Dolphins avoid a late charge

The Sun sports game of the week was an Anna Maria Island Community Center eight- to ten-year-old division flag football game between the Manatee Cancer Center Dolphins and the Miller Electric Chargers.

The Miller Electric Chargers started the game on offense. Jaclyn Schlossberg took a handoff and ran 45 yards for the first touchdown. The extra-point was no good, and just like that they took the early lead 6-0.

On the ensuing Manatee Cancer Center Dolphins drive, quarterback Dalton Guthrie moved the offense down field before running into the endzone on a 12-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion was good when Guthrie threw to an open Blake Balais and gave the Dolphins the lead 8-6.

Both defenses led the way for the rest of the first half. Blake Balais ended the game with three flag pulls and two interceptions. Callen Achor added another interception; Anthony Monetti and Gianna Sparks each added one flag pull for the Dolphins. David Daigle ended the game with three flag pulls and one interception. Javier Rivera finished with three flag pulls; Jaclyn Schlossberg had two pulls, and Ava Zink also had two pulls for the Chargers defense.

Just before the end of the first half, the Chargers took the lead when Daigle passed to Ava Zink for the two-yard TD. The two-point conversion was good when Daigle connected with a 12-yard pass to Shawn Balvin and gave the Chargers the halftime lead 14-8.

The Chargers started with the ball on offense in the second half. On a second down play, Daigle passed short to an open Schlossberg who dodged defenders for a 45-yard touchdown. The extra point pass from Daigle to Javier Rivera was good, 21-8.

With nine minutes remaining, the momentum started to shift to the Dolphins when Blake Balais intercepted a pass at midfield. Two plays later, Guthrie passed to Callen Achor who scored the 20-yard TD. The two-point conversion was good on a pass to Balais, 21-16.

On the next Chargers drive, Balais shifted the momentum again to the Dolphins when he intercepted a tipped ball on the six yard line. With a chance to take the lead, Guthrie found Balais in the middle of the endzone for the TD pass. The extra point was good when Achor caught the crossing route pass and the Dolphins took the lead 23-21 with just over two minutes left in the game.

The Dolphins defense held the Chargers offense to a three and out but left one and a half minutes on the clock. The Chargers defense needed a big stop if they were still going to have one more chance on offense. They properly used their remaining timeouts and managed to give their offense back the ball, and a chance to win, with 22 seconds left.

On second down, Chargers quarterback Daigle threw a huge 29-yard pass to Shawn Balvin for the first down which stopped the clock with three seconds. The Chargers threw the end of the game Hail Mary pass to the endzone, but it was picked-off by Achor. The Dolphins avoided the late Chargers charge and secured the victory 23-21

Adult co-ed league Results:

Harrington House Bucs  26
Slim’s Place Patriots19

Waterfront restaurant Dolphins  46
Agnelli Pools & Spa Giants  40

The Island Sun Bills  40
BY Construction Bears  18

Duffy’s Tavern Raiders  39
Beach to Bay Construction Ravens 12

Florida Discount Signs Colts  32
Southern Greens Seahawks  14

Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings  39
Duncan Real Estate Cardinals  12

Adult co-ed Flag Football Schedule

Jan. 23, Wednesday, 7 p.m., Waterfront Restaurant Dolphins vs. Sato Real Estate Browns
Jan. 23, Wednesday, 8 p.m., Southern Greens Seahawks vs. BY Construction Bears
Jan. 23, Wednesday, 9 p.m., Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings vs. Lobstahs Lions
Jan. 24, Thursday, 6 p.m., Agnelli Pools & Spa Giants vs. Beach to Bay Construction Ravens
Jan. 24, Thursday, 7 p.m., Slim’s Place Patriots vs. The Island Sun Bills
Jan. 24, Thursday, 8 p.m., Harrington House Bucs vs. Duffy’s Tavern Raiders
Jan. 24, Thursday, 9 p.m., Florida Discount Signs Colts vs. Duncan Real Estate Cardinals

