Heading into the second half of the youth flag football season, the four teams in the 11- to 14-year-old league took to the field at The Center of Anna Maria Island. In the first game of the night, Coach Jim Collins lead his Island Charms team to a big win last Wednesday night against Groom’s Automotive, coached by Tom Baugher.
The battle on the football field was a good one with the two teams each making key plays and keeping the opponent on their toes.
Team Island Charms started on defense with a strong stand against Team Groom’s Automotive offense. Three snaps and out, along with an impressive flag pull by Jackson Pakbaz, gave the football to Island Charms.
Isaiah Mondon started the play for Island Charms, taking the football just short of the midfield line. Payton Harlan was the team’s QB’s next target. Harlan moved the ball to the Groom’s three-yard line. Despite the march down the field, Island Charms could not cross the goal line, leaving the score 0-0.
On the second possession, Kieran Cloutier gained 15 yards before the flag pull by Evan Talucci. Groom’s continued to gain critical yardage on the second down with a touchdown pass on the third snap of the possession.
Nicholas Yatros caught the extra point pass giving Groom’s a seven-point lead.
On the fourth play of the series, Island Charms scored its first touchdown, shrinking the Groom’s lead with the score at 7-6.
With six seconds left on the scoreboard for the first half of the game, Groom’s began working on offense, but could not make it to midfield. Mondon ended the possession with a near interception.
Mondon, on offense, made a first down play for Island Charms on the first snap. Teammate Julian Lazzara followed up with a nice run taking the game to the one-minute warning.
Island Charms’ late penalty and a short run by Mondon ended the half without putting points on the board.
Looking to increase its lead, Island Charms started the final half of the game with a nice play by Talucci that took the football just short of the first down line. After gaining the first down, Yatros’s flag pull stopped the play before his opponent entered the end zone.
At the quarterback position, Harlan showed great patience, allowing Mondon to break away from the defense with a beautiful reception at the back of the field for the touchdown, pushing the score to 12-7 with Island Charms in the lead.
Brilliantly reading the play, Island Charms’ Harrison Schenerlein nabbed the pass by Yatros for a pick six, scoring the final points of the game.
Despite strong efforts by both teams, neither team could find its way into the end zone, ending the game with the score of 18-7 and a victory for Island Charms.
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