The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper


Vol. 16 No. 21 - March 23, 2016

sports

Youth flag football: It’s more than just a sport

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

monica simpson | SUN

Team Sugar Beach Digital clinched the 11- to 13-year-old youth
flag football league championship to end the season at The Center.

With the close of another youth flag football season, I think back on all of the years that I have been involved with community center sports, as a parent, coach, player and now reporter. After covering the center flag football games this season for The Sun, I am reminded of the many important and valuable takeaways.

The older players that have played on the island since stepping foot on the small instructional league field have learned the technical part of the sport, learned sportsmanship, learned how to be part of a team, even with strangers, and learned how to be competitors on the field and friends off the field. The role of the volunteer coach is so critical in the teaching and reinforcing of these skills. Without the teaching of these key elements of the game, the coaches are nothing more than adults on the sidelines that make sure the players are not just picking daisies.

This season, the boys and girls who played at the center continued to hone their football and life skills, and the coaches all gave of their time to be there for the Island area youth. Each individual played an important part in making the island the special place we all know and love.

Despite the fact that The center’s many youth sports leagues are recreational they are competitive to those playing. Even on the instructional field where the score is not formally recorded, the players all know who won and who lost. It is just the nature of sports, and nothing we as a society does will change that basic and innate instinct.

The kids that show up to practices and games each week take each game seriously and a number of them have personal goals and achievements for which they strive toward each week. Many of the youth players have been participating in center sports for more than a decade. These kids all know how all-star teams are traditionally chosen. They know the standout players, both for skill and character, will be nominated for end of season awards. At the beginning of each season (or the end of the previous season), many make a personal goal to play at the top of or elevate their game to be nominated for one of the awards.

In reality, the large majority of the players at the center will not make their school’s sports team. An even smaller number will play varsity at the high school level, and a rare few will play in college. The Center is their athletic highlight and the place where great memories will be made both on and off the field, including the end of the season accolades that are part of what has always been part of community center sports.

The last several games in the playoffs of this year’s flag football season revealed all of the realities of youth sports at The Center. Bottom seeded teams defeated higher ranked teams. Players who were not flashy or huge playmakers during the regular season made the difference for their team during the playoffs.

In a blowout game, 11- to 13-year-old league’s Sugar Beach Digital, led by quarterback Nate Costello, took the season championship in the game against Signarama Tuesday, March 15. Signarama, the “Baseball Team” as informally dubbed by their coach during the pre-season team draft, entered the game with confidence after eliminating the regular season champions Team Air & Energy in overtime the night before. First seed Air & Energy defeated Sugar Beach Digital in its head-to-head match up weeks earlier.

The unlikely match-up in the championship game was just another example of how youth sports can always be more than just about the team that has the most skill. The winners, regardless of a team’s record, can be the team with the most heart, the team that bonds on and off the field or the team that makes the most progress in the season.

Sugar Beach Digital started the game with strong momentum that did not wane throughout the 40 minutes of play. In the first play of the game, Jaden Torres took the handoff and ran the ball back with lightning speed for the team’s first touchdown of the game.

Signarama’s defense looked promising on the point after attempt. With strong coverage in the end zone, Costello could not find an open man. The referee counted down seven seconds, and Costello’s failure to launch the ball ended the play leaving the score at 6-0.

On offense, playing without teammate Sam Waterman, Signarama started with an incomplete pass by Mack May. Sugar Beach Digital was called for illegal rush, giving Signarama three attempts to get the football past the midfield mark.

After a bad snap by the center on the first down play and a short yardage gain on second down, May threw the ball finding Trevor Vierra for a first down. With is defensive radar on, Luke Bisio successfully read the play and jumped in front of the intended receiver intercepting the ball. Bisio’s run back after picking off the ball was stopped just short of a touchdown.

Sugar Beach Digital made quick work on the field with a second down touchdown pass from Gavin Johnston to Costello. Bisio added the point after increasing the team’s lead to 13.

QB May could not make anything happen for the Signarama offense with two incomplete passes. May was sacked on third down by Torres turning the ball over to Sugar Beach Digital.

Three possessions, three touchdowns for Sugar Beach Digital. Joey Mannino had a ten-yard gain on first down and this season’s female MVP and newcomer to island sports Alyssa Ely made the first down for her team.

