ANNA MARIA – Under a clear winter sky last Tuesday night, families and friends cheered on the 8- to 10-year-old flag football players at The Center who took the field for the first night of competitive play. After the season kickoff jamboree night, the flag football play was interrupted by a winter storm, delaying week one play.
Last week, the elementary school-age youth took to Field 1 at the community center while the 4- to 5-year-old players learned the game on the small field. Running the field before sundown, team AMI Coconuts and the Slim’s Place squad warmed up with volunteer coaches Bobby McGraw and Sammy Romero and ran plays.
The older kids took their first snaps of the season in games leading to the playoffs starting in March. Solid Rock Construction and The Fish Guy Aquarium Services teams faced each other to start the season, with Solid Rock taking home the first win, 24-7.
Elijah Roadman, the Solid Rock quarterback, threw four touchdown passes for the victory. Ruby Kesten and Samuel Raulerson each made two scoring catches for their team. On the other side of the football, Kesten caught the pass of The Fish Guy’s QB for an interception.
Everett Hood passed for a touchdown to receiver Bruno Peerani, giving The Fish Guy team six points. Adding to the team’s score, Graeme Bekkerus caught the only point after conversion pass in the game for either team.
Despite the deficit on the scoreboard, The Fish Guy Aquarium Services team fought hard on the field for two halves of play.
The Moss Builders team could not find the end zone in their matchup against Adrian Griffin Interiors, who won their on-field battle 18-0. In the three-score game, Grayson Hinckle threw a scoring pass to Jackson Kesten. Kesten added six more points to the score with a rushing TD.
Teammate Asher Patel used his speed to run the football into the end zone while playing on offense. Defensively Patel dominated with four flag pulls and an interception, helping to secure the team’s first win of the season.
Moss Builders’ Owen Mahoney was his team’s standout defensively with nine big stops. Parker Svoboda showed he has reliable hands with three catches and an interception. Juliette Sato and Louis Bacon had defensive stops, exemplifying the efforts of the Moss team despite the loss.
Team Diamond Turf had the bye week to start the winter youth flag football season for the division.
SUN SCOREBOARD
JAN. 27
11- TO 14-YEAR-OLD DIVISION – WEEK 3
Jiffy Lube (3-0) 27
Salty Printing (1-2) 10
Solid Rock Air Conditioning (2-1) 34
Poppos Taqueria (1-2) 26
Sato Real Estate (3-0) Win by Forfeit
Shady Lady Horticultural Services (0-3)
Moss Builders (2-1) 34
Sandhoff Construction (0-3) 12
14- TO 17-YEAR-OLD DIVISION – WEEK 3
Solid Rock Electrical (2-1) 12 Winner by OT Rule
Moss Builders (2-1) 12
Solid Rock Air Conditioning (2-1) 26
Reel Coastal Properties (0-3) 12
HSH Design (1-2) 26
Cortez Florida Vacations (2-1) 24
JAN. 28
8-TO 10-YEAR-OLD DIVISION – WEEK 1
Solid Rock Construction 24
The Fish Guy Aquarium Services 7
Adrian Griffin Interiors 18
Moss Builders 0
JAN. 29
ADULT CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL – WEEK 5
Moss Air 49
Slim’s Place 6
Gulf Drive Café 33
Floridian Mortgage 21
Ross Built Custom Homes 47
MI-Box 25
Coaster Continent 27
Reel Coastal Properties 19
Moss Builders 41
Solid Rock Construction 27
JAN. 30
ADULT INDOOR SOCCER – WEEK 2
Solid Rock Construction (2-0) 12
Bubble Binz (0-2) 6
Pool America (2-0) 18
Moss Builders (0-2) 9
Sato Real Estate (2-0) 7
Hampton Painting (0-2) 5
ADULT CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL – WEEK 6
Gulf Drive Café (4-1) 43
Slim’s Place (0-6) 13
Slicker’s Eatery (2-3) 33
Ross Built Custom Homes (2-4) 26
Solid Rock Construction (3-3) 40 Winner by OT Rule
Coaster Continent (3-2) 40
Moss Air (5-0) 41
Reel Coastal Properties (1-5) 27
Floridian Mortgage (5-1) 32
MI-Box (1-4) 8
