The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 15 No. 43 - August 26, 2015

sports

AMICC Super Bowl champions electrify the field: Miller Electric Lions defeat Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

MONICA SIMPSON | SUN

AMICC Summer League Adult Flag Football Champions
Team Miller Electric.

The compressed summer adult flag football league at the Anna Maria Island Community Center challenged the players mentally and physically. Playing twice a week in the summer heat through regular season play was just the warm up for the playoffs. On Wednesday night, the two semi-final games and the Super Bowl were all played in a matter of three hours. The endurance, mental fitness and physical prowess of each player on Miller Electric Lions and Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings were tested.

In a defensive battle during the first half of the championship game, the Vikings came out with a first down on the first play of the game by CJ Moore. But the Vikings run was soon stopped when Craig Doher of the Lions intercepted the second pass of the game by quarterback Rob Manderine.

After six plays, the Lions could not put points on the scoreboard thanks to flag pulls by Vikings Shiante Lawyer and incomplete passes by Lions Quarterback Ray Gardner. Taking the ball back, the Vikings failed to make the first down after three attempts, quickly giving the ball back to the Lions.

Manderine attempted to spark his team, but his passes would not connect to his receivers. Going for the third down, Lions Doher caught his second interception of the game.

With momentum on their side, on their second possession of the game, Miller Electric quickly put up six points when Gardner placed the football on the back of center Alexx Hamphill, allowing him to take the ball for a run to the end zone. An incomplete pass to Hamphill for the extra point kept the score 6-0.

The Vikings struggled through the first half, trying to contain the Lