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 – With the close of the first round of playoff action concluded at The Center of Anna Maria Island, the top-ranked team in each of the three leagues easily defeated their opponents.
In the 8- to 10-year-old league, top-ranked Sato Real Estate won their quarterfinal game against SynLawn with a final score of 47-12.
Scoring 18 rushing points and 12 receiving points, the Sato team spread the scoring around the squad. QB Brandon Sato found his brother, Dylan, for a scoring reception and six points.
Sato finished the game with four defensive flag pulls on the other side of the football.
Silas DeWitt was the other B. Sato target for a receiving touchdown. DeWitt made three stops on defense and had two one-point conversions in the game.
Scoring on the ground, B. Sato got the call and scored six points. His run of scoring included two pick-sixes and a two-point conversion after a Sato Real Estate score.
With a total of three interceptions, defensively B. Sato was on fire, adding six flag pulls to his game stats.
Kellen Reed kept it on the ground and scored 13 points with two touchdowns and a single one-point conversion. With a single flag pull, Reed added to his team’s 14 total defensive stops in the Feb. 27 game.
SynLawn’s Nolan Anderson stayed on his feet for 12 rushing points for his team. Anderson made five huge defensive stops with his flag-pulling skills.
Oliver McCallister made a single catch in the game. Teammates Will Breslin, Tanner Pippins and Luther Sasser each had key flag pulls against Sato Real Estate.
The strong efforts of team SynLawn just were not enough against the tough Sato squad.
In this week’s action, Sato Real Estate went up against team Moss Builders. Moss Builders, ranked sixth at the end of the regular season, finished last week against third-ranked Island Real Estate with a win.
On the same night, Solid Rock Construction faced Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control in quarterfinal play in the 8- to 10-year-old league.
Playing last Tuesday night at The Center in the 11- to 13-year-old league quarterfinal action, top-ranked Pineapple Market Place solidly defeated the Chick-fil-A team with a score of 39-20.
No upsets in the first round of playoffs with Moss Builders winning over Intentional Resilient Intuitive. Shady Lady Horticultural Services won over Storage Building Company by 14 points.
In the semifinal round of play on March 7, Pineapple Marketplace saw Shady Lady Horticultural Services on the gridiron. Moss Builders played Solid Rock Construction for the final spot in the championship game.
In the first round of adult co-ed flag football playoff action, there were no surprises in last week’s play. First seed Luxury Services kept Ugly Grouper out of the endzone, with a final score of 96-0.
Finishing the regular season in second place, Moss Builders easily won against Gulf Drive Café, up 25 points at the final whistle.
Team Solid Rock Construction beat sixth-ranked The Banks Home Lending Team, while The Briley Mortgage Team secured their spot in the next round of playoffs with a victory over The Sandbar.
This Thursday, four adult flag football teams take to the Island’s football field to determine who goes on the final game of the season.
On Thursday, March 9 at 7 p.m., Luxury Services vs. The Briley Mortgage Team will start the night off. Solid Rock Construction and Moss Builders meet in the second game of the night.
In all of The Center’s flag football leagues, there can be only two teams that battle it out for the title “champions.” The end-of-season victors will be named in the coming weeks.
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
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – With fresh legs and energy-filled kids thanks to the tropical storm threat that caused a delay in indoor soccer play, the Shady Lady 8- to 11-year-old indoor soccer team looked to be the easy winner against the Beach Bums squad last Tuesday night.
The team, however, appeared to lose its mental edge, giving their opponent the opening they needed to come back and win the game by three goals.
Camden Rudacille and Jesse Zaccagnino did the scoring for the Shady Lady team, with a single for Rudacille and two for Zaccagnino.
On the other end of the field, brothers Cale Rudacille and Jack Zaccagnino protected the goal with five and four saves, respectively.
The early work of the Rudacille and Zaccagnino dynamic duos just was not enough to win the game.
The Beach Bums scoring came off the feet of Turner Worth with two goals and Savannah Coba with three points for her team. Worth and Coba each had an assist in the win.
Another dynamic duo brother powerhouse came from the Sato brothers, Dylan and Brandon. Taking turns as the Beach Bums goalkeeper, D. Sato had five saves in the game and B. Sato made two stops of his own.
In the second game of the evening, team Moss Builders retained their undefeated status, with plenty of season left.
Austin Guess had 16 stops in the game for Moss Builders team. Three goalies were kept busy on the Solid Rock Construction squad. The duos dominated again in this game with Chad and Liam Nunez in the goal. C. Nunez made a critical stop and L. Nunez prevented the score twice against the Moss Builders’ offense.
Isaac Roadman topped the goalie charts for his team with four saves, helping to keep the score of the game close.
Offensively, the shooters were on fire. The Schneider family scored four of the six goals for Moss Builders. Jack Schneider topped the scoring with two points. Dean and Guy Schneider each had a goal.
Putting more statistics in the books for the Schneider talented trio, G. Schneider had an assist along with teammate Aiden Guess with an assist and a lone goal.
The talented trios continue to perform on the indoor soccer court with Addie Guess’ goal to add to those of Aiden and the saves by Austin.
The Moss Builders’ win cannot overshadow the work on the offensive side of the field by The Solid Rock crew. In addition to his action in goal, C. Nunez put two points on the scoreboard.
