ANNA MARIA – As the first official day of summer approaches, the heat of the Island evenings pushes The Center’s youth sports activities inside with indoor soccer’s kickoff games last week. Thursday night started the adult co-ed recreational summer flag football action on the big field with competitive action once again.
Because of ties and forfeits, only one team in each of the youth indoor leagues came out victorious at the end of their games. Teams Solid Rock Construction and Island Vacation Properties won in their respective leagues.
In 8- to 10-year-old league play, Solid Rock Construction hit the gymnasium floor against team Progressive Cabinetry. Strong goal-scoring by the Solid Rock squad gave them the win with the final score 6-4.
Scoring for Solid Rock, Matthew Darak made four goals. Teammate Holden put two points on the scoreboard. At the net, Isaac Roadman protected the goal with skill making five saves in the team’s win week one.
Max McMaster scored the two goals for Progressive Cabinetry, while Vincent Gollamundi miraculously made 15 big stops in the game as goalie for his team.
Island Vacation Properties was the lone victor in the 11- to 13-year-old league due to a forfeit by team Moss Builders.
Indoor soccer action between team Coastline West Team – Wagner Realty and Solid Rock Construction ended in a 3-3 tie. With 11 saves by Austin Guess for Solid Rock, the team held its own against the Coastline West squad thanks to three goals by Wes Saxon.
Coastline’s goals came off the boots of David Zupa with two goals and Grady Sandhoff with a solo goal. Making eight amazing saves, the Coastline West Team’s goalie, Blake Brower, helped his team hold on to the tie, giving each team one point in the season.
After four adult flag football games, four teams came out on top finishing the week with 1-0-0 records. Teams Luxury Services, Moss Builders, Sandbar Seafood & Spirits and Solid Rock Construction each took home a win.
Starting off the season, Salty Printing matched up with last season’s big winners, team Luxury Services. With a slightly different lineup, the Luxury team easily won their first game 35-12. Tim Holly topped the men’s flag-pulling for the week with eight snags.
In another high-scoring game and aerial assault, Moss Builders scored 45 points against the Gulf Drive Café defense. The Gulf Drive team managed to put up 26 points on the scoreboard in their first loss last Thursday night.
Defense was the name of the game in the third game of the adult flag football season with the Solid Rock Construction team winning against team Cortez Deep Sea Fishing 14-7. Evelyn Long made seven amazing stops with flag pulls for the Solid Rock team, just short of Holly.
Ending the night with the closest game of the week, Sandbar Seafood & Spirits barely earned the win against The Banks Home Lending Team. Winning by two points, the Sandbar team came out on top with the final score 28-26.
Playing toward the championship games in August, 16 teams, three leagues, two sports compete at The Center all summer.
ANNA MARIA – The beauty of the Island as a community is the strong sense of volunteerism and giving back. Three young men who grew up in the Island community exemplified the best qualities that locals know and love, coaching 8- to 10-year-old team Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control to ultimate season victory last Tuesday night at The Center.
Head Coach Tyler Brewer, along with assistant coaches Charles “Tuna” McCracken and Javier Rivera, skillfully and compassionately coached 11 little soccer players, getting them through the regular season and first round of playoffs. The three coaches also helped their players in gaining confidence with each game.
With all skill levels on the team, the three graduates of Anna Maria Elementary School and lifelong friends found the strengths of each player and worked with them to hone their personal soccer skills. Ultimately, the individual players came together as a unified team by the end of the regular season.
After amazing semifinal action last Monday night with the top two teams being on the losing side of the stat sheet, teams Cheesecake Cutie and Sato Real Estate sat out during the big championship game last week.
Despite the shutout, the Island Real Estate team, led by the experienced soccer skills of Keith Mahoney, fought hard during all 40 minutes of regulation play. Miles Moss, goalkeeper for Island Real Estate, had 10 amazing stops in the game.
The determined Westfall squad was just too much for their opponent’s offense and defense. Throughout the season, Landon Chatt, Gabriel Foley, Preston LaPensee, Chandler LaPensee, Owen Mahoney, Kellan Oelfke, Asher Patel, Jordy Perez, Colton Sullivan and Julian Whipple-Anderson, along with Moss, all fought hard and had an amazing season under their coach’s direction and leadership.
On the winning side of the field, Brewer’s players showed up for the game ready to win. Keeper Kason Price had 10 big stops to help secure his team’s victory.
Wesley Bekkerus and Callin Westfall put points on the scoreboard for team Westfall with their solid shots against the Island Real Estate defense. Scoring when it mattered while keeping calm heads under pressure became the key to success for the 8- to 10-year-old champs.
Winning the big game, Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control earned the 8- to 10-year-old league soccer championship title. Top row, left to right, Jordan Tobey, Mia Ross, Assistant Coach Javier Rivera, Kason Price, Jordan Steele, Coach Tyler Brewer, Parker Svoboda, Assistant Coach Charles McCracken, Maggie Niedzwick and Madeline Kimmons. Bottom row, from left, Callin Westfall, Ruby Kesten and Wesley Bekkerus. Polea Vacek is not pictured. – Monica Simpson | Sun
In teen soccer action, the number one seed Gulf Drive Café easily moved on to the final round of the playoffs against Shady Lady Horticultural Services. Also going forward to the final game of the season, HSH Designs took their place by winning against Moss Builders in overtime penalty kicks.
