ANNA MARIA – With local spring break closing in, The Center worked the youth flag football schedule to conclude before the Island kids take some time off for the season. Last week’s gridiron action saw the semifinal round games played on March 11 with the championship matchups the following day.
After strong, action-packed games on Monday, four teams faced their opponents in the final youth flag football games of the winter. Number two seed Cheesecake Cuties came out on top in the 8- to 10-year-old league, while the older Moss Builders squad remained number one in their league.
Cheesecake Cuties earned their spot in the big game, defeating team Sato Real Estate 12-6. The younger Moss Builders team beat Adrian Griffin Interiors 33-14 to clinch their place in the championship matchup.
In the 11- to 14-year-old league’s semifinal play, team Moss Builders faced the fourth-ranked Solid Rock Electric. Moss’ win put them on the field against the Solid Rock Air Conditioning team in the age group’s final game. Shady Lady Horticultural Services were out of the playoff race after the 24-13 loss to Solid Rock AC.
The final game of the season for the younger league was a close one. Cheesecake Cutie’s five-point win was the result of two touchdown passes by Sawyer Leibfried. Leibfried found the hands of Andre Harwood and Gunnar Maize.
Harwood was the game’s top flag puller with five defensive stops. His game stats include two receptions and an extra point after a TD.
Maize added a rushing touchdown to his offensive accolades. On defense, Maize nabbed an interception and three flags.
Teammates Wesley Bekkerus, Phoenix Harwood, Henry Leibfried, Simon Messinger and Payton Miller all made strong contributions during the championship game and the season.
Despite the loss, the Moss Builders team fought hard with huge plays and determination.
Quarterback Miles Moss threw for two touchdowns to Braylen Briggs. Briggs finished the game with four catches and three defensive stops.
The points after scores by Briggs were made from catches by Cannon Ott and Kellen Reed. Defensively Ott and Reed had a total of three flag pulls.
Adding to the Moss Builders stats were Owen Mahoney and Owen Serra with three flag pulls by Mahoney and a single for Serra.
The Moss Builders squad had playmakers, like Tristan Boender and Oliver McCallister, who helped get the team to the final game of the league’s season.
Moss Builders’ older team won by 15 points against the Solid Rock Air Conditioning team to capture the winter flag football title.
Miles Moss’s older brother, Mason, led the charge as quarterback for team Moss Builders. Throwing for three TDs, two to Austin Guess and one to Addie Guess, Mason was arguably the most valuable player of the game.
In addition to throwing for 21 points, including three one-point conversions, Moss had an amazing game scoring a rushing touchdown along with three catches. On defense, he made seven flag pulls and grabbed two interceptions.
Moss’s receivers for the extra points were Aiden and Austin Guess along with one by Turner Worth. Rounding out the statistics for the Guess family trio was five overall catches for Addie and three flag pulls made by Aiden.
Austin Guess topped it off with seven total receptions and six defensive stops.
Worth added to the team’s playmaking on defense with six flag pulls and the only sack of the night.
The Moss Builders team showed its depth on the field with big plays by the entire roster last Tuesday night. Ryder Boender had four flag pulls, with teammate Gunner Maize making three stops of his own.
On the other side of the field, the Solid Rock Air Conditioning team played two solid halves of flag football.
Lilian Price made her contributions to Solid Rock Air Conditioning’s success this season. Her teammates worked to keep the championship game against the number one seed close.
Scoring 12 points, Hayden Eurice threw to Isaac Roadman for six points. Carter Eurice took the football into the endzone, scoring six points for the Solid Rock team.
H. Eurice contributed on defense with nine stops in addition to the flag pull by C. Eurice.
Roadman’s contributions on the field were on both sides of the football. Offensively, he caught six passes by H. Eurice. While playing defense, Roadman made two stops and a huge interception.
Also playing D, Van Havell, Obadiah Roadman and Luke Willing all grabbed flags to help contain the Moss Builders offense.
Despite the grand effort, the Solid Rock Air Conditioning squad came up short of the league champions, Moss Builders, to close out another fun-filled season at The Center.
