Broncos blitz Bears

The Sun sports game of the week was an interleague game between the undefeated East Division Eat Here Bears and the West Division Ross Built Construction Broncos in AMICC 10- to 12-year-old flag football action.

The Eat Here Bears won the toss and started with the ball. Unfortunately for them, they also started with one player short and went three and out on offense. On the first offensive play for Ross Built Construction Broncos, Jake Ross took a handoff and ran 45 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was good when quarterback Andrew Ross threw to Hannah McCracken, 7-0 Broncos.

The Bears were forced to pass on the next series third down play, and Javan Vasquez intercepted and returned it for the Broncos pick-six TD. The extra point was good on an Andrew Ross pass to Corbin Gregg, 14-0 Broncos. With five minutes left in the half and the Bears now playing at full strength, quarterback Jacob Quinn threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Doyle in the corner of the end zone. The extra point was no good, 14-6 Broncos.

With less than two-minutes to go in the half, Andrew Ross threw an 18-yard third down touchdown pass to Hannah McCracken, who scored after making three Bears defenders miss her flag. The extra point was no good, 20-6 Broncos. The Bears went three and out on offense. With time running out, the Broncos marched the ball down the field and scored on a 16-yard Andrew Ross pass to Javan Vasquez in the back of the end zone with only eight seconds left. The two-point conversion was good on an Andrew Ross to Brother Jake Ross pass, 28-6 Broncos at the half.

The Broncos started the second half exactly like the first when Jake Ross took a handoff and ran 45 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion was good on a Jake Ross pass to Gavin Sentman, 36-6 Broncos. The Bears defense, anchored by Abby Achor with four flag pulls and Troy Cleland with three pulls, held the potent Broncos offense in check for the next 12 minutes.

Then Jake Ross broke free again for a 35-yard TD run. The extra point was no good, 42-6 Broncos. The Broncos defense did not let the Bears score again and Gavin Sentman led the team with five pulls. With only 22 seconds left, Jake Ross threw a 42-yard TD bomb to Andrew Ross. Jake Ross threw the extra point pass to Corbin Gregg ending the game and giving the Bears their first loss 49-6.

Division III (8-9 year-olds) Results

Waterfront Restaurant Raiders 18
Pink & Navy Boutique Cowboys 12

Gettel Toyota Texans 19
Beach Bistro Vikings 16

Beach Bums Steelers 12
Southern Greens Jets 6

Division II (10-12 year-olds) Results

LPAC Cardinals 46
Sand Dollar Steelers 29

Sandbar Falcons 43
Air & Energy Chargers 14

Mr. Bones Colts 53
Cedars Tennis Resort Seahawks 14

Division I (13-16 year-olds) Results

Jessie's Island Store 26
Integrity Sound Redskins 14

Walter & Associates Bears 33
First American Bank Ravens 26

Galati Yacht Sales Texans 45
Mar Vista Raiders 25

Adult Co-Ed Flag Football League Results

The Feast Falcons 20
Galati Yacht Sales Chargers 19

Edgewater Realty Broncos 34
Sato Real Estate Browns 7

Waterfront Restaurant Bills 51
Banana Cabana Bengals 20

Florida Discount Signs 49ers 25
Fin's Bar Bears 0

Tyler's Ice Cream Vikings 29
Duffy's Tavern Ravens 25

Agnelli Pool & Spa Packers 28
Coastal Orthopedic Raiders 12

Slim's Place Dolphins 45
Beach to Bay Construction Texans 25

Adult Co-Ed Volleyball League Results

Tyler's Ice Cream 25
Slim's Place 22
(First game of best 2 out of 3)

Tyler's Ice Cream 22
Slim's Place 25
(Second game of best 2 out of 3)

Tyler's Ice Cream 15
Slim's Place 25
(Third game of best 2 out of 3)

Best Buy 25
Slim's Place 12
(First game of best 2 out of 3)

Best Buy 18
Slim's Place 25
(Second game of best 2 out of 3)

Best Buy 21
Slim's Place 25
(Third game of best 2 out of 3)

 

Eating veg for the environment

A blogger asked me to write a guest blog about how eating vegan (nothing with a face) helps the environment.

There are many reasons to eat a plant-based diet. One of my favorites is what it does for the earth. The Pugh Commission released a report that said factory farming is not sustainable.

"Current industrial farm animal production system often poses unacceptable risks to public health, the environment and the welfare of the animals themselves, according to an extensive 2 1/2-year examination conducted by the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production.

Commissioners have determined that the negative effects of the IFAP system are too great, and the scientific evidence is too strong to ignore. Significant changes must be implemented and must start now. And while some areas of animal agriculture have recognized these threats and have taken action, it is clear that the industry has a long way to go."

As an Emmy-winning TV investigative reporter, I covered many environmental disasters, stories involving diseases of affluence and interviewed dozens of doctors and registered dietitians. Especially with today's technology, it is hard to stick your head in the sand and pretend that you don't see what is happening to health, farms and to the environment. Many movies document abuses in factory farming. If you Google, "Factory Farming videos/movies," you'll get many choices.

Ex Beatle, Paul McCartney, known for embracing a vegetarian diet, and his video, "Glass Walls," takes on the idea that if all slaughterhouses had glass walls, we wouldn't eat meat. With tiny cameras documenting what happens, it is tough to forget those images. It's no wonder that lobbyists have tried in many states, including Florida, to make undercover videos like I used to shoot, illegal.

There is a lot of money at stake. A recent news story showed how most corn grown in the US is now being shipped overseas to China, so that they can feed their cattle to supply their increasing demand for meat. We should be looking at their ancient role model of heavy plant/grain eating and wanting to become more like them.

I remember seeing a story about a college student trying to store of all his life's possessions in a backpack. He wanted to make as little a global footprint as possible. It takes far fewer resources to grow plants for human consumption, than to grow plants to feed animals that feed humans. A healthy vegan diet gives you the food you need to lead a healthy life, as well as the ability to savor the most delicious and colorful foods nature offers. When eating foods in their natural state, you take as little as possible from the environment.

I often place in 5K races for my age group, ran my first marathon last year and was the fifth oldest female to finish. You get plenty of protein, calcium and other nutrients needed to live a healthful life with a plant-based diet.

A UN report concluded that a global shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change. Some extrapolated that eating a vegan diet would accomplish more than giving up driving altogether.

Senior U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization official Henning Steinfeld reported that the meat industry is "one of the most significant contributors to today's most serious environmental problems."

The official handbook for Live Earth, the anti-global warming concerts that Al Gore helped organize, says that not eating meat is the "single most effective thing you can do" to reduce your climate change impact.

Vegetarianism is increasing in popularity, according to a recently published position paper in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Among adults, 2.3 percent of the population is vegetarian and 3 percent of 8- to 18-year-olds follow a vegetarian diet. Compared with just a few decades ago – there is a definite movement from Americans to give up meat.

According to the American Dietetic Association's new position, "Appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence and for athletes."

Some of the significant health benefits of eating a vegetarian diet include lower rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

You can follow Island resident Ellen Jaffe Jones on her Facebook page and keep up with her just released book:,"Eat Vegan on $4 a Day," or her website: www.vegcoach.com. She is also a nationally certified personal trainer and running coach. For training in a gym or private hire, contact Ellen at ejones@vegcoach.com or 941-704-1025.