Wheeler each carded even-par 32s for a three-way tie for first place in Flight A. Roxanne Koche was alone in second at 3-over-par 35.
Sue Pierce fired a 3-under-par 29 for the low-net round of the day and a first-place finish in Flight B. Jan Turner and Terry Westby tied for second with 2-over-par 34s.
Members concluded the week of organized golf with a three-person shamble that counts two scores from each group.
First place went to the team of Mike Clements, Don Corrigan and Larry Pippel after they combined on a 4-over-par 68. The threesome of John Cassese, Larry Davis and Art McMillan matched the 5-over-par 69 carded by Bob Blaser, Brian Comer and Nub Turner for a second-place tie.