MartiniVille knocks off unbeaten Duffy's

The Sun sports Game of the Week was an adult flag football league matchup between the undefeated Duffy's Tavern Buccaneers team and the MartiniVille Bears. The push for the top seeds in the playoffs is on, and all teams are vying for those much sought after spots. The best four teams get a much desired first round bye to begin the playoffs.

The Duffy's Buccaneers team came out red hot scoring on its first two offensive possessions. Its first drive was capped by a 45-yard touchdown bomb to Dustin Swain from quarterback Mark Anderson. Its second drive ended in another Anderson to Swain connection on a six-yard touchdown catch and run, and just like that, the score was 12-0. The Bucs combination of Anderson to Swain struck again on another 45-yard touchdown bomb with five minutes left in the half. The one point conversion was good when Anderson threw to Tim Bennet in the end zone and made the score 19-0.

With time running out in the first half, the MartiniVille team battled back from adversity. After having two touchdowns called back due to a penalty and an inadvertent whistle, quarterback Danny Murphy finally got his team on the board. With one minute and 36 seconds left, he ran in for a 15-yard touchdown. The Bears defense stepped up and, with some good use of timeouts, gave its offense the ball again. With two seconds to go in the half, Murphy threw a nice corner route to Ryan Hogan for the touchdown grab. The point after was good when Murphy threw to Tyler Bekkerus and made the score 19-13 at the half.

It was lights out for the Duffy's Tavern team in the second half. The MartiniVille Bears defense set the tone when it stopped the Bucs on the five yard line on their first possession. The Bears didn't waste any time and scored right away on a 25-yard touchdown catch by Tyler Bekkerus from Murphy. The extra point was good when Morgan Bekkerus made a nice catch in the end zone and gave the Bears the lead for the first time. The very next play Emily King crushed any chance of the Bucs regaining momentum when she picked off a pass and ran it back to the 6-yard line. Three plays later, Murphy connected with Tyler Bekkerus again for the TD. The extra point was no good and the score was 26-19.

The score remained the same until the Bucs had one last chance to tie the game with one minute and 34 seconds left. They had the ball first and goal from the 20-yard line, but the Bears defense shut the door once more and did not let them score the entire second half. The Bears were just trying to run out the time when Murphy took a handoff and then threw a precise 30-yard pass and run to Frank Agnelli for the insurance touchdown, which made the final score 32-19 and gave the Bucs their first loss of the season.

Game Scores:

Division III (8-9-year-olds)

Island Real Estate Saints 18
Connelly Marine Falcons 6

Connelly Marine Falcons 0
Beach Bums Seahawks 31

Beach Bums Seahawks 12
Island Real Estate Saints 6

Division II (10-12-year-olds)

Eat Here Jaguars 38
Sandbar Cowboys 6

LaPensee Plumbing Falcons 41
Sothern Greens Buccaneers 0

Mr. Spiffy Cleaning Chargers 6
Walter & Associates Steelers 32

LPAC Cardinals 18
Ross Built Construction Vikings 25

LPAC Cardinals 18
Eat Here Jaguars 7

Sandbar Cowboys 33
Ross Built Construction Vikings 52

Mr. Spiffy Cleaning Chargers 6
Holy Cow Colts 41

Anna Maria Oyster Bar Dolphins 12
LaPensee Plumbing Falcons 21

Southern Greens Buccaneers 12
Walter & Associates Steelers 47

Division I (13-16-year-olds)

Mr. Bones BBQ. Eagles 31
Bassett, Vita, Vining & Hermann Group Raiders 28

1st American Bank Bills 12
Beach Bistro Bears 20

Bassett, Vita, Vining & Hermann Group Raiders 33
Beach Bistro Bears 38

1st American Bank Bills 34
Mr. Bones BBQ Eagles 14

Adult Co-Ed League
Walter & Associate Steelers 7
Jessie's Island Store Vikings 31

