The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 14 No. 22 - March 26, 2014

sports

The year of the upsets

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

SUBMITTED | AMICC

AMICC 8-to-10-year-old Co-Ed Flag
Football Super Bowl Champions Tyler's Ice Cream Vikings.

The NCAA men’s and women’s basketball end of the year tournament makes national sports headlines every spring. Most sports fans fill out their tournament brackets and follow their favorite teams to the championship.

The excitement of tournament play is elevated when high seeded teams upset lower ranking teams and stun the fans. Everyone likes to root for the underdog and when the upset is huge in sports, we call them Cinderella teams.

The start of the 2014 sports season at the Anna Maria Island Community Center has been no different. Thirty-three teams entered the co-ed NFL Flag Football tournaments in five different divisions. Four out of the five divisions told Cinderella stories of Super Bowl stunners.

The biggest upset of the year so far was in the eight to ten year old division. The last place, sixth seeded, Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings team battled its way through the tournament and defeated the number one seeded powerhouse West Coast Air Conditioning & Heating Dolphins by a score of 31 to 6.

Quarterback Thomas Heckler completed five of eight passes for two touchdowns and also threw an extra-point pass. Tuna McCracken caught two touchdown passes and an extra-point pass. Ava Alderson caught a touchdown pass and her sister Josie Alderson ran for a touchdown. Madelyn Rogers also ran for a touchdown. On defense, Samuel Meddick and Jordon Pasco each had a flag pull and Heckler had an interception.

The second Super Bowl Stunner was in the 30 and Over Co-ed Flag Football League. The Cinderella, Island Real Estate Raiders, team was ranked fifth out of six teams entering the tournament. It knocked off the undefeated number one seeded Island Gourmet Bills team 47 to 46 in the semi-finals. The Raiders then went on and won the Super Bowl championship by a score of 40 to 33 over the number three seeded Ross Built Construction Panthers.

Quarterback Chris Gillum threw for 261 yards and 5 touchdowns and also threw an extra-point and two-point conversion pass. Mike Gillum had 142 receiving yards with 4 touchdowns and a two-point conversion. Jason Vancleve had 91 receiving yards and caught a touchdown and extra-point. Vancleve also threw a touchdown pass. Matt Ray caught 82 receiving yards and the final touchdown pass of the game. Brianna Shaughnessy had a big night on defense recording one sack for a safety and four flag pulls.

In the 14-to-17-year-old league, the number five seeded Integrity Sound Lions team made it all the way to the Super Bowl championship game, but were defeated by the number two ranked Feast Restaurant Broncos team by a score of 35 to 6.

Broncos Quarterback Cody Tsai completed thirteen of nineteen passes for 3 touchdowns and five extra-points. Chris Johnson caught two touchdowns and an extra-point. Burke Hill ran for a touchdown and caught two extra-points. Jerret Tsai ran for a touchdown, caught an extra-point and had four sacks on defense. Joshua Parrish and Toni Spuruto each caught an extra-point.

The only number one seeded team to win the Super Bowl title was the LPAC Cardinals team in the 11-to-13-year-old division. It defeated the number two seeded Sandbar Restaurant Colts team in a thriller 38 to 34.

Quarterback Joey Stewart completed 19 of 26 passes and had three touchdowns and two extra-points. Zach Fernandez accounted for four TD’s when he ran for two touchdowns, caught two touchdowns and had two extra-points. Tyler Pearson ran for a touchdown and caught one for a touchdown. On defense, Heagan Powers had a huge day with six flag pulls and two sacks.

The season will conclude on April 2 with the last Super Bowl game of the season in the 18-year-old and up division. This will again have upsets possibilities when the shocking surprise number four seeded Duffy’s Tavern Eagles team plays the number two seeded Beach to Bay Construction Dolphins team.

Adult co-ed Volleyball Schedule

April. 1, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. – third seed team vs. second seed team - Playoffs

April. 1, Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. – winner of 7:30 game vs. first seed team – Championship Game

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.


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