Super winner: LaPensee Plumbing runs the table
LaPensee Plumbing is the undefeated champ.
The team took on Bark & Co. Realty March 12 to win the Super Bowl matchup 25-6 in The Center of Anna Maria Island flag football league’s 8-10 division.
Bark & Co. received the ball to start the game and things got off to a promising start when a 3-yard run by Billy Jackson was followed by a 28-yard catch and run from Anthony Nguyen to Jackson.
Lincoln Sauls gained 3 yards on first down, but Jackson was intercepted by Andrew Hyman on second down, giving the ball to LaPensee Plumbing.
LaPensee’s first possession also got off to a promising start, as Dante Tillelli ripped off a 22-yard run on first down, followed by a 5-yard run. With only 7 yards to go for a touchdown, things looked good for the plumbers, but Jackson broke up Hyman’s first pass attempt into the end zone and his second attempt fell incomplete.
Bark & Co. was held to a three-and-out on its next possession, giving LaPensee the turnover. On first down, Julian Lazzara gained 8 yards on a sweep before Peyton Harlan exploded around the corner for a 37-yard touchdown run and a 6-0 lead.
Bark & Co. came back and put together a six-play drive that included runs of 8 and 7 yards by Nguyen and a 7-yard pass from Nguyen to Jackson. Facing first and goal from the 18-yard line, Will Wright was stopped by Tilleli for no gain, which was followed by an incomplete pass. On third down, Nguyen hit Jackson in the flat, but he was stopped by Jack Proctor after a 12-yard gain, giving the ball back to LaPensee.
Tilelli gained 9 yards on first-down counter play before Harlan got loose on a fake reverse around the right side for a 36-yard touchdown run and a 12-0 lead.
LaPensee got the ball to open the second half and wasted no time adding to its lead. Lazzara ran two sweeps for 3 and 37 yards on first and second down, giving them a first-and-goal at the 5-yard line. Hyman connected with Harlan in the corner of the endzone for a 5-yard touchdown pass and, after his extra-point pass to Proctor, a 19-0 lead they would not relinquish.
The teams traded three-and outs before Bark finally put together a scoring drive. Jackson gained 8 yards on first down and, after a penalty, got another first down. Jackson connected with Nguyen for 10 yards on first down before finding Proctor for a 26-yard catch-and-run on second down. Jackson then connected with Alex Ortiz for a 2-yard touchdown pass to pull to within 19-6 with 4 minutes left to play.
LaPensee Plumbing quickly extinguished any hope of a Bark comeback on next possession. Harlan gained 10 yards on a first-down run and Tilelli gained 3 on second down. Facing third-and-seven, Tilelli ripped off a 33-yard touchdown run on a delayed hand off to formally crown LaPensee Plumbing as the 8-10 Super Bowl champs.
Other members of the champion LaPensee team are Ashlyn Korey, Thatcher Turner and Brenna Heckler.
In other football action March 12 at the center, LPAC defeated Team Mannino 34-20 to win the 14-17 division Super Bowl behind five touchdown passes from Bathe Thiam, including two each to Tyler Pearson and Jacob Keister. Keister also added an extra point, while Cody Tsai added an extra point and a sack. Other LPAC team members are Jared Richardson, Hagen Powers, Leo Tilelli and Austin Morrow.
Jaret Rojas led Team Mannino in the loss with three touchdown passes to receivers Chris Johnson, Lane Burnett and Jacob Wise.
The 11-13 division saw four quarterfinal match ups, starting with top-seed Sugar Beach Digital taking on Truly Nolen, ending with solid 33-21 victory to advance Sugar Beach to the March 14 semifinals.
Nate Costello led the way for Sugar Beach with two touchdown passes and a touchdown run, while Gavin Johnston added a touchdown pass and a TD reception. Jaden Torres finished with two touchdown receptions, while Luke Bisio added a touchdown reception. Noah Costello logged a touchdown pass in the victory.
Blake Balais paced the Truly Nolen offense with three touchdown passes to Matthew Wood, Bryson Higgins and Caleb O’Connor in the loss.
The second quarterfinal match saw No. 2 Air & Energy roll to a 41-19 victory over Progressive Cabinetry behind five touchdown passes from Tuna McCracken. Three went to David Daigle, while Morgan Horesh added a pair of touchdown receptions and an extra point. Tyler Brewer completed the Air & Energy scoring with a touchdown run.
Sylas Banyas had two touchdown passes and Brandon Yost added one touchdown pass to lead Progressive, which also received two touchdown receptions from Jasper Turner and one from Riley Baugh in the loss.
Thomas Heckler threw four touchdown passes to lead sixth-seed Tyler’s Ice Cream to a come-from-behind 33-14 victory over The Feast, the 11-13 No. 3 seed. Connor Ludwig had three touchdown receptions, while John McCauley added a touchdown passm a touchdown reception and chipped in an extra point. Evan Christianson completed a touchdown reception.
Dalton Guthrie threw two touchdown passes to lead The Feast, which received a touchdown and an extra point from Ozzy Lonzo and a touchdown reception from Nate Hyman in the loss.
The final 1-13 division quarterfinal game of the night saw another come-from-behind upset victory from Sign-a-Rama, rallying to an 18-14 victory over LPAC — aided by a tipped pass from Mack May that fell into the hands of Devin Calderon and resulted in a 45-yard game-winning touchdown play.
May finished with three touchdown passes to lead Sign-a-Rama, which also received two touchdown receptions from Trevor Vierra in the victory.
LPAC received touchdown passes from Cole Pearson and Colby Petrin, while Parker Story had a touchdown reception and a 2-point conversion. Cired Cablish chipped in a touchdown reception and an extra point.
Semifinal action continues March 14 at 6 p.m. with the winners advancing to the Super Bowl. That game will kick off at 7 p.m. March 15, after press time for The Islander.
Horseshoe news
Only two of the 18 teams that started play advanced from pool play during March 9 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall horseshoe pits.
The team of Hank Huyghe and Bob Lee defeated Myles Macleod and Bob Palmer 22-17 to earn the day’s bragging rights.
March 12 action saw four teams advance to the knockout stage. The team of Dom Livedoti and Adin Shank advanced to the finals after taking out Bob Lee and Jerry Disbrow 21-8, while Steve Doyle and Bob Palmer advanced on the strength of a 21-14 victory over Hank Huyghe and Jay Disbrow. Livedoti-Shank rolled to an easy 21-8 victory over Doyle-Palmer in the finals.
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 played a pair of golf matches March 7, starting with a morning two-best-balls-of-foursome match. The team of Jim Helgeson, Tom Lewis, Vince Mercadante and Gino DiClemente combined on a 14-under-par 50 to take first place.
Later in the day, the men were back on the course for a nine-hole modified-Stableford System match. Jim Stewart carded a plus-7 for the top individual score.
John Cassese, Peter Lund, Ken Ricketts and Jim Watt won the team competition with a combined score of plus-5.
The men played a nine-hole, team scramble March 10. The team of Gary Risner, Al Carr, Art McMillan and Merritt Fineout combined on a 7-under-par 25 to grab – bragging rights. The team of Tom McDonald, Mike Brakefield, Dave Richardson and Dale Hudson were alone in second with a 4-under-par 28.