Bob Vita Landscaping Cowboys 12
Slim's Place Jaguars 27

Beach to Bay Construction Rams 0
Hurricane Hanks Patriots 31

Sato Real Estate Browns 25
Island Sun Falcons 13

MartiniVille Bears 32
Duffy's Tavern Buccaneers 19

Wisdom in the veggie aisle

Breaking news: gorgeous, thin woman at the grocery store. Skinny jeans and a tight-fitting black jacket. People who look like they work out frequently pique my curiosity. She loaded up her basket with vegetables. Over the lettuce we made eye contact. I couldn't help but in my best trying-to-be-subtle nonchalant voice ask, "So…what's your secret?" She did the predictable double-take, "What?" "As a personal trainer, I see so few women who look like you do. I'm really sorry. I just had to ask."

In typical friendly Island fashion, she responded as if we had just sat down at a beachside café, "I don't eat a lot," she said. "Protein, veggies, not a lot of junk, though I'm not perfect. I ate a bowl of pasta last night," she giggled. "Thanks!" I ended.

At checkout line, she followed me. "Wait! I'll tell you what it is. I had my son at 45, so I stay young keeping up with him. I'm 60." My turn for a double-take, "Wow! You definitely look nowhere near 60." "And being happy," she continued. "I'm really, really happy!" That simple, eh?

I always like to give grocery baggers a chance to get a walk outside if they ask to help. The poor guy was stuck between us during this recent exchange. He shook his head, "I'm in between your ages, and both of you look half my age!" Publix doesn't allow tipping, but that should have gotten him one.

I didn't ask the woman if the pasta was whole wheat or white flour. I didn't even ask her name. She vanished as I reflected on how many people swear off all carbohydrates. But there is a difference between white and whole grain pastas. White flour tends to be absorbed into the bloodstream quickly raising blood sugar. Whole grains take more time to digest and absorb. The higher fiber content cleans you out.

Many studies link high fiber to less cancer, colon cancer in particular. During the high protein diet crazes, all carbs got a bad rap. All carbs are not created equal. For those who run after children, metabolism can keep pace with energy fueling carbs.

In cultures where it is normal to eat a diet of 70 to 80 percent good carbohydrates, we find slender Kenyan marathon runners and other athletes. Healthy carbs are great fuel. But if we are not running anything close to a marathon, carbs can convert to fat instead of energy. They hang out on organs, hips, bellies and arms which often become the target of spot exercises.

This week at high school track practice, I lead the girls in core (torso) exercises. Each season, when it is time to do the plank (holding the push-up position without going down), invariably one of the new girls will complain about the having to hold a plank for 30 seconds. Then an "old-timer" senior or junior says, "Ya think that's long? Ellen can hold a plank for more than 6 minutes. She can beat the team star." A hush falls over the group as some of them realize I am the age of their grandmothers. Then I say, "Plank for a minute. Go!" No more complaints.

A freshman asks, "How long before I get 6-pack abs?" As I often say, "It depends. There's no magic bullet." I explain that it is the aerobic workout that showcases abs. You can have strong abs, but if you don't lose fat, no one sees them.

Core is key. You have to have a strong core to do anything. It took me three miles every other day of running, with two weekly sessions of hard core exercises to give me the strength to literally get out of bed. Used to be, I'd prop myself up on my elbow and tear a shoulder muscle. Now, first thing is tensing the stomach muscles and using my core to get up.

If you want to do some simple core exercises, join me every Friday at Manatee Beach by the playground at 8 a.m. (note new time) where we'll do a free hour of walking or running depending on the fitness level of the group.

Have a burning question you would like to see answered here? Contact Ellen at ejones@vegcoach.com www.vegcoach.com or 941-704-1025.

Ellen Jaffe Jones is an Anna Maria Island resident, accomplished endurance runner, cookbook author, certified personal trainer and running coach. She also coaches the Manatee High School Girls Cross Country and Track and Field teams.