The Community Center’s NFL Flag Football season opened its second season last week, and if the contests were any indication, players and fans are in for another wild ride. Last year’s inaugural run was one of the most popular sports programs offered by the Center, drawing some 50 kids out to participate in the fast-paced game.

This year, the turnout was nearly double that and the first slate of match-ups provided some excellent competition and nail-biting excitement for the fans. All games are played at the athletic fields just north of city hall in Holmes Beach.

Monday April 21

Division II
Americo Title Cowboys 56 - Mike Norman Realty Browns 12
The season opener saw the Mike Norman Realty Browns take on an organized Americo Title Cowboys side. Luke Shackleford reached the end zone twice for the Browns, although the team failed to convert its extra points on both occasions. The Cowboys had it all together, with three TDs each by Travis Belsito and Logan Reiber and two more from Jake Parsons. Conversion specialists in this game were Denver Hardy and Zach Stewart.

Division I
AMI Video Buccaneers 47 - Island Animal Clinic Falcons 12
The Falcons offensive outfit found it difficult to bypass the Buccaneers defense on this occasion. One offensive touchdown from Chandler Hardy and a well-executed defensive touchdown from Daniel Landsberg was about all it could muster. In reply, The Falcons reached the end zone a total of seven times, with two from Brandon Gengler, Daniel Janisch and Kyle Parsons and one from Tommy Price. Mackenzie Kosfeld had a one point conversion.

Tuesday April 22nd

Division Three
Ross Built Buccaneers 34 - Sparks Seahawks 18
This is the first time playing Flag Football for some of these players and the formations, tactical plays and rules take some getting used to. Tyler Yavalar, Nicole Sewall and Sophie Bernet each scored a touchdown for the Seahawks. In reply for the Buccaneers Chris Pennewill had two touchdowns, Andrew Ross scored a touchdown and made a one point conversion, Jake Ross scored one TD and Jackson Sauerbeck’s conversion rounded out the scoring as the Ross Built Buccaneers took this one.

Division II
Mr. Bones Steelers 33 - Galati Marine Chiefs 32
Chief’s speedy running back Chris Galati scored 31 of his team’s 32 points, with Seth Walters adding a one point conversion in this game. Galati scored five touchdowns as well as a one point conversion and was nearly unstoppable until the end of the game. For the Steelers, Michael Garza had three TDs, while Blaine Jenefsky also had a score, as did Connor Field, who took a handoff at his own two yard line, skirted around right end and ran the length of the field for the game winner with several minutes remaining.

Thursday April 24

Division III
LPAC Eagles 25 - Sparks Seahawks 12
With six points for a touchdown a team doesn’t need many without reply in order to build a good early lead. Tyler Yavalar and George Lardas scored the touchdowns for the Seahawks, playing its second game of the week, but the team failed to build. Conversions were elusive for the LPAC Eagles until Brendan Murphy converted the last try of the game. Touchdowns came from Tyler Pearson and Cooper Hardy, both with two as the Eagles take this one.

Division I
AMI Video Buccaneers 53 - Pine Ave. Bills 14

Scoring early and often and converting five of eight it was the Buccaneers who found a way through to the end zone against a Pine Ave. Bills side in its first game of the season. Kyle Aritt was the only player to score for the Bills with both an offensive and defensive touchdown and a two point conversion. The Bills were always chasing the game against a solid looking Buccaneers side that had already played and won in the season opener. Daniel Janisch led the way with three touchdowns, while teammate Chris Pate scored twice, Brandon Gengler had a TD and two conversions and Mackenzie Kosfeld looking like the conversion specialist with three extra points.

 

The Islanders 13 - Freedom Bank 3
The Island’s Majors Division squad that turned up to play this game against Freedom Bank on Monday, April 21, was the same team that looked so together the last time out and it just looked like they wanted more.

Pitching this night was Justin ‘Tiny’ Garget, who would toss his best game of the season so far and his second win. His concentration level is high, he remains focused throughout and, while there is less finesse in his young arm, there is certainly a whole host of talent as he gets the job done.

The Islanders dominated Freedom Bank as everyone on the team hit, including Jerry Mayer with a monster home run. Johnny Mattay smashed a ball up the center and Max Miller, on a full count and having been hit by a pitch, hit the winning run in the bottom of the fourth. There was no way through the middle for Freedom Bank, with some excellent fielding thanks to Moneuse and Will Brusso. Hunter Parrish and Max Miller did their jobs at first and third base and Garrison ‘Hambone’ Clark, who now hits the ball as well, had another outstanding game at catcher.

Island Sun 5 - Wood Dock and Seawall 4
A four-run rally in the bottom of the last inning propelled The Sun to its second victory of the season last Thursday night in a Minors Division game at the Community Center.

The game was a tight one all the way, with both squads showing solid fielding and pitching. The Sun’s pitching duo of Austin Morrow and Parker Keegan did a good job of keeping Wood’s bats in check, and the steady gloves of third baseman/catcher Chris Mundell and first baseman Connor Field backed up the pitching performances.

But it was a fielding error by The Sun’s outfield in the top of the fourth that led to two unearned runs for Wood and a 4-1 lead going into the bottom half of the inning. That’s when Wood’s pitching finally faltered, giving up several walks and a key hit batsman. Aggressive base running by The Sun led to numerous stolen bases and three runs to tie the score at four apiece. With one out and The Sun’s Zach Stewart on third, coach Ben Stewart sent the runner home on a passed ball. The play was close but Stewart slid in under the tag with the winning run.

Hitting stars for The Sun were Mundell, Keegan and Field, who lined a two-hopper to the center field fence in the second, raising his batting average for the season to .750.

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