Halfway heroics

Half time in football is a big deal, and so is the halfway point in the season. Midway through the Anna Maria Island Community Center’s winter NFL Flag Football season, the divisional rivalries are starting to take shape.

The regular season games are important. Each team plays the same amount of games to determine which will be the divisional champions at the awards ceremony. These standings also determine the seeding for the end of the year playoffs on the road to the Community Center’s Super Bowl championships.

In the 8 to 10 year old division, the Beach Bistro Buccaneers and the Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings remain unbeaten. They will play each other this Friday night in a battle of the undefeated.

The Beach Bistro team is led by the strong quarterback play of Chris Snyder and standout teammates David Daigle and brothers German and Javier Rivera.

The Tyler’s Ice Cream team is led by experience and leadership of Ava Alderson, Tuna McCracken and the quarterback play of Thomas Heckler.

In the 11-to-13-year-old division, there are also two undefeated teams on top of the leader board. The LPAC Cardinals and the Beach to Bay Buccaneers. These two teams will not face off against each other until Feb. 17.

The Beach to Bay team is led by the tandem quarterback system of Rutger Langley and Leo Rose with clutch receiving on the other end by Noah Heskin and Morgan Horesh.

The LPAC team is led by experienced quarterback Joey Stewart and speed all around him in Zach Fernandez, Tyler Pearson and Daniel Sentman.

In the 14-to-17-year-old division, there is a three way tie for first and a major battle to the championship brewing between the Galati Yacht Sales Buccaneers, the Mr. Bones Bengals and the Feast restaurant Broncos.

The Galati team is led by a quarterback tandem of Lee Burgeron and Chris Galati. The brother receiving tandem of Andrew and Jake Ross lead the targets.

The Mr. Bones team is led by senior experience with Hunter Parrish. Quarterback Nehemiah Goode and brothers Malachi and Zachariah Goode provide the explosive offense.

The Feast restaurant team is led by another tandem quarterback system with Burke Hill and Cody Tsai. Their supporting team members are speedy receivers Chris Johnson and Joshua Parrish.

The Center’s NFL Flag Football youth division is shaping up to be a tossup of parity. The second half race to the regular season championship and the playoffs is on. What second half heroics will standout? Check back weekly to see how this season all turns out.

Youth 5-7-Year-Old Flag Football Schedule

Feb. 7, Friday, 6 p.m. – Air & Energy Bucs vs. Beaches Real Estate Packers

Feb. 10, Monday, 6 p.m. – Miller Electric Broncos vs. Air & Energy Bucs

Youth 8-10-Year-Old Flag Football Results
Beach Bistro Buccaneers  18
Beach Bums Patriots  14

West Coast Air & Heating Dolphins  31
Manatee Diagnostic Ravens  0

Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings  19
Beach Bums Patriots  14

Beach Bistro Buccaneers  16
DoJo Martial Arts Cowboys  0

Youth 8-10-Year-Old Flag Football Schedule

Feb. 5, Wednesday, 6 p.m. – Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings vs. Manatee Diagnostic Ravens

Feb. 7, Friday, 6 p.m. – LPAC Cardinals vs. West Coast Air & Heating Dolphins

Feb. 7, Friday, 7 p.m. – Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings vs. Beach Bistro Buccaneers

Feb. 10, Monday, 6 p.m. – LPAC Cardinals vs. Manatee Diagnostic Ravens

Youth 11-13-Year-Old Flag Football Results

Bark & Company Realty Ravens  33
Eat Here Redskins  14

Sandbar Colts  46
Will C. Photos Falcons  14

Beach to Bay Bucs  29
Bark & Company Realty Ravens  22

LPAC Cardinals  26
Sandbar Colts  14

Eat Here Redskins  27
Will C. Photos Falcons  20

Youth 11-13-Year-Old Flag Football Schedule

Feb. 7, Friday, 8 p.m. – Bark & Company Realty Ravens vs. Will C. Photos Falcons

Feb. 10, Monday, 7 p.m. – LPAC Cardinals vs. Bark & Company Realty Ravens

Feb. 10, Monday, 8 p.m. – Eat Here Redskins vs. Sandbar Colts

Youth 14-17-Year-Old Flag Football Results

West Coast Surf Shop Jaguars  31
Integrity Sound Lions  7

Swordfish Grill Browns  25
Waterfront restaurant Cowboys  24

Mr. Bones Bengals  33
Galati Yacht Sales Bucs  18

The Feast Broncos  46
The Island Sun Bears  12

Youth 14-17-Year-Old Flag Football Schedule

Feb. 6, Thursday, 6 p.m. – Waterfront restaurant Cowboys vs. Integrity Sound Lions

Feb. 8, Saturday, 9 a.m. – Galati Yacht Sales Bucs vs. West Coast Surf Shop Jaguars

Feb. 8, Saturday, 10 a.m. – Waterfront restaurant Cowboys vs. The Island Sun Bears