14–17-Year-Olds Flag Football Results

Integrity Sound Falcons  31
Walter & Associates Bears  12

West Coast Surf Shop Bucs  40
Beach to Bay Construction Browns19

Lobstahs Colts  24
Beach to Bay Construction Browns13

14–17-Year-Olds Flag Football schedule

Jan. 28, Monday, 8 p.m., Eat Here Packers vs. Lobstahs Colts
Jan. 29, Tuesday, 7 p.m., Eat Here Packers vs. Beach to Bay Construction Browns
Jan. 22, Tuesday, 8 p.m., West Coast Surf Shop Bucs vs. Integrity Sound Falcons

11–13-Year-Olds Flag Football Results

Ross Built Construction Dolphins 32
Beach Bums Ravens  19

Walter & Associates Bears 21
Mr. Bones Colts  12

Lobstahs Bucs  40
Edgewater Realty Jaguars  8

Beach Bums Ravens  33
Lobstahs Bucs  25

Ross Built Construction Dolphins  27
Walter & Associates Bears  9

Edgewater Realty Jaguars  20
Mr. Bones Colts  12

11–13-Year-Olds Flag Football schedule:

Jan. 25, Friday, 8 p.m., Holy Cow Ice Cream Cardinals vs. Mr. Bones Colts
Jan. 28, Monday, 6 p.m., Beach Bums Ravens vs. Walter & Associates Bears
Jan. 28, Monday, 7 p.m., Edgewater Realty Jaguars vs. Holy Cow Ice Cream Cardinals

8-10-Year-Olds Flag Football Results

Miller Electric Chargers  24
Coastal Orthopedics Bears 14

Lobstahs Browns  22
Beach Bistro Bucs  6

LPAC Cardinals  25
Manatee Cancer Center Dolphins  18

Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings  25
Air & Energy Jets  6

Coastal Orthopedics Bears 27
Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings  26

Manatee Cancer Center Dolphins  23
Miller Electric Chargers  21

LPAC Cardinals  27
Beach Bistro Bucs  7

8–10-Year-Olds Flag Football schedule:

Jan. 23, Wednesday, 6 p.m., Lobstahs Browns vs. LPAC Cardinals
Jan. 25, Friday, 6 p.m., Beach Bistro Bucs vs. Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings
Jan. 25, Friday, 7 p.m., Air & Energy Jets vs. Miller Electric Chargers
Jan. 29, Tuesday, 6 p.m., LPAC Cardinals vs. Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings

5–7-Year-Olds Flag Football Schedule:

Jan. 25, Friday, 6 p.m., Lobstahs Broncos vs. Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings

Adult co-ed Volleyball

Adult co-ed Volleyball Results

Island Real Estate  25
Lobstah’s  18
(First game of best 2 out of 3)

Island Real Estate  27
Lobstah’s  25
(Second game of best 2 out of 3)

Duncan Real Estate  25
vs. Tyler’s Ice Cream  14
(First game of best 2 out of 3)

Tyler’s Ice Cream  25
vs. Duncan Real Estate  14
(Second game of best 2 out of 3)

Duncan Real Estate  25
Tyler’s Ice Cream  16
(Third game of best 2 out of 3)

Lobstah’s  25
Tyler’s Ice Cream  18
(First game of best 2 out of 3)

Lobstah’s  25
Tyler’s Ice Cream  15
(Second game of best 2 out of 3)

Adult co-ed Volleyball schedule

Jan. 29, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Island Real Estate vs. Lobstah’s
Jan. 29, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., Duncan Real Estate vs. Tyler’s Ice Cream
Jan. 29, Tuesday, 8:30 p.m., Lobstah’s vs. Tyler’s Ice Cream

A weekend of transformation in Texas

Just pinch me, again. You’ve heard me say this before. Here it comes again. We moved here, like so many people do, to chill. But that is not what the universe had in mind. Last weekend, I didn’t have a column because I was honored to be a speaker in the New Year, New You Healthfest. Its website called me one of the most influential speakers/authors and athletes. I don’t know. It’s always better when others say those things.

