The Saints take down the Giants

The fog set in at the Anna Maria Island Community Center as the adult flag footballers took the field Wednesday nighTaryn The first game of the evening saw the Saints overtake the Giants in the 18 and over adult co-ed flag football league in an exciting head-to-head match-up.

With Jonathan Moss behind the center as the quarterback for the Saints, they started the game with three successful plays leading to a touchdown. Dustin Swain gained strong rushing yardage taking the team close to a first down. Taryn Morgan caught a pass by Moss and made running yards after the catch before Zach Schield for the Giants finally pulled her flag. Moss found Matt Morgan in the end zone to quickly take the score to 6-0.

With a five play series, quarterback Charles Buky marched the Giants down the field starting with a short gain by Frank Agnelli. Schield cleared the first down line with a catch. He caught a second pass from Buky and was finally stopped by Taryn Morgan just before finding the end zone. Scott Elisio scored the first touchdown for the Giants, tying the score 6-6.

The Saints quickly came back with a quick pass from Moss to Swain. Swain’s quick speed took him all the way to the other end of the field, pulling the Saints ahead once again 12-6.

After the Giants failed to gain any momentum on their next set of downs, the Saints took over and put seven more points on the scoreboard. Moss once again hit Taryn Morgan, who ran the ball to the Giants’ 10-yard line. The next pass was just out of the reach of Matt Morgan. Moss went back to Taryn Morgan with a catch at the one-yard line. Receiver Jesse Skipper was the next target of Moss scoring the next six points for the Saints. Matt Morgan score the point after elevating the score to 19-6.

Buky struck back finding Scott Eason. Evading a sack attempt by Skipper, Buky hit Elisio for another touchdown for the Giants, bringing the game closer. With a missed extra point attempt, the score was 19-12.

The first half became a shoot out between Moss and Buky. In one play, Moss found Matt Morgan deep to add another six points for the Saints. Taryn Morgan scored the extra point. Buky threw to Schield, who advanced the ball just shy of the first down. Elisio’s uncharacteristic missed catch was negated with an Impeding the Rusher call on Agnelli. Elisio made the first down, allowing Buky to throw to Agnelli, who caught the ball and advanced for additional yardage. With Swain on his heels, Buky overthrew his next pass leaving 25.4 seconds left on the clock. With the pressure of the clock and Swain, the Saints’ quarterback quickly threw the ball to Agnelli to score six points for the Giants. Elisio made the extra point, taking the score to 26-19.

The Saints made quick work of the next set of downs before the end of the first half. Moss once again launched the ball the to Matt Morgan, who ended the play just short of the end zone. Matt Morgan found the end zone with the next play, but it was called back with a penalty on quarterback Moss who was past the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball. Eason rushed Moss, scrambling in the backfield before throwing an incomplete pass. With the Saints failing to make good on the amazing field position, the first half ended with the score of 26-19.

The Giants’ offense took the field to start the second half of play. The Buky-Elisio combo made significant yardage on the first play. With the ball placed just shy of the first down line, Eason carried the ball down the middle of the field for the first down. The next three plays would prove to be fruitless for the Giants: Buky was sacked by Skipper, and Buky threw two incomplete passes.

The next three series by the Saints and the Giants would result in no additional points, as the defense for each team dominated the field. Kalia Klemik caught a short pass by Buky, but no one for either team was able to cross the line to score.

As the game was coming to a close, the Saints pulled together one last offensive attack. Moss pitched the ball to Matt Morgan behind the line of scrimmage. Matt Morgan hit his wife Taryn Morgan for a touchdown, adding the last points to the scoreboard. Despite one last effort by the Giants, Buky could not lead his team to the end zone. After three snaps, the game ended with the final score of 32-19.

The regular season for all of the flag football leagues and the adult co-ed football leagues came to an end on Friday, Feb. 27. Playoff action for the youth leagues began on Saturday, Feb. 28. The final destination for each of the leagues is the championship games and all star/pro bowl games, which are all scheduled to be complete by the end of March, making way for Community Center spring sports.

The Sun Scoreboard

February 23: 11- to 13-year-old flag football

Amanda Richards Salon Cowboys 33
Colts 32

Lions 26
Dolphins 32

Saints 6
Bucs 13

February 23: 8- to 10-year-old flag football

Bowes Imaging Lions 12
Bucs 0

February 25: 11- to 13-year-old flag football

Swordfish Grill Seahawks 26
Dolphins52

February 24: 14- to 17-year-old flag football

Keller Williams Realty Bucs 26
Eagles 47

Latitude27Limousine Falcons 49
Island Mail and Moore Ravens 12

Redskins W
LPAC Cardinals (forfeit) L

February 26: 11- to 13-year-old flag football

Saints 37
Swordfish Grill Seahawks 14

February 27: 11- to 13-year-old flag football

Bucs 27
Lions 19

Saints 20
Colts 6

February 28: 8- to 10-year-old flag football

Seahawks 18
Bowes Imaging Lions 6

Bears 15
Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings 12

Anna Maria Island Realty Dolphins6
Future Guardian Insurance Chiefs24

Amanda Richards Salon Cowboys42
Lions 36

February 28: 14- to 17-year-old flag football

Keller Williams Realty Bucs 32
Eagles 39

18 and over adult co-ed flag football

Saints 32
Giants 19

Salty Prints Bengals 32
Slims Place Falcons 48

Sato Real Estate Rams 39
Dolphins 40

Sugar Beach Digital Patriots 19
Colts 26

30 and over adult co-ed flag football
Packers 26
Poppos Chargers 33

Raiders 34
Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings 27

Agnelli Pools and Spas Giants 18
Chiefs 34

Adult co-ed volleyball

Game 1:

Sugar Beach Digital 19
Duncan Real Estate 25

Game 2:

Sugar Beach Digital 19
Duncan Real Estate 25
Match Winner: Duncan Real Estate

Game 1:

Signarama 12
Southern Green 25

Game 2:

Signarama 17
Southern Green 25
Match Winner: Southern Green