Feb. 8, Saturday, 11 a.m. – Integrity Sound Lions vs. Swordfish Grill Browns

Feb. 8, Saturday, 12 p.m. – Mr. Bones Bengals vs. The Feast Broncos

Adult co-ed 18 & Over Flag Football Results

Duffy’s Tavern Seahawks  45
Waterfront restaurant Panthers  14

Agnelli Pool & Spas Giants 37
Beach Bistro Raiders  24

Beach to Bay Dolphins  42
Slim’s Place Bears  39

Adult co-ed 18 & Over Flag Football Schedule

Feb. 5, Wednesday, 7 p.m. – Duffy’s Tavern Seahawks vs. Slim’s Place Bears

Feb. 5, Wednesday, 8 p.m. – Waterfront restaurant Panthers vs. Agnelli Pool & Spas Giants

Feb. 5, Wednesday, 9 p.m. – Beach Bistro Raiders vs. Beach to Bay Dolphins

Adult co-ed 30 & Over Flag Football Results

Island Gourmet Bills – 39
Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings – 19

Ross Built Panthers – 44
Island Real Estate Raiders – 20

Jessie’s Island Store Bucs – 18
Agnelli Pool & Spas Giants – 7

Adult co-ed 30 & Over Flag Football Schedule

Feb. 6, Thursday, 7 p.m. – Agnelli Pool & Spas Giants vs. Island Gourmet Bills

Feb. 6, Thursday, 8 p.m. – Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings vs. Ross Built Panthers

Feb. 6, Thursday, 9 p.m. – Jessie’s Island Store Bucs vs. Island Real Estate Raiders

Adult co-ed Volleyball Standings

TEAM WIN LOSS

Duncan Real Estate 5 1

Florida Discount Signs & Wraps 4 2

Southern Greens 0 6

Healthy food can taste great

As a TV reporter ages ago, I used to get paid the big bucks (ha) getting all sides to a story and doing the research it takes. So this volunteer column is the result of my week’s experiences and what I can write in two to three hours time. I always hope to inspire and prevent needless suffering of humans and animals that occurs way too often.

It is my belief that in our area, it would be a huge financial benefit if we had more vegan restaurants. Really vegan restaurants.

Like the exclusively vegan restaurant Ionie’s in Sarasota. My friend, Carl Lovejoy, is the amazing chef there. Check out restaurants’ Facebook pages or websites to see what they’re serving.

What I love are restaurants that aren’t afraid to say they are vegan in their name. Leafy Greens in St. Petersburg is an example. The first yelp review says, “Very fresh ingredients and the largest dehydrator I've ever seen combine for a menu that is very palatable even to non-vegans. 

Highly recommend the chilled curry soup, spinach salad with berry dressing, Mediterranean pizza and The Real Deal.

Also, the vegan chocolate lava cake is the perfect balance of dates and cacao. This is the way things should be. Healthy food can taste great!”

My problem is that I’ve traveled the country on book tour, and my publisher and others have taken me to the best and outrageously, financially successful vegan restaurants. Karyn’s on Greens in Chicago, The Chicago Diner, Café Gratitude all over California, New York’s Candle 79, San Francisco’s Millenium, Philly’s Vedge are just a sampling of restaurants that are exclusively vegan and even boast it in their titles.

Guess what? All those cities have lots of people, I bet, who travel here and would love an exclusively vegan restaurant option. I for one, would be a regular. Even an exclusively vegetarian restaurant on the Island would be awesome.

Speaking of food, the deadline is approaching to register for my noon Taste of Vegan cooking classes at the Anna Maria Island Community Center on all Thursdays in February. Fresh Market has donated the food. To whet your appetite, here’s what I’ll be demonstrating, and what you get to eat:

Feb. 6: Eating/Staying Fit on $4/Day – Thai no-fry spring rolls, braised collards, stone-broke soup;

Feb. 13: Getting Enough Protein on Just Plants – garbanzo bean salad, tempeh broccoli saute, breakfast scramble;

Feb. 20: Sumptious Salads – easy bean salad, community garden salad, tropical salad;

Feb. 27: Delectable Desserts – chocolate mousse, coconut ice cream, heavenly Island smoothies.

We had a small, but mighty, turnout to brave the cool temps at my free Manatee Public Beach hour-long, mini-workout last week. I start with warm-ups that have kept me injury free, then a walk and or run, depending on group interests, and cool down stretches. Feel free to join us every Monday at 9 a.m. at the Manatee Public Beach playground.

All abilities are welcome. I separate the group if needed. We’re always there as long as the temperature is 50 degrees or warmer. If it’s windy, bring a windbreaker and a towel and water. And I promise never to mention the “v” (vegan) word unless you ask.

I placed first in my age group at the Bradenton YMCA 5K this weekend – the 63rd time placing in a race since 2006. I thought it would be a gentle cross-country course on the county fairgrounds. Instead, it wound through the actual fair itself – heavy lighter fluid, BBQ smoke, people smoking and a fuel truck that blocked the narrow path at one point. But I got to hold my trophy by the Beef-It’s What’s For Dinner sign.

I’ll be attempting the marathon in Celebration next weekend. I’ve been spending way too much time in the chair writing. Sitting is the new smoking you know.

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.