Fantastic finish for first

The Sun sports game of the week was a thrilling exclamation point to an outstanding Saturday of flag football action. Nine games were played at the Community Center field on Feb. 18 and almost every contest winner was determined within the final few minutes of the games.

None were more exciting than the last of the day. A fantastic finish for first place in the 13-16 year old division between the Integrity Sound Redskins and the Jessie's Island Store Steelers.

Two plays into the Redskin's first drive, Justin Carder threw a slant pass to Joey Carder, who zigzagged in and out of would-be defenders and ran 38 yards for the touchdown. The extra-point was no good, 6-0.

The rest of the first half was dominated by great defensive play. For the Steelers, Knox Wheelis led in flag pulls with five, Michael Duffman had three and Brad Duffman had two and a sack. For the Redskins, Joey Carder had four pulls and two sacks, Ryan Gilman had three pulls and Joseph Andruzzi had two and an interception.

With only 35 seconds left in the first half, the Steelers got the ball back. On the first play, Michael Duffman hit Nehemiah Goode running a sideline go route that took him 45 yards for the touchdown. The extra-point was no good, 6-6 at the half.

The Redskins struck first in the second half after Joseph Andruzzi intercepted a Steelers pass and returned it to mid-field. On third and goal from the two yard line, Joey Carder threw Andruzzi a touchdown pass. The extra-point was no good, 12-6.

The fired-up Steelers marched right back down the field, and on second and goal from the 13-yard line Michael Duffman passed to Cody Tsai in the endzone for the TD. The two-point conversion was completed when M. Duffman found Knox Wheelis in the middle of the endzone, which gave the Steelers the lead for the first time in the game, 14-12.

On the very next play from scrimmage, the resilient Redskins threw a Joey Carder slant pass to Andruzzi, who took it all the way to the house. The extra-point pass was intercepted by Nehemiah Goode, and the Redskins reclaimed the lead with five minutes to go, 18-14.

The Steelers then stormed back right away. After picking up a much needed first down, Michael Duffman took a handoff and ran 15 yards into the endzone for the TD. The Steelers ran a tricky triple reverse pass that had Cody Tsai throw a two-point conversion to M. Duffman, and the Steelers regain the lead, 22-18 with less than three minutes to play.

The Redskins methodically worked their way down the field and chewed up the clock, but left themselves with a long third down and goal from the 18-yard line with only fifty-one seconds left in the game. They had to score on this play if they were going to win. There are no fourth downs in flag football.

The Redskins took a timeout to discuss their final play. Quarterback Joey Carder threw a desperation high jump-ball pass to his favorite target, Andruzzi, who out-jumped two defenders and hauled in the soon to be game winning grab. The extra-point was good when Andrew Zink caught the pass, 25-22.

The Steelers immediately went into the two-minute offense and found their team in almost the exact situation. With third down and goal from the eleven yard line, and only seven seconds left, they had to score on this play to win. The Steelers called time out to discuss the final play of the game. They used a run pass option play to Michael Duffman.

The Redskins defense dropped everyone into coverage and Duffman's only option was to run. He took off to the endzone, and while off balance and spinning to avoid two defenders, dove into the endzone with the ball crossing the goal-line.

Unfortunately for the Steelers, you cannot dive and the spot of the ball is where the feet are in flag football. The Steelers fell short at the two yard line and the fantastic finish kept the Redskins in first place.

Division III (8-9-year-olds) Results:

Beach Bums Steelers 6
Beach Bistro Vikings 27

Pink & Navy Boutique Cowboys 6
Gettel Toyota Texans 19

Southern Greens Jets 6
Beach Bistro Vikings 18

Waterfront Restaurant Raiders 12
Pink & Navy Boutique Cowboys 20

Beach Bistro Vikings 7
Gettel Toyota Texans 14

Southern Greens Jets 12
Beach Bums Steelers 14

Division II (10-12-year-olds) Results:

Sandbar Restaurant Falcons 12
Eat Here Bears 39

LPAC Cardinals 20
Ross Built Construction Broncos 44

Air & Energy Chargers 27
Sandbar Restaurant Falcons 31

Sand Dollar Steelers 29
Mr. Bones Colts 44

Cedars Tennis Resort Seahawks 26
Eat Here Bears 41

Division I (13-16-year-olds) Results:

Mar Vista Raiders 6
Integrity Sound Redskins 46

Galati Yacht Sales Texans 20
First American Bank Ravens 40

Jessie's Island Store Steelers 24
Mar Vista Raiders 27

Walter & Associates Bears 14
First American Bank Ravens 20

Jessie's Island Store Steelers 22
Integrity Sound Redskins 25

Adult Co-Ed Flag Football League Results:

Fin's Bar Bears 13
Galati Yacht Sales Chargers 32

Waterfront Restaurant Bills 23
Coastal Orthopedic Raiders 25

Banana Cabana Bengals 20
Sato Real Estate Browns 42

Agnelli Pool & Spa Packers 25
Tyler's Ice Cream Vikings 27

The Feast Falcons 32
Duffy's Tavern Ravens 43

Florida Discount Signs 49ers 19
Slim's Place Dolphins 32

Beach to Bay Construction Texans 13
Edgewater Real Estate Broncos 40

To view all the adult leagues individual player stats and team standings go to the Community Center's new sports page at hometeamsonline.com/amicc.

 

There's no magic bullet

Breaking news: Whole Foods is going to start carrying my book. They carry very few. More on that next week.

Meanwhile, I wish I could tell you magic bullets exist. We want one for weight loss, getting off medications, and just feeling energetic. As a personal trainer, and from being a gym rat most of my life, the real magic bullet (drum roll please) is – ta-dah – diet and exercise. OK, what did you think I was going to say? Wink, wink.

My best girl friend who lives in another city, has been fighting lifelong obesity. Debbie, we'll call her, and I have been close since high school.

Debbie often asks me about food and exercise. Like me, she's tried every diet. Her latest fad is the expensive HCG diet. She says she lost 20 pounds in a few weeks. Debbie told me she took hormones every day.

"What kind of hormones," I asked.

"I don't know," she said.

"Are they human, horse or what? Premarin is a hormone replacement therapy often given to menopausal women…do you know?"

I persisted. How could she not ask, I wondered. Premarin is made from horses, hence the root word, mare. The HCG site says they use human pregnancy hormones and restrict you to 500 calories per day. That was tough, Debbie said.

Before I jump on the soapbox, I'll admit I did some unknown hormone-shot weight-loss insanity in college decades ago. Like so many of us who have yo-yoed, that same 25 pounds is so darn stubborn. My last (and I hope it's my last) diet, eating vegan or plant-based has been my magic bullet, combined with an almost daily regimen of running and weight training.

Obesity is linked to cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to avoiding these often very preventable diseases.

Many of you may remember the Sun story about one of my cooking class students who lost 120 pounds in 8 months, never counting calories, never being hungry and loving the food. Eight years later, she is still eating healthy vegan.

I asked Debbie, "How are you going to keep the weight off now that you're off of the hormones?"

"They have a maintenance program," she answered.

Most diets do. And most people, not saying Debbie will be one of them, gain the weight back – sometimes triplefold. Our bodies go into starvation mode and think they must hoard food in our fat cells for the next famine. I keep quiet.

The next day is a fundraiser race for Oscar Scherer State Park. I never register for races in advance now, since my book tour dictates my schedule, and I don't know how I'll feel until race day.

At registration in this gorgeous park I ask volunteers, "Which race has the most senior ladies registered?"

"The 5K," they said.

"I'll do the 10K, then," I said.

I figured my odds would be better. Wrong. I "only" got seventh in my age group. Can't wait till that 60th birthday this year when I'll morph to the youngster in the new age group.

The spectacular trail was a lot of tough, dry sand. The Manasota Track Club did a nice job organizing two back-to-back races.

I was struck by how few kids did the 10K. It was a dark, foggy, humid morning. I'm sure if I were 15 or 20, I would roll over and go back to sleep too.

I felt surprisingly good after the long run. The more I race, the more the belly fat creep stays away. Muscle definition comes back. No magic bullet.

On my way to my car over a bridge, I saw six kayaks bumping into each other on a narrow stream. These folks didn't seem to be enjoying the day as much as the 600 runners had. Whatever floats your boat and gets you out the door.

You can follow Island resident Ellen Jaffe Jones on her Facebook page and keep up with her just released book:,"Eat Vegan on $4 a Day," or her website: www.vegcoach.com. She is also a nationally certified personal trainer and running coach. For training in a gym or private hire, contact Ellen at ejones@vegcoach.com or 941-704-1025.