Starting in early January and concluding Feb. 28, 32 couples competed in the annual Key Royale Club couples tournament.
Playing a handicap Pinehurst format over 36 holes, the team of Debi Wohlers and Steve Vasbinder combined on a 13-under-par 115 to take first place.
Ann and John Hackinson were alone in second at 10-under-par 118, followed by third-place finishers Ann and Jim Hitchen.
Brenda Solleveld and Tom Solosky won the closest-to-the-pin contest, while the straightest drive was won by Brenda and Peter Solleveld. Clarissa Hill and Nelson Eagle won the longest drive, while Linda Dorsey and Al Pollock won the putting contest.
Regular golf action started Feb. 27 with the men’s weekly modified-Stableford system match. Mike Clements and Buddy Foy shared first place with matching plus-7s. Quentin Talbert and Jack Connor were two points back in a tie for second, while Fred Miller, Ron Pfaff and Larry Solberg tied for third at plus-4.
The women played a nine-hole individual-low-net match Feb. 28 in two flights. Roxanne Koche fired a 1-under-par 31 to take first place in Flight A by a stroke over Phyllis Roe and Brenda Solleveld, who both finished at even-par 32. Margrit Layh and Janna Samuels tied for third at 1-over-par 33.
Flight B saw Lisa Edmonds, Jackie Gorski, Connie Livanos, Kay Neal and Carol Patterson all finish at even-par 32 for a five-way tie for first place.
The week concluded March 2 with a nine-hole scramble that saw the team of Tim Donnar, Jerry Martinek, Ron Pfaff and Joe Tynan combine on a 5-under-par 27 for clubhouse bragging rights. Mike Gillie, Jenny Huibers, Jack Lowry and Mike Riddick were alone in second with a 3-under-par 29.
Horseshoe news
Horseshoe action March 1 at the Anna Maria pits saw two teams emerge from pool play to battle it out for the championship. Tim Sofran and Karl Thomas edged Bob Hawks 22-17 to win the day’s championship.
The AMI Pitchers then honored long-time lead man, the late Ron Pepka, with the 10th annual Ron Pepka Memorial Horseshoe Tournament. The double-elimination tourney saw Tom Skoloda and Adin Shank advance to the finals with a 23-18 victory over Bob Baker and Billy Silver. Skoloda and Shank defeated Bob Mason and Tom Anderton 22-16 for their first loss, setting up a winner-take-all showdown. Skoloda and Shank stayed hot and defeated Mason and Anderson 23-16 to win the day’s proceedings.
Play gets underway at 9 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Anna Maria pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m., followed by random team selection. There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.
Tennis triumph
Mark Malinowski of Perico Island brought home some metal Feb. 25 on winning the 55s division consolation tournament in the Raymond James Super Senior Grand Prix, part of the Larry Turville West Coast Super Senior Circuit and hosted by the St. Petersburg Country Club.
Malinowski defeated Devin Danehy of St. Pete, Javier Espinoza of Tampa and, in the final, Michael Roberts of Vero Beach.
Football playoffs underway at center field
Yes, they’re still playing football at the community center.
First-round playoff action in the adult flag football league at the Center of Anna Maria Island kicked off March 2 with four games.
Things got going with No. 2 Moss Builders blowing past No. 7 Gulf Drive Cafe by a 50-25 score behind seven touchdown passes from Ryan Moss, including two each to Greg Moss and Brandon Rolland.
Steve Pavina threw three touchdown passes and added a pick-six on defense to lead Gulf Drive Cafe, which also received three touchdown receptions from Anthony Mannino in the loss.
Luxury Services showed why its No. 1 in a win over No. 8 Ugly Grouper 96-0 behind 10 touchdown passes from Chase Richardson, including four to Jonathan Soultatos and three to Jasmine Muldoon.
Third seed Solid Rock Construction won a 23-18 victory over Banks Home Lending that saw Dominick Otteni throw three TD passes to Corey Jacques.
Banks team was led by three TD passes from Jeremy Cruz Rodriguez, including one each to Shawn Balvin, Julia King and Anthony McCance.
The last game of the evening saw No. 4 Briley Mortgage eliminate Sandbar Restaurant 39-13, thanks to a pair of rushing TDs and a receiving TD from Matthew Briley. Jonathan Moss added two TD passes and Connor Haughey had a pick six to pace the defense in the victory.
Matt Manger threw two TD passes to lead Sandbar, which also received touchdown grabs from Christian Hampton and Zachary Routh in the loss.
Playoff action continues at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 9, with No. 1 Luxury Services taking on fourth seed Briley Mortgage followed by the No. 2 seed matched up against No. 3 Solid Rock Construction at 8 p.m.
Youth football playoffs underway
The youth flag football league at the center got started Feb. 27 with four quarterfinal matches in the 8-10 division, starting with No. 1 Sato Real Estate cruising past No. 8 SynLawn 47-12 behind two TD passes and a rushing TD from Brandon Sato. Kellen Reed added two rushing TDs for Sato in the victory. Nolan Anderson paced SynLawn with two rushing TDs.
The second game Feb. 27 saw No. 2 Solid Rock Construction roll to a 41-6 victory over No. 7 Cloud Pest Control thanks to four TD passes and a rushing TD from Kyle Mims. Samuel Raulerson added three TD catches, while Turner Worth finished with a rushing and receiving TD.
Elijah Casciani scored on a TD run to put Cloud Pest Control on the scoreboard.
No. 6 Moss Builders 28-24 victory over No. 3 Island Real Estate was the only upset on the night, as Aidan Guess ran for a TD and caught a pair of TDs from quarterback Luke Willing in the victory.
Sawyer Leibfried had three TD passes to lead Island Real Estate, which also received two TD grabs from Steven Sheehan in the loss.
The final game of the night saw No. 4 Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control edge No. 5 AMI Coconuts 27-26 behind four TD passes from Kellen Hunt, including two to Callin Westfall.
Preston LaPensee ran for two scores and threw a TD pass to lead AMI Coconuts, which also received TDs from Kason Davis and Matthew Perkins.
Playoff action in the 11-13 division got started Feb. 28 with No. 1 Pineapple Market Place earning a 39-20 victory over No. 8 Chick-Fil-A behind two rushing and one passing TD from Jack Mattick. Krosby Lamison added two TD catches and Peyton Hovda ran for another score to lead Pineapple Market Place.
TD passes from Ryk Kesten to Joell Figueroa and Renan Kesten paced the Chick-Fil-A offense, while Lucas Signor added a pick-six in the loss.
Third-seed Moss Builders cruised to a 39-18 victory over No. 6 Intentional Resilient Intuitive in the second game thanks to two rushing and two passing TDs from Mason Moss and two rushing TDs from Estella Long.
Charlie Neri threw a TD pass to Emma Raulerson and Kegan McGlade ran for another score for Intentional Resilient Intuitive.
Next up, No. 2 Solid Rock Construction advanced with a 33-12 victory over No. 6 Sandhoff Construction behind four TD passes from Carter Eurice, including three to Audrey Guess.
Charlie Rogers paced Sandhoff Construction with two TD passes to Colten Shook.
The last game of the night saw No. 4 Shady Lady Horticultural Services take a 20-6 victory over No. 5 Storage Building Company. Caden Quimby connected with Frankie Coleman for three TD passes to lead Shady Lady in the victory.
Landon Snyder threw a TD pass to Mazie Zoller to lead Storage Building in the loss.
Playoff action in both youth divisions was to resume at 6 p.m. March 6 and conclude with championship games March 7, after press time for The Islander.