Continuing with the triple threat in the game, I. Roadman’s sibling Obadiah Roadman, scored a goal, while sister Bella played a supporting role.
The duo dominance continued with the strike and score by Solid Rock Construction’s McKenna Darak, while Madi Darak assisted her team.
The two teams will meet again on Tuesday, July 27, with the championship game scheduled for Thursday, July 30 at 7 p.m.
At the start of Tuesday night, four teams competed in the semifinals in the 8- to 10-year -old flag football league at The Center. Four additional teams vied for the final positions in the championship game for the older community center youth.
Two champions were crowned, bringing another youth flag football season to an end.
In the first game of the night on The Center’s big gridiron, Poppos earned their spot in the 11- to 14-year-old championship game, winning against The Gitt Team.
Root Logix faced Poppos in the big game by winning the semifinal against Ugly Grouper.
Under the bright lights of the Island’s football field, Root Logix came out victorious in the teens’ championship match up with the final score 31-21.
The champions had three standout players among the roster of many of the Island’s athletes. In addition to Hunter Wingate, Carter Cantrell, Charlie Rogers, Ava Harlan and Gabrielle Gilbert, teammates Luke Winsper, Payton Harlan and Harrison Schenerlein made big plays.
Winsper had two rushing touchdowns in the game along with one catch for six points. P. Harlan is credited with throwing for two TDs and rushing for another.
Schenerlein had a receiving touchdown in the win, and Winsper has a sack in the record books for the Root Logix team.
The second-place finishers, Poppos, showed the receiving depth of the squad. Six of the nine players touched the football with catches for yardage. In addition to receptions by Colten Shook, Kaden Quinby, Rowan Benford and Jacob Seim, T.J. Eckert and Connor Samblis had passes for touchdowns.
Eckert took the football into the endzone with a nice run, while Frankie Coleman had a receiving touchdown and sack in the game.
In the last game of the night, Moss Builders won the championship game against Cloud in a very close matchup. The one-point game came down to the extra point by Moss’ Austin Guess.
The Cloud squad played their hearts out. Charlie Neri played quarterback and finished with two passing touchdowns to Landon Sallier.
Noah Rigney supported his team with two catches in the game. Along with Rigney, Luke and Leo Foster, Lucas Signor and Jasmine Sparks took their team all the way to the end of the season.
Mason Moss threw for one touchdown to Matthew Winsper and handed off to Turner Worth for a rushing score in the team’s victory for the 8- to 10-year-old league.
Issac Roadman provided critical field and team support throughout the season and to capturing the season championship.
Adult co-ed sports continue with semifinal play this week. Wednesday night, Sato Real Estate goes up against Allied on The Center’s field at 6:15 p.m.
The following game an hour later matches Burton Brick & Tile and Blalock Walters for the final seat available in the championship game for adult co-ed soccer.
On Thursday night, the adult co-ed flag football semifinal games take place at 7 and 8 p.m. Ugly Grouper takes on Mi-Box and Beach Bums will play Moss Builders.
The final games of the season will take place next week. Two champions will be named to close out the sports season at The Center.
Another week of youth and adult sports at The Center had two teams grabbing their first win of the season.
To start the week off on a positive note, Raymond Gardner inspired his team to their first victory. With each team going into the game looking for their first win of the season, team Ray’s Ramblings fought for the three-point win against Shady Lady in the 8- to 10-year-old flag football league last Tuesday night.
The next night in adult co-ed soccer action, the Jiffy Lube squad outscored The Gitt Team by four goals, putting up their first win in the spring season, with the final score 6-2.
The week’s ending game was on the adult flag football gridiron. Moss Builders took the solid and early lead in the game, not giving the Sandbar team a chance. The first half ended with the mercy rule instituted. With a 28-point lead, team Moss Builders would start the last minutes of play unable to rush the passer until there was less than a 21-point deficit for Sandbar.
In the second half of action, Sandbar’s Karri Stephens made two touchdown catches. Stephens, a veteran of the league, is one of the best, but unassuming, receivers in the league.
Teammate Ben Sato lit up the field with three scoring receptions and eight total catches in the night. Sato’s solid training routine shows each week on the field, regardless of the sport.
Matteo Ferris, growing into his own in the adult league, threw for four touchdowns and scored a point after a touchdown. Ferris is also credited for sacking Moss Builders’ QB, Ryan Moss.
The ever-present maturing Island youth is making an impact in the community center’s adult leagues. Sandbar’s Jackson Hayes and Tyler Brewer both learned their flag football skills at The Center starting on the small fields in kindergarten.
Years later, Hayes made the statistics book with one TD catch. Brewer caught an extra point throw for two nabs in the game.
Along with Brewer and Hayes, Moss Builders’ Cole Carter played Island youth sports when he moved to Anna Maria Island. Now in the adult league, he is making his own impacts with three catches and one interception in Thursday night’s game.
Three of Moss’ throws were caught by the reliable hands of Jordan Demers. Demers made it into the end zone four times for three TDs and one extra point.
Demers’ ability to read the plays as a defender put him in the right position for two interceptions, rattling the young Sandbar quarterback.
Greg Moss contributed both on offense and defense with three catches and two sacks. Top player and draft pick Dina DeJesus was held to one catch and an extra point.
Contributing to the Moss Builders win, Zach Routh grabbed three catches, including two for 12 points in the team’s second win of the season to end another fun week of sports action on the Island.