Leaving it all on the field, team HSH Designs just could not make the shots to win the game against team Gulf Drive Café.
The hot foot of Luke Dellenger helped to secure the championship win for his team with a hat trick. Protecting the net, Gulf Drive’s goalkeeper Cyrus Ryan made five important stops. Teammate Kegan McGlade made an additional save.
Opponent goalie Chase Castagna prevented seven goals for HSH Designs. Helping keep the team in pink in the game, Cecelia Kroth scored the lone goal for her team.
Teammates Braelyn Curtis, Sterling Holiday, Riley Karecki, Sophia Kerr, Krosby Lamison, Kirra Quimby, Briahna Robertson, Brittney Robertson and Brett Shortridge all did their part to get the HSH squad to the final game of the season.
In the final game of the spring soccer season at The Center, the adult co-eds played a thrilling game last Thursday night. The rain in the first half could not dampen the high emotions on the field and sidelines.
It was a big win at The Center for team Pool America, taking home the championship cup. Top row, left to right, Eduardo Schlueter, Sam Parker, Lucas Wilson, Jamie Hutchison and Dean Hinterstoisser. Bottom row, from left, Nate Welch, Chris Klotz, Maxim Panchenko and Robb Marshall. Not pictured
After two halves of play, team Pool America topped the Vintage Beach team by one goal.
Team captain Dean Hinterstoisser was prevented from scoring but is credited with an assist. Chris Klotz and Nate Welch made three total goals. Teammate Sam Parker sailed a beautiful shot over the head of the Vintage Beach keeper in the big game, raising the volume of the Pool America team’s and supporting spectators’ cheers.
Pool America’s goalie Robb Marshall did his part to secure the win with seven saves against a strong Vintage Beach offense.
Making the stops for team Vintage Beach, PJ Smargisso stopped eight shots from the team deemed the “Germans” in the season with strong representation from various parts of the country.
Danny Free had the hot foot for Vintage with a hat trick of his own, along with an assist by team captain Joey Hutchinson. The three goals just were not enough.
With the sound of the final whistle, team Pool America captured the Paul “Ace” Hayward Championship Cup to end another season of Center soccer on Anna Maria Island.
ANNA MARIA – The adult co-ed recreational soccer playoff games kicked off last Thursday night at the Island’s community center. After seven weeks of exciting soccer play, eight teams battled it out in four action-packed matches.
To start the night at The Center, first-seed Duncan Real Estate took the field as the team to beat, losing only one game in the regular season. Their opponent, the last-place Moss Builders team, had nothing to lose and a seat in the semifinals to gain with the win.
With friends and family cheering on both sides, the underdogs Moss Builders ended the first half of play with a two-goal lead against the Duncan squad.
The Duncan team struggled to click as a team in the game. Moving the ball down the field was an effort against a motivated Moss Builder defense.
After nearly two halves of play in the heat of the early evening, the game was tied with only minutes left in the game.
Duncan Real Estate goalkeeper, Charles “Tuna” McCracken, uncharacteristically let two soccer balls past him with an absent defense at the end of the game. McCracken finished with seven saves, letting five go.
McCracken’s Moss Builders’ counterpart David Moss had eight big stops to help his team to victory.
The hard strikes of Adam Bujarski and Gerardo Urbiola Bolanos, each with two goals in the quarterfinal game, helped the Moss team advance in the playoffs. Teammate Cemal Duzgun scored a solo goal in the match.
Duzgun and Pedro Gonzalez are credited with assists in the goal scoring for Moss Builders.
Despite the defeat, the Duncan Real Estate team put three points on the scoreboard. Team captain Kevin Roman scored his last two goals of the season and Erica Nielsen had a nice goal for Duncan. The offensive efforts, including assists by Tyler Brewer and Murat Akay, just were not enough to give their team a W.
Moss Builders moves on in the playoffs, facing Pool America at on Thursday night, May 18, at 7 p.m. at The Center. Pool America beat Gulfview Windows & Doors after a tie in regulation play.
After eight PK shots, Pool America came out on top, with goals by Nate Welch, Eduardo Schlueter and Jamie Hutchison. Dean Hinterstoisser, as the third shooter for Pool America, surprisingly missed his shot.
Keith Mahoney, shooting for Gulfview, was the only one of the four shooters for his team to make the shot.
Goalkeepers Mark Long, for Gulfview Windows & Doors, and Pool America’s Robb Marshall, both made critical stops for their teams with six and seven saves, respectively.
In other adult soccer semifinal playoff action, the Sandbar team faces the Vintage Beach squad in the semifinals at 8 p.m. this week. Vintage Beach defeated Sato Real Estate by one goal, while the Solid Rock Construction team lost to Sandbar Seafood & Spirits with a final score of 5-3.
This week in youth soccer, the 8- to 10-year-olds started league playoff action on the small pitch. The 11- to 13-year-old league finished their regular season games on Tuesday and will start playoff play next week.
As the summer heat approaches, spring soccer at The Center starts coming to a close with championship play in the coming weeks.
ANNA MARIA – Week six of youth recreational soccer ended the regular season Monday and Tuesday night, with the fifth-week play helping to set the stage for the playoffs.
Cheesecake Cuties finished the fifth week undefeated in the 8- to 10-year-old league with a one-goal win against Sato Real Estate. The two goals by Gunnar Maize helped the Cuties stay on top, along with the five saves by goalkeeper Sawyer Leibfried.
