The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper


Vol. 16 No. 18 - March 2, 2016

sports

Team Air & Energy heats up the field

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

MONICA SIMPSON | SUN

Lexi Ludwig meets the defensive challenge of her brother
Conner Ludwig for Tyler’s Ice Cream.

In the seventh week of the youth flag football season, the 11-to 13-year-old league played in the cool island winter air on Tuesday, Feb. 23. Tyler’s Ice Cream with one win under its belt faced Air & Energy.

Wearing their traditional purple jerseys, Tyler’s Ice Cream players started the game on offense. The first pass attempt to Ava Alderson went through her hands for an incomplete pass. Quarterback Alex McCauley took the snap from Alderson. Hoping to advance the football down the field, McCauley aimed for receiver Evan Christenson, but could not connect.

On the third down attempt, Tyler’s Andrew Zoller scrambled behind the line of scrimmage being intensely chased by Air & Energy’s Tuna McCracken. Despite the fact that the quarterback managed to get the throw off, the defensive pressure forced the pass into a mass of players that was batted down by an Air & Energy defender.

With David Daigle as the center, McCracken lead his team as the QB. On a quick handoff to Morgan “Goose” Horesh, Air and Energy went with the reverse handoff to Tyler Brewer. Brewer took off down the sideline before being forced out of bounds by a fast defense secondary after gaining 15 yards.

Horesh took the snap and handed the football off to Daigle. Giving him the opportunity to run or throw the ball, Daigle gave the ball to McCracken behind the line of scrimmage. McCracken executed a short pass to Horesh, gaining short yardage before a critical flag pull by Thomas Heckler for Tyler’s Ice Cream.

In the pass only zone 5 yards from the end zone, McCracken could not elude the quickness and agility of Christenson. Christenson sacked the QB stopping the play and preventing the touchdown.

Taking over on downs, Tyler’s Ice Cream took over on offense. McCauley threw to Zoller for a 5-yard gain before the flag pull by McCracken. Tyler’s quarterback looked down field and hit the hands of Alderson for the first first down of the game. The strength of the girls showed when Maddy Rogers caught a bullet from McCauley for a 10-yard advancement down the field.

The second down pass was incomplete to Rogers forcing another third down play. McCauley called on the passing ability of Heckler getting him the football behind the line of scrimmage. Throwing under the defensive pressure of long-time friend Daigle, Heckler’s pass was incomplete to Rogers.

Keeping the Tyler’s Ice Cream defense guessing, McCracken handed the ball off to Horesh. Horesh faked the reverse to Brewer, keeping the football for short rushing yards. Air & Energy’s second down play was a short pass to Daigle, who was immediately stopped by the impressive flag pull by Zoller. Showing calm under the continued pressure of the Tyler’s rushers, McCracken threw a short pass to Daigle just over the mid-field line for the first down.

McCracken took the hand off for a long run. With Christenson as rusher, McCracken scrambled patiently waiting for a receiver to get open. Air & Energy’s experienced quarterback evaded the sack with a desperate thrown into the end zone. Horesh nabbed the catch with a stretched out catch for the first touchdown of the game. The extra point attempt was good pushing Air & Energy to a seven point lead.

Air & Energy played without their starting rusher, Jeremiah Sculco. Horesh took over in Sculco’s absence, rushing McCauley causing him to overthrow the Tyler’s Ice Cream receivers. The second down play was a completed throw to Christenson, who has proven to be a reliable go-to player for his team. The flag pull by Brewer stopped the play, forcing a third down play.

Horesh’s relentless pressure on Tyler’s QB quickly launched the ball that was batted down by Horesh ending the offensive possession.

Most siblings in the same sports league find themselves playing for the same team. In a unique opportunity, the spectators had the rare treat of seeing brother and sister on the opposite sides of the field. Lexi Ludwig, a strong offensive threat for Air & Energy, matched up against her brother Conner Ludwig, the versatile player for Tyler’s Ice Cream.

On her first offensive pay L. Ludwig mad a quick catch and had the run to gain 10 yards. In a clutch decision, Air & Energy’s quarterback threw a bomb with big catch to Daigle for touchdown taking the score to 13-0. The point after catch by Daigle was good increasing the team’s lead to 14.

McCauley, the strong quarterback for Tyler’s Ice Cream, resumed his position moving his offense down the field with a reception by Heckler. Daigle grabbed the flag for Air & Energy. The wheels of Horesh got him quickly to McCauley causing the sack.

In the third down scenario, McCauley threw an interception to Air & Energy’s Horesh, who read the play and found himself in the perfect position. Heckler’s key flag pull stopped the defensive touchdown.

McCracken caught the first down pass before the flag pull by C. Ludwig. McCracken, hoping to throw a touchdown pass, threw the ball directly to Tyler’s Ice Cream’s quarterback. McCauley ran the interception back all the way down the field for a touchdown. Tyler’s extra point attempt was an incomplete pass, leaving the score at 14-6.