Here’s part of what I wrote and what was published in the largest vegan magazine in the US. I was also asked to be the reporter for the event.

If you do a Happy Cow search of Marshall, Texas, you will get zero listings. (Happy Cow is a listing of all vegan restaurants in the US.) This didn’t stop Ed and Mandy Smith from Get Healthy Marshall, a non-profit that offers many food and exercise programs throughout the year to inspire residents of Marshall and beyond to take control of their health. The Get Healthy Marshall website encourages readers to reduce their risk of disease while shedding pounds and and feeling great.

One of the many programs Get Healthy Marshall offers is New Year, New You Healthfest. Three hundred twenty-four people from 26 states attended the second year for this action-packed weekend, Jan. 11-13.

Dozens of attendees revealed breathtaking testimonials of their journeys switching to a plant-based diet. Ed Smith, the mayor of Marshall, Texas, and his wife, Amanda, began their story of reversing Ed’s prostate cancer on a vegan diet. While advertising often says, “Results are not typical,” more people are finding that a plant-based diet accomplishes many astounding, typical improvements. Testimonials included 100-pound-plus weight losses, and reversals of many diseases and illnesses.

New Year New You was the brainchild of the Smiths. They were astounded that a few dietary changes reversed disease when traditional medicine didn’t, the Smiths set out last year to make their town of Marshall, population 27,000, and described as “in the middle of the stroke-belt,” as vegan-friendly as possible.

The New Year New You website described the weekend of transformation weekend as “an opportunity to learn about the endless benefits of a healthful, compassionate and sustainable plant-based lifestyle.

Gain inspiration from some of the world’s most influential and sought after speakers, athletes, and best-selling authors.”

The list included T. Colin Campbell, author of "The China Study;" Dr. Michael Greger, the force behind the science-based, entertaining, NutritionFacts.org; Julieanna Hever RD, author of "The Plant Based Dietitian;" Dr. Milton Mills, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine board member; Chef AJ, author of "Unprocessed;" Victoria Moran, author of "Mainstreet Vegan;" Gene Baur, president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary; John Pierre, Hollywood fitness guru; Robert Cheeke, author of "Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness;" Chef Del Sroufe, author of "Forks Over Knives-The Cookbook;" Kerrie Saunders PhD, author of' "The Vegan Diet as Chronic Disease Prevention;" and Ellen Jaffe Jones, author of "Eat Vegan on $4 A Day."

A few quotes:

T. Colin Campbell, “I’ve heard so many of these kinds of testimonials. It’s still a struggle to convince people in authority to take plant-based science seriously.

Dr. Michael Greger, “It’s not every day T. Colin Campbell is your warm-up act. I read every nutrition journal in the world so you don’t have to.”

Victoria Moran, “Treat foods like drugs. Stop food addictions cold Tofurky.”

Julianna Hever, “Bulkify your diet. Drink more water. Eat more fiber.”

Ed Smith said, “Our goal was to try to make a meaningful change in our community and improve overall health. We didn’t know how well this would go over in the heart of cattle country. We’ve seen phenomenal results in reversing diabetes and getting off all medications.”

Mandy Smith said she hadn’t slept for days. “I’ll have time to do that after I’m dead,” she said with her usual smile. This couple is on a serious mission. Attendees said, “We need a Marshall in our town.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every mayor in the US did this?”

And on top of all that, I was asked to be a celebrity runner in a 5K race, a first for the town. Only 40 braved the snow flurries and lightening 15 minutes before race time. First in my age group, making that my 42nd age group placement since 2006. Go plants!

Ellen Jaffe Jones has defied cancer that struck her mom, aunt and both sisters, is a certified personal trainer (AFAA), running coach (RCCA) and the author of “Eat Vegan on $4 a Day.”