For Sato Real Estate, currently ranked just under Cheesecake Cuties, Vincent Gollamudi made four nice stops, but his saves and the single goal by Brandon Sato just was not enough for the talented team in purple.
Team Solid Rock Construction, with the same record as the Sato team going into the final week before playoffs, won their game against Island Real Estate with a final score of 4-1. Matthew Darak made all four goals for the Solid Rock team with assists by Luke Willing and Obi Roadman.
Isaac Roadman made two big stops in goal, while Island Real Estate’s Owen Mahoney and Miles Moss had two and six saves respectively. Preston LaPensee scored the single goal for his team.
Nolyn Fetzer, for team AMI Coconuts, fights for possession on the pitch against Westfall Lawn Care & Pest Control’s Maggie Niedzwick last Tuesday night at The Center. – Monica Simpson | Sun
Island Real Estate finished week five under Westfall Lawn Care & Pest Control. The Westfall squad played hard against the AMI Coconuts team, only to finish the game in a 2-2 tie. Wesley Bekkerus scored an early goal for Westfall with a second goal scored by Callin Westfall.
Westfall is also credited with an assist in the first game last Tuesday night. Goalies Kason Price and Jordan Steele made saves that gave their team points for the tie.
On the other side of the soccer ball, TJ Hagey scored team AMI Coconuts both of its points. The Westfall shooters kept Andre Harwood busy protecting his goal, making 15 stops.
In the 11- to 13-year-old league, two games were played with HSH Designs easily defeating Shady Lady Horticultural Services by four goals. Sterling Holiday crashed the Shady Lady defense to score five goals in the game.
Teammate Chase Castagna made seven nice saves against shots by the Shady Lady team. Aubrielle Clarke managed to get one by Castagna for her team’s only goal. Jack Zaccagnino kept his composure despite the arsenal of shots by the HSH offense, keeping four out of the goal.
Number one ranked Gulf Drive Café took their first loss of the season last week against Moss Builders, currently ranked second. Moss Builders goal scorers Colin Bankert, Mason Moss and Callin Westfall helped make the win possible, along with 20 saves by Austin Guess.
Guess’ work came from the Gulf Drive offense shooting every chance the team got. Luke Dellenger is the only Gulf Drive shooter who was able to get one past Guess. In the net for Gulf Drive Café, Cyrus Ryan was put to work by the Moss Builders’ offense, saving 10 shots.
The final adult soccer regular season games were played last Thursday night. Going into the first week of playoffs, Duncan Real Estate finished on top and is slated to play against eighth-ranked Moss Builders on Thursday at 6 p.m.
In the last game to be played at 9 p.m., Sato Real Estate, finishing the regular season play in second position, will face off against seventh-seed Vintage Beach. Ending the regular season in third, the Sandbar team matches up against Solid Rock Construction, sixth seed, at 8 p.m.
The 7 p.m. game has fourth place Gulfview Windows & Doors looking for the win against the fifth-ranked Pool America in order to advance to the semifinals, to be played on May 18.
ANNA MARIA – With the completion of week three of the adult co-ed soccer spring season, team Gulfview Windows & Doors is still in search of their first win. The team fought back on April 13 against Duncan Real Estate with hard-striking goals by Keith Mahoney to tie the ballgame 5-5 in the last minutes of the match-up.
Duncan Real Estate’s team captain, Kevin Roman, started the scoring in the game early in the first half, kicking in his only goal in the game. Despite the single goal, Roman worked the soccer field both on offense and defense, giving his teammates scoring opportunities.
Javier Rivera scored the second goal for Duncan with a shot ricocheting off the left post. The third goal, shot by Nicholas Cavalluzzi, kept the Duncan Real Estate squad in the lead.
Working the field, Mahoney scored a total of four goals in the game for Gulfview Windows & Doors, with a single by Kris Yavalar.
Rounding out the goal-making for Duncan Real Estate, Murat Akay shot the next goal, taking the score to 4-2. Shooting the fifth goal, Akay gave his team a two-point lead, after a Gulfview goal.
Duncan goalie, Charles “Tuna” McCracken, despite his amazing saves, saw his team’s lead diminish as Mahoney scored the tying goal. Finishing the game with 15 saves, McCracken continues to be one of the toughest goalkeepers in the league.
McCracken’s counterpart, Mark Long, made 17 saves in the game, always keeping the Duncan team in the Thursday night battle.
With the tie, team Duncan Real Estate moves into third place along with Sato Real Estate with a 2-1-1 record. The Vintage Beach team tied the Sato squad with four goals each.
Sandbar Seafood & Spirits holds on to the top spot with a win over Pool America by one goal. Solid Rock Construction shares the top spot with the Sandbar team, earning nine points in the season.
Going into the fifth week of play, Moss Builders has a 2-2-0 record after losing to the Solid Rock team.
More than mid-way through the season, the top position is still up for grabs. All eight teams in the league continue to vie for the championship title.
ANNA MARIA – Three weeks into the spring adult co-ed recreational soccer league, the kids hit The Center’s pitches for fun-filled games on April 3.
As the youth sports program continues to grow to historic participation numbers and beyond, the energy at the Island’s community center on kids’ soccer nights is contagious. The two 3- to 4-year-old leagues have 20 little players being taught the game by volunteer coaches Lee Dickson and Emily Bekkerus.