With only 22 seconds left on the clock for the first half, Brewer had a long run for Air & Energy. McCauley was credited with the defensive stop.

Nine seconds ticked off the clock on the first down play. Using another eight seconds, Daigle received the ball for a first down catch. Despite a completed pass to Horesh, the time on the clock ran out ending the half.

Air & Energy started the second half of play on offense. Accurately reading the play, Christenson rushed the line to stopped the reverse from Horesh to Brewer causing the loss of yardage. In a strong defensive attempt, Tyler’s Ice Cream’s rusher knocked the football out of the hand of the McCracken. The defensive penalty gave Air & Energy a first down.

On a quick dump pass to Horesh, the offense took the football just short of the midfield line into the pass only zone. McCracken connected with Daigle again in the end zone with a long pass, moving the score to 20-6. The point after attempt failed.

Air & Energy went back on defense. Brewer’s cousin Travis Bates held strong on the front line while Rogers caught the pass by McCauley for a nice gain. Tyler’s Ice Cream moved down the field another 20 yards with a nice catch by Christenson.

McCauley found Zoller for a reception to have his flag pulled immediately by McCracken. Tyler’s QB’s next pass was just of the head of Rogers. Daigle’s strong defense for Air & Energy caused the third down incomplete pass.

The first down play for Air & Energy was another reception by Horesh. The reverse play from Brewer to Daigle was no surprise to Tyler’s defense, but Daigle was able to make a quick cut up the middle of the field for extra yardage.

On another reverse play, Daigle threw short to Horesh for an incomplete pass, giving the ball back to Tyler’s Ice Cream.

Air & Energy continued to use the defensive speed of Horesh. Instead of going for the quarterback’s flags, Horesh unsuccessfully attempted to knock the pass to the ground. The defensive pressure did cause the incomplete pass. The second down play was a quick pitch back to Heckler whose throw was just short of the receiver.

McCauley’s throw was intercepted by Brewer with strong defensive pressure by Bates for Air & Energy. Back on offense McCracken pitched the football back to L. Ludwig, who could not find an open receiver, throwing an incomplete pass.

Faking the pitch back to L. Ludwig, the Air & Energy quarterback threw a short dump pass to Horesh advancing the offense to the three-yard line.

With an excellent defensive read, Christenson got his second sack of the game giving Tyler’s Ice Cream the ball. Taking over offensively with four minutes left in the clock, McCauley threw a short pass to Zoller. Zoller was the chosen receiver of McCauley on the second down play. The QB’s throw was just short. Looking for Zoller for the third time in the series, McCauley’s pass was complete just short of the first down. The defensive pressure and flag pull by Daigle gave the ball back to Air & Energy.

McCracken’s first down throw was caught by Brewer, who ran it after the catch into the pass only zone. In the much-anticipated match up, L. Ludwig caught the football and ran down the field toward the end zone. With only one defender to beat, her brother C. Ludwig, Air & Energy was denied the touchdown with the defensive flag pull.

Just shy of the end zone and with the clock ticking, Horesh caught the third catch. The scoreboard showed 11 seconds left in the game. Being chased again by Christenson, L. Ludwig caught the ball in the corner of the end zone, giving her the touchdown and taking the score to 26-6. The extra point play was an incomplete pass.

McCauley continued to lead the Tyler’s Ice Cream team with 4.5 seconds left in the game. Adding positive statistics to the record, Zoller completed the long yardage play. Air & Energy’s Brewer stopped the play and brought the game to an end with the flag pull.

Air & Energy’s win moved its record to 4-1, with the single loss to LPAC early in the season.

Sun Scoreboard

Monday, Feb. 22

8-to 10-year-old league

Bark and Company 27 (5-2)
Heidi Johnston ReMax 21 (4-3)

Tyler’s Ice Cream 25 (5-2)
Beach Bums 12 (4-3)

Eason Builders Group 30 (2-5)
Miller Electric 6 (1-6)

Tuesday, Feb. 23

11-to 13-year-old league

LPAC 42 (5-1)
West Coast A/C& Heating, Inc. 20 (1-5)

Sugar Beach Digital 20 (6-1)
The Feast 14 (5-2)

Signarama 12 (3-3)
Truly Nolan Pest Control 6 (2-4)

Air & Energy 26 (4-1)
Tyler’s Ice Cream 6 (1-5)

Wednesday, Feb. 24

Adult league

Moss Builders 32 (4-0)
Mason Martin 7 (2-3)

Mason Martin 18
Beach to Bay Construction 9 (2-2)

Beach House Real Estate 27 (4-1)
Tyler’s Ice Cream 6 (0-5)

Truly Nolen 22 (0-4)
Coldwell Banker 54 (4-1)

Friday, Feb. 26

8-to 10-year-old league

AMI Vacation Rentals 0 (0-6)
LaPensee Plumbing and Pools 15 (7-0)

14-to 17-year-old league

Team Snyder 12 (1-6)
Team Cuva 40 (3-4)

LPAC 28 (5-2)
Team Mannino 21 (5-2)


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