Noah Costello, younger brother of Nate, took the snap and quickly got it to Nate Costello gaining short yardage before having his flag pulled by May. 15 yards from end zone Johnston hit Noah Costello for the touchdown with the extra point from Nate Costello to Johnston advancing the score to 20-0.

Execution errors continued for Signarama. Missed snaps and forced passes because of intense rushing by Sugar Beach Digital forced Signarama to lose possession of the ball with six minutes left in the half.

Sugar Beach Digital continued to show their dominance in the game with a touchdown after three plays including a catch by Johnston and first down catch by Bisio. Nate Costello’s touchdown added six points to the scoreboard. The extra point throw was incomplete due to the strong defensive rush by Fiona Turner-Leathem.

Turner-Leathem was hands down the most valuable player for Signarama in the semi-final game against Air & Energy. Her speed off the line and tenacity the night before resulted in four sacks and many forced passes.

Up by 26 points, the referees instituted the game’s mercy rule. Sugar Beach Digital could no longer rush quarterback May. With less defensive pressure, May continued to throw incomplete passes. With the last minute of the half ticking off the clock, May did not see the open man in corner of the end zone on third down.

The incomplete pass gave Sugar Beach Digital the ball back. Vierra gained rushing yards on the first down play. On second down, playing defense Signarama’s May intercepted the ball. May ran the ball down the field toward the end zone before the quick defense of Sugar Beach Digital caught up with him and pulled May to the ground preventing the Signarama touchdown and ending the half.

Signarama started the second half on offense hopeful to make a strong comeback. The wind was quickly knocked out of the team’s sails with an immediate interception by Nate Costello.

After three unsuccessful plays, Signarama for the first time in the game stopped Sugar Beach Digital from making a first down and scoring.

May, looking for the quick score, threw a bomb down the field straight to Nate Costello, defensive MVP for the season, for another interception. Mannino score the fifth touchdown for Sugar Beach Digital. The extra point pass was batted down by Devin Calderon.

With the score 32-0, and Sugar Beach Digital’s strongest players on the sideline, Signarama connected on two critical passes. Calderon caught a 15-yard pass and Tommy Zinna moved the ball an additional five yards. May hit Vierra for the team’s first touchdown of the game. Signarama successfully converted on the two-point attempt, closing the scoring gap to four touchdowns.

Ensuring all of their players got ample playing time, as they should, Sugar Beach Digital started clock management with 12 minutes left in the game. The Costello brothers found connected with a pass from Noah Costello to Nate for the next two plays.

Receiving their plays from the coach on the sideline, Torres scores the touchdown and point after for Sugar Beach Digital.

After a flag pull by Nate Costello on the first down play for Signarama, he nabbed another interception for the bad May pass, running it back for six more Sugar Beach Digital points. Vierra batted down the extra point pass.

Zinna was the playmaker for Signarama for their next offensive possession, making three receptions including one for the second and final touchdown for Signarama. Missing the extra point, the score was left at 45-14.

Showing good sportsmanship with less than three minutes left on the clock both of the Costellos were sidelined. Signarama continued with defensive pressure, getting another chance to score after Sugar Beach Digital could not gain the first down.

With less than a minute left on the clock, Signarama executed three plays. On the final play of the championship game and Turner-Leathem as center, May handed off to Vierra. Vierra was stopped in his tracks with the final flag pull of the season by Ava Zink. Zink finished a strong season and her time in the 11-to 13-year old league showing why she has been one of the strongest players at the center for years.

Another season done and another championship game played. Lessons learned and skills honed. On to youth soccer where many of the same kids will hit the pitch playing their hearts out for the championship and weekly recognition for their skills, effort and sportsmanship.

Sun Scoreboard
Monday, March 14

11- to 13-year-old league:
Semi-Finals

Signarama 39 (OT)
Air & Energy 33

Tyler’s Ice Cream 12
Sugar Beach Digital 38

Tuesday, March 15

11- to 13-year-old league: Championship

Signarama 14
Sugar Beach Digital 45

Wednesday, March 16

Adult league

#4 Coldwell Banker L (forfeit)
#6 Mason Martin W

#7 Tyler’s Ice Cream 6
#5 Truly Nolen 31

#3 Beach to Bay Construction 7
#2 Moss Builders 19

#1 Beach House Real Estate 21
#3 Beach to Bay Construction 16

 

 


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