Bekkerus’ team, Emily Moss Design, will face coach Dickson’s Cloud Pest Control squad throughout the season, learning more about soccer each week and growing friendships on the field.
While not keeping score, the focus is on the fun of the game while learning how to perform a throw-in, dribble the soccer ball down the field and make passes to teammates.
Continuing to play without counting the goals, the six teams playing in the 5- to 7-year-old league have over 60 little ballers battling each week on the soccer field while learning skills and getting touches on the ball.
With an emphasis on learning the sport and gaining a love for the game, the six volunteer coaches also teach sportsmanship, respect, integrity and teamwork.
Coach Bekkerus takes on two instructional-level teams this season, leading the second team in the 5- to 7-year-old age group with team MI-BOX. Back again this season, Karri Stephens guides the Beach Bums crew.
Coach David Moss brings his family’s athletic skill to team Blenker Boatworks, while Michael Nick finds time in his schedule to coach the youngest Sandbar-sponsored team this season.
Rounding out the league, Jessica Patel steps up to the plate to coach the Ugly Grouper team as Jesse Griffin continues his time as a volunteer coach to lead the Adrian Griffin Interiors squad this season.
Without volunteer coaches, youth sports would not be possible. The phrase “It takes a village” could not be truer than in community center kids’ activities and recreational sports.
As mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles and family friends take the time to coach the Island kids, the spring youth soccer program is headed toward another successful season at The Center of Anna Maria Island.
ANNA MARIA – Week one of adult co-ed recreational soccer opened up the spring season with an action-packed game between Vintage Beach and Duncan Real Estate.
In the close match-up, both teams showed impressive passing and shooting to start the season, but the shooting efforts of the Vintage Beach squad eked out the 4-3 win in the final seconds of the game.
Starting the game in goal, Danny Free made six saves for the Vintage team before being replaced by designated goalkeeper Mark Rudacille.
Rudacille finished the game with eight stops, while Charles “Tuna” McCracken protected the net for team Duncan Real Estate. Credited with 12 saves, McCracken’s stops helped his team stay in contention for the full 40 minutes of regulation play.
On the scoring side of the game, team captain Kevin Roman scored a single goal. Tyler “Bean” Brewer eluded the Vintage Beach defense and keeper with two goals, keeping his team in the game.
Joey Hutchinson, captain for Vintage Beach, successfully struck twice for two points. Mid-game, Mandy Sky struck hard and accurately at the Duncan net for a goal.
Vintage Beach team member JD Webb’s ball handling and ability to move around the Duncan defense al- lowed him to get past McCracken with a scoring shot.
The offensive assists by Free, Hutchinson and Rudacille helped give the Vintage Beach squad their first win of the season.
To round out the first week of adult soccer play, Pool America handily defeated Moss Builders by seven points, with the final score 10-3.
Solid Rock Construction won by two goals against Sato Real Estate, putting them at the top of the leaderboard along with the Sandbar Seafood & Spirits team.
Finishing the night of soccer at The Center, the Sandbar easily won against Gulfview Windows & Doors. Team Sandbar scored 12 goals in the game, with a nine-point lead over Gulfview.
With six regular-season games to go, the Island’s community center adult soccer league is sure to give spectators and players a fun season of strikes, stops and scoring.
SUN SCOREBOARD
MARCH 23
ADULT CO-ED SOCCER
WEEK 1
Vintage Beach (1-0-0) 4 Duncan Real Estate (0-1-0) 3
Pool America (1-0-0) 10 Moss Builders (0-1-0) 3
Solid Rock Construction (1-0-0) 5 Sato Real Estate (0-1-0) 3
ANNA MARIA – In what was anticipated to be an action-packed championship flag football game last Thursday night, team Luxury Services and the Solid Rock Construction crew gave the spectators a game that did not disappoint.
After a season of lopsided scores, Luxury Services made it clear why they ended the regular season undefeated and on the top of the rankings. Putting up as many as 96 points in a game this season, the squad led by Chase Richardson continued to find his main target, Jonathan Soultatos, in the final game of the adult flag season.
The Richardson-Soultatos duo added 20 points on the scoreboard. Soultatos finished the season with 15 receptions in the championship game against the talented Solid Rock team.
Despite seven precise flag pulls by Charles “Tuna” McCracken, making amazing stops against Soultatos, Solid Rock Construction came up short of the 32-26 win.
Winning the game by just one touchdown, Richardson threw for five TDs including three to Soultatos, as well as singles to Tim Holly and Dustin Tomcho.
Tomcho made three big catches and possibly the game-winning interception on defense to help his team march to victory.
On the other side of the football, QB Dominick Otteni hit his marks with 11 solid catches by Corey Jacques and three by Tyler Brewer. Brewer added two points to the scoreboard with a focused catch in the endzone after a Solid Rock touchdown.
Solid Rock Construction’s Hannah McCracken played a hard final game and made four amazing flag pulls to stop the Luxury Services offense. The efforts of H. McCracken, older sister of Tuna, contributed to the fight that kept her team in it for two halves of play.
Defensively, Travis Bates put the heat on Richardson the entire game as the Solid Rock designated rusher. Putting the pressure on the Luxury QB kept the offensive players on their toes with Richardson’s quick-release passes.
Otteni added to his game stats with a catch thrown by McCracken and a flag pull. Solid Rock teammate Brian Leibfried made big contributions on the field throughout the season to help get the Solid Rock team to the big game.
A flag pull by Jasmine Muldoon added to the strong defensive effort by Luxury Services that earned the team the winter 2023 Center adult flag football championship title.
ANNA MARIA – In an action-packed flag football game, team Pineapple Market Place captured the 11- to 13-year-old league championship against Solid Rock Construction in a close battle last Tuesday night at The Center.
With the 8- to 10-year-old flag football league final game rescheduled due to an event at Anna Maria Elementary School, the top-seed Sato Real Estate squad faced the fourth-ranked Westfall’s Lawn Care and Pest Control last Thursday night.
Sato Real Estate’s 38-7 win against sixth-seed Moss Builders last Monday night earned them their spot in the championship game.
Going into the semifinal game a slight underdog, team Westfall fought their way through two halves of flag football play to win by nine points against Solid Rock.
As the clear favorites, the Sato Real Estate team was shook when their opponents came out onto the field playing to win.
With the much-needed mid-season add-on of Kellen Hunt behind center for Westfall, the Sato team fell behind for the first time in the season with a Westfall touchdown in early play.
In a cleanly physical and exciting game, Sato Real Estate’s Dylan Sato found himself injured and on the bench for several snaps of the football.
Team Westfall continued to play with accuracy and fire, taking advantage of a Sato squad struggling to find its footing in the game.
Self-determined with supportive coaching by volunteer and father Jason Sato, quarterback Brandon Sato lit up the field and ignited the excitement of the sideline with a game-changing interception. B. Sato’s nab of Hunt’s throw gave the Sato Real Estate team the positive play needed to ultimately win the championship.
Finishing the game with five touchdown passes, two defensive flag pulls and two interceptions, including one for six points, B. Sato was the unofficial game MVP.
Big brother D. Sato caught three of his brother’s throws for touchdowns and had a big defensive stop to help win the game.
Teammates Braylen Briggs and Kellen Reed each were the scoring targets for B. Sato, scoring 12 points in receiving touchdowns.
Scoring three total points, Silas DeWitt, Beau DeWitt and Reed all caught for one point conversion after Sato Real Estate TDs.
The remaining team Sato flag pulls came from Reed, B. DeWitt and Briggs. S. DeWitt had three crucial flag pulls to assist his team defensively.
Game-winning and season-making contributions came from Sato Real Estate players Camden Rudacille and Leo Tyler, helping to make the championship win possible.
Despite the loss, Westfall’s players fought hard until the last second of the final youth flag football game of the season played before the adult flag football semifinal games.
Hunt’s touchdown duos in the big game were Ethan Angel, Carter Hey and Callin Westfall, each with a scoring catch for six points. Westfall put four receptions in the stat book.
Angel finished the game with five catches and two flag big flag pulls. Hey made two stops in addition to his TD catch.
Elijah Karabagli and Cody Stockton caught three and two passes for positive yardage for team Westfall, respectively.
Helping the Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control work their way to the championship game, Thadeous Daniels and Ruby Kesten made critical plays throughout the season.
The high-scoring championship game for the older age group was a shootout with 17 total caught passes thrown by Pineapple Market Place quarterbacks, including by Jack Mattick, for a total of 18 points.
8- to 10-year-old flag football league champions, team Sato Real Estate, are, from left, (top row), Braylen Briggs, Camden Rudacille, Kellen Reed and Brandon Sato, (bottom row) Coach Jason Sato, Beau DeWitt, Silas DeWitt, Leo Tyler and Dylan Sato. – Monica Simpson | Sun
The caliber of play on both sides of the football by both teams makes it difficult to determine who would walk away with the most valuable player honors for the season-ending game.
Mattick threw for three TDs, pulled three flags, caught for one interception and one two-point conversion.
Carter Eurice and the offensive team for Solid Rock Construction threw for 16 passes, scoring 24 points.
Despite the in-the-air action, it ultimately was the two rushing touchdowns that may have been the difference for the 11- to 13-year-old league Pineapple Market Place team.
The speedy wheels of Mattick raced the football past his Solid Rock opponents.
The Pineapple scoring receptions came at the hands of Krosby Lamison with two scoring catches. Cyrus Ryan was the receiver for six points in the endzone.
Lamison’s hot hands made six catches and snagged a flag while on defense.
Rounding out the scoring, Peyton Hovda scored three points with two one-point conversions and a two-point play after a TD. Defensively, Hovda had a team high four flag pulls.
Kaleb Romangnino had a single catch and two flag pulls, while teammate Brantley Kobialka scored one point with a point after conversion.
Brantley finished the last game of the season with two catches in the game.
On defense, Colin Bankert made a huge stop for Pineapple Market Place. Bankert’s teammates Jordan Tobey and Riley Karecki each made team contributions in the winning season.
Working on the other side of the field, quarterback Eurice hit the hands of Hyden Eurice and Audrey Guess for 24 points, each with two TD catches.
Eurice made four catches, two flag pulls and had one interception in the game. Brother Carter Eurice had two flag pulls in addition to his scoring throws.
Guess was the top receiver in the game with eight catches and had five defensive stops.
Austin Guess contributed to his team’s efforts with one catch and three flag pulls, while Addie Guess had two nice receptions and a one-point conversion.
Making a nice two-point conversion and catching a pass for Solid Rock was Colson Mendiola.
Solid Rock Construction’s Bella Roadman had a beautiful defensive stop with a flag pull.
Obi Roadman and Avery Guess made huge team contributions throughout the season, helping the Solid Rock squad make it to the championship game against the top-seed Pineapple Market Place as underdogs.
In the adult co-ed flag football league, #1 met #2 in the final game of the season. With an easy win against The Briley Mortgage Team, with the final score 96-39, the Luxury Services squad secured their position in the big game.
Despite the name, Solid Rock Construction’s owners and family represented Moss Builders on the football field against the Solid Rock team. The Solid Rock squad slotted into the final championship position with the 35-28.
Ready for battle on Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m., top-seed Luxury Services meets team Solid Rock Construction, with the young team looking to take home the championship.
ANNA MARIA – Last Thursday, The Center’s adult co-ed flag football league closed out the regular season with team Luxury Service undefeated with a 7-0 record.
On the flip side of the coin, the Ugly Grouper squad finished without a win.
The two teams meet up in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs on Feb. 3. A playoff miracle for Ugly Grouper is needed against the high-scoring Luxury team.
The Briley team easily defeated the Ugly Grouper lineup last week 41-0, finishing the season with a 4-3 record.
A late player substitution was made to The Briley Mortgage Team roster with the addition of Jon Moss working behind the center as quarterback.
The change led to a passing game with 30 receiving points, including four thrown by Moss and one by Connor Haughey.
On the receiving side of the scoring, the hot hands and body control by Karri Stephens scored 12 points. Stephens had one defensive stop in the game. Jesse Skipper, Mike Bolognone and Haughey each had a six-point catch to help The Briley team capture their fourth win of the season.
Skipper had a single flag pull and a sack. Haughey’s game stats include one receiving reception, a single one-point conversion, seven total catches and stop while on defense.
Topping off the offensive scoring for The Briley Mortgage Team were Jana Whitehead and Alonzo Lemus, each with a point after a touchdown conversion.
The remaining defensive stops included flag pulls by Bolognone, Whitehead and Lemus, with an interception by Lemus.
Despite the loss, the Ugly Grouper players put critical statistics into the books in last week’s game. Kiatrell Zachery led the defense with six flag pulls and one interception.
Credited with an INT while on defense, Limarcus Waller lit up the football field with three catches and four flag pulls.
Daniel O’Connor had two defensive stops, adding to a single by Colton Fox.
Contributing offensively, Zachary Blakeney and Devyn Larson each had a catch for important yardage in the game.
With Jon Moss as the QB for Briley Mortgage Team, there is a potential match-up against family members on team Moss Builders.
Brother Ryan Moss, cousin, Greg Moss, and father, Ed Moss, make up nearly a third of the team that defeated The Banks Home Lending Team on Feb. 23 with a score of 38-19.
Moss Builders finished the season with a 6-1 record and faces Gulf Drive Café in the first round of the adult league playoffs at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
The café team had a single win in the regular season, with a loss handed to them by The Sandbar team in the final week of pre-playoff games.
Almost pulling out a win last week, with the final score 48-41 in Sandbar’s favor, Gulf Drive Café goes into the playoffs as underdogs against the solid Moss squad.
In the final game of the first playoff night, The Briley Mortgage Team snaps against The Sandbar at 9 p.m.
ANNA MARIA – Team Luxury Services remains in the top-ranked position in The Center’s adult co-ed flag football league going into week six of winter league play.
With the win over The Briley Mortgage Team, Luxury stays one game ahead of team Moss Builders. Luxury beat the Moss squad week two in the season.
Matthew Briley did the scoring for his team with two rushing touchdowns. Briley also had three critical stops on defense.
The lack of points after the TD and a successful throwing game kept The Briley Mortgage Team squad playing catch-up the entire game going into halftime scoreless.
Karri Stephens lit up the field for The Briley Mortgage Team with two interceptions, two catches and five flag pulls. Alonzo Lemus caught four catches and had a defensive stop.
Teammate Connor Haughey made three nice receptions and pulled one flag in the game for The Briley team.
In the win, Luxury Services’ QB, Chase Richardson, had four passing touchdowns and a pick six on the other side of the football. Two of the scoring catches were to Jonathan Soultatos.
Soultatos’ contributions in the game also included six points running the football into the endzone and a flag pull to help stop the opponent’s forward progress.
Teammates Ramon Guerrero IV and Sequiel Marintez each had a receiving touchdown. Guerrero made three defensive stops, while Marintez had two along with a two-point conversion.
Tim Holly was most effective for Luxury Services with three flag pulls and a sack to help with the big win.
Ugly Grouper looks to put their first win in the record books this week against Luxury Services. The Briley team plays Solid Rock Construction, which shares a 3-2-0 record with their next opponent, as well as The Banks Home Lending Team.
Solid Rock Construction kept team Ugly Grouper out of the endzone, shutting them out with the final score 36-0. In a scoring showdown, Moss Builders eked out the win by three points, in the 58-55 win over The Sandbar.
Sharing a record of 1-4-0 with The Sandbar after week five play, the Gulf Drive Café team lost against The Banks Home Lending team by 20 points.
With the championship match up on Thursday, March 16, all eight teams are looking to the end game with a win. The championship game starts at 7 p.m.
ANNA MARIA – High-scoring flag football action entertained the Island last week at The Center. The kids played their third week of regular season games, while the adults finished their fourth games on Feb. 2.
In the first game of 11- to 13-year-old league play closing out January football, Solid Rock Construction faced off against Pineapple Market Place. The fast-paced game ended with the Pineapple squad maintaining their undefeated record with a final score of 48-26.
Solid Rock’s first loss of the season was not without amazing play on both sides of the football.
Carter Eurice, QB for Solid Rock Construction, threw for four passing touchdowns. Eurice’s targets were Hayden Eurice, Audrey Guess and Austin Guess.
H. Eurice finished the game with one touchdown and three flag pulls on defense. Austin Guess also scored six points in the game and, on the other side of the football, two defensive stops.
Colson Mendiola scored an all-important extra-point conversion, adding a point to Solid Rock’s score. Addie Guess and Bella and Obi Roadman made plays to support the Solid Rock squad.
Avery Guess had a nice catch in the game, keeping Solid Rock in the game.
In week three youth flag football ac- tion, Solid Rock Construction’s Carter Eurice is chased out of the pocket by Pineapple Market Place’s rusher, Jordan Tobey. – Monica Simpson | Sun
The high scorer of the week for Solid Rock was Audrey Guess, scoring two TDs and two flag pulls. With six receptions, she matched the catch count of opponent Pey- ton Hovda.
League veteran Hovda finished the game scoring three touchdowns, one rushing and two receiving, three flag pulls, two two-point conversions, and three interceptions on defense.
The three interceptions, including one for a TD, was the game changer for Pineapple Market Place, leading to their victory.
Hovda’s teammates all had an amazing game, contributing to the win.
Pineapple Market quarterback and lifelong Center flag football player Jack Mattick passed for two touchdowns to Hovda.
On defense, Mattick contributed with two flag pulls and an interception. Teammate Colin Bankert had defensive stats with two stops and offensive stats with two receptions.
Riley Karecki got the call on a successful two-point conversion play for Pineapple. Offensive pass completions for Pineapple Marketplace include two catches by Brantley Kobialka. Cyrus Ryan added two flag pulls to the team’s record.
Pineapple Marketplace teammates Krosby Lamison, Kaleb Romagnino and Jordan Tobey rounded out the squad, making contributions in the team’s win this season.
Can the Pineapple Marketplace team finish the season undefeated? With only two regular-season games left, only Shady Lady and Moss Builders can stop them. Both squads finished week three with a 2-1-0 record.
ANNA MARIA – The Center gridirons were buzzing last week with the start of another fun-filled flag football season. With a record number of youth players, topping more than 150 kids between the ages of 4 and 13, the fields were illuminated both Monday and Tuesday night to kick off the season with jamboree scrimmage games.
The new season welcomes back Tyler Bekkerus to The Center after more than 10 years since his departure. His much-awaited return brings back the spirit
of when the adult flag league was first co-created by Bekkerus as The Center’s former assistant athletic director.
As the new recreation director, Bekkerus kept the games running on time and settled into his new role as the adults took to the field for the first time this season on Jan. 12.
In the first game of the night, team Luxury Services dominated the football field against team Gulf Drive Café. Playing four on five, Gulf Drive struggled to stay in the game, but fought to the very end.
Rusher Jasmine Muldoon made two receptions and was credited with a single sack. Muldoon’s constant pressure on the Gulf Drive QBs caused a sack and helped her team capture their first win of the season.
With six passing touchdowns, teammate Tim Holly found the endzone four times for 24 points and Sequiel Marintez made two TD receptions for 12 points.
Marintez’s big game included one interception and three points in extra-point conversions.
In addition to Marintez’s interception, Luxury’s quarterback, Chase Richardson, made three interceptions while playing on defense, including running an interception on Gulf Drive’s extra point attempt into the endzone for two points.
Offensively, Jonathan Soultatos and Dustin Tomacho bolstered their team’s efforts with extra points. Soultatos made five important catches in the game with a single reception by Tomacho.
On the other side of the football, Gulf Drive Café’s Jacob Freda scored two touchdowns and made eight receptions in the season opener.
Credited with one scoring pass, Steven Pavina made seven catches on offense and one interception playing defense for Gulf Drive.
Adding to the team’s scoring, Gabriel Derosia put a point on the scoreboard with an extra point.
Despite the score differential, team Gulf Drive Café made its mark on the field, setting the tone for the rest of the season.
ANNA MARIA – Bringing weeks of adult fun on The Center’s kickball diamond to a close, the championship game came down to a single run with team Captain Ron’s coming out on top in a close win against team Paddy Wagon. The team, sponsored by Solid Rock Construction, won the season- ender 18-17.
With a total of nine runs between them, Evelyn Long, Keith Mahoney and Ryan Moss topped the charts for the championship team with three runs each. Paddy Wagon’s Luca Vecchio crossed the plate three times for his team.
Adding to Vecchio’s runs, eight other Paddy Wagon runners ran home. Marissa Barfield, Timo Vecchio, Isaiah Lambert, Justin Cox, Dhaval Patel and Karri Stephens each contributed to Paddy Wagon’s scoring efforts with two runs.
Putting single points on the scoreboard for the Paddy squad were Jane Dederle and Karlee Bailey. The Paddy opponents, Mike Svoboda, Katy Roadman, Aaron Guess, Brian Rauelerson and Natalie Worth, each had single runs in the season-ender, while teammates Zack Long and James Roadman both made it home twice for team Captain Ron’s Crew.
The 35 total runs scored in the adult kickball championship game exemplified the fun the four teams had each week. New friendships were made; old friendships were strengthened.
Rocking to the tunes of the 70s and 80s, the Crew, with an average age of over 40, played all season against teams made up of players born in the 90s and 2000s. The players, friends and family that played and attended the games all season, showing their support of The Center, helped to make the league a fun success.
Adult and youth sports continue in January 2023 with flag football action under the lights of The Center’s gridiron.
Sun Scoreboard
Dec. 12
Adult kickball – Championship game
ANNA MARIA – After weeks of amazing Island youth soccer, The Center lights lit up the fields as family and friends gathered to witness the U10 and U14 championship games.
In the U10 finale, underdogs Solid Rock Construction faced top-ranked LaPensee Plumbing. With only one loss going into the game, team LaPensee had the pressure of finishing the season at the top.
In the action-packed battle, Solid Rock’s Turner Worth scored the team’s two points, while goalie Isaac Roadman made five saves off the shots of the LaPensee strikers.
Roadman and Worth’s teammates Renan Kesten, Ruby Kesten, Luke Willing, Matthew Darak, Grayson Hinckle and Elijah Roadman supported their team during throughout the season.
Obi Roadman, the league’s recipient of this season’s U10 Sportsmanship Award, joined his Solid Rock teammates every week, working hard to get them to the final game of the season.
Team Solid Rock stayed in the championship game until the last second, but the offensive push by LaPensee was just too much.
On the other side of the soccer ball, the LaPensee team proved why they were the team to beat all season. Ending the regular season with only one loss, the back-and-forth battle was the nail-biter that soccer fans were wanting to see.
With three saves in the game, Owen Mahoney and the LaPensee defense made huge stops. Credited with goals for LaPensee, TJ Hagey and Preston LaPensee put two points on the scoreboard.
Luca Rosenkrans, the league’s Most Improved Player, scored a solo goal for the champions.
LaPensee Plumbing fought hard in the championship game and the matches lead- ing up to the final with the all-important field play of Elijah Agelus, Asher Patel and Chandler LaPensee.
LaPensee was joined by U14’s Progressive Cabinetry as the season’s youth soccer champions.
Fall 2022 U10 youth soccer champions, team LaPensee Plumbing. From left, Preston LaPensee, assistant coach Jackson Pakbaz, Luca Rosenkrans, Elijah Agelus, Chandler LaPensee, TJ Hagey, Asher Patel, Coach Keith Mahoney and Owen Mahoney. – Monica Simpson | Sun
The Center’s oldest youth soccer players narrowed down their pack of three to Progressive Cabinetry and HSH. Meeting once again in the championship game, the two teams played in a hard-fought battle, ending with Progressive capturing the W.
Putting the single goal in the net for HSH was Jesse Zaccagnino. Zaccagnino’s older brother, Jack, played in goal. The Zaccagni- no siblings and their teammates Braelyn
Curtis, Ava Gitt, Austin Guess, Krosby Lamison and Jasmine Sparks brought their skills to the field week after week.
HSH’s hard work and dedication to their game was recognized by the coaches in the league with the awarding of Female and Defensive MVP, respectively, to Jayden Sparks and Sterling Holiday.
MaryTess Bolognone upped her game throughout the season, receiving the Most Improved Player award for the season. Bolognone proved why she received the award with a goal in the game.
Bolognone’s Progressive Cabinetry teammate Mason Moss also had a goal in the final game of the youth soccer season and night’s action.
The Progressive squad, including Gabe and Gavin Petrone, Aubrielle Clarke, Sarah Graham, Theo Aupelle and Grace Comegno along with Annie and Polea Vacek, who gave it their all for the team each time they took the field.
Included in the Progressive Cabinetry success in the season and the championship game, goalkeeper Charlie Serra made two game-winning saves, closing out another successful youth soccer season.
Adult soccer playoff games Nov. 17 narrowed the field from eight teams down to four.
Playing in semifinal action is Gulfview Windows & Doors after beating Pool America in first game of the playoffs.
Ross Built Construction was narrowly defeated after ending regulation play in a 2-2 tie against Wash Family Construction. In an overtime penalty kick scenario, Wash Family took the win and advanced to the next round of post-season play.
Shooting for Wash Family was Kevin Roman, Tyler Brewer, Austin Nutting, Amy Ivin and Ryan Hogan. Each got the soccer ball past keeper Steve Oelfke.
For Ross Built, Oelfke, Eduardo Schlueter, Dean Hinterstoisser and Kali Richardson each went to the line against Wash Family goalie Mark Long. Long’s stop of the shot of Richardson gave his team the win.
In addition to the match-up between Gulfview and Wash Family at 7 p.m., Sato Real Estate and Moss Builders will take to the pitch for the 8 p.m. game on Thursday, Dec. 1.
Sato earned the semifinal spot after finishing second in the regular season with a win against ServisFirst Bank.
Moss Builders took on Slim’s Place for their first playoff game.
The road to the Paul “Ace” Hayward Championship game is getting shorter but not easier as the two top-seeded teams are still in it to win it.
Youth Soccer Fall 2022 Awards
U10
Most Improved Players Luca Rosenkrans / Parker Svoboda
