Coaches vote league’s best

ANNA MARIA – The winter flag football playoffs started and the youth league award winners were announced last week. With the coaches’ votes in, 10 well-deserved players heard their names announced on The Center’s field.

Playing in last week’s opening game, AMI Coconuts’ Camden Rudacille, the league’s winner of the sportsmanship award, proved he is not only one of the best-spirited players in the league but also a skilled baller.

With one touchdown catch and a two-point conversion on offense, Rudacille also had a strong defensive game against the Moss Builders team, including six flag pulls and an interception.

Teammate Adelaide McGraw and Cheesecake Cutie’s Gunner Maize earned the offensive most valuable player honors for the 8- to 10-year-old league.

Despite the team’s loss against top-ranked Moss Builders, McGraw had a strong game with one reception and a big defensive stop.

In the third game of the night, MVP Maize’s team dominated the Beach House Waterfront Restaurant team, winning 33-0. The Cheesecake Cutie standout once again showed why he is deserving of the title, with 21 points, including a touchdown reception, a rushing score and a pick-six.

On the other side of the football, Beach House’s Aiden Guess, winner of the defensive MVP votes, had three flag pulls against the Cuties offense.

Team Adrian Griffin Interiors advanced to the semifinals with a win against Chick-fil-A. The league’s most improved player, Silas DeWitt, playing for the victors, finished the game with five catches, including one for six points and three big defensive stops.

Sato Real Estate won the second game of the night against Solid Rock Construction by 20 points in the defensive battle.

In the older youth league, Solid Rock Electrical’s Estella Long lit up the gridiron as the MVP against team HSH Design. Long had four catches and scored six points. On the other side of the football, Long stopped the HSH offense with seven flag pulls.

The league’s most improved player, Van Harvell, playing for Solid Rock Air Conditioning, helped his team to their narrow victory against Progressive Cabinetry. In the two-point game, Harvell scored a touchdown and made five big flag pulls in the night’s second match-up.

Team Wings N Things could not advance to the next round of the playoffs, despite having two of the honored players in the league. The Shady Lady Horticultural Services team was just too strong, holding Ryk Kesten, the defensive most valuable player, to one TD and five flag pulls.

Sportsmanship award recipient Charlee Maize caught two passes, pulled eight flags to stop forward progress and sacked the Shady Lady QB.

Closing out last week’s youth flag football play, team Moss Builders solidly won against team Freckled Fin. With the final score 52-8, Mason Moss put up numbers that echoed his season accomplishments which earned him the coaches’ votes for MVP.

Scoring two rushing touchdowns and catching for another six, Moss also had two interceptions, including taking one down the field to score.

Moss clearly showed his dominance both on offense and defense, finishing the game with a flag pull and one-point conversion to end last week’s youth play.

This week’s youth flag football action started on Monday with team Sato Real Estate facing the Cheesecake Cutie team, as well as the 8- to 10-year-old Moss Builders team taking on Adrian Griffin Interiors.

On Tuesday, the older Moss Builders team played Solid Rock Electric while Solid Rock Air Conditioning opposed the Shady Lady Horticultural Services squad in semifinal action.

SUN SCOREBOARD

MARCH 4 – YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL

8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE

QUARTER-FINAL PLAYOFFS

#1 Moss Builders 35

#8 AMI Coconuts 8

#3 Sato Real Estate 26

#6 Solid Rock Construction 6

#2 Cheesecake Cuties 33

#7 Beach House Waterfront Restaurant 0

#4 Adrian Griffin Interiors 26

#5 Chick-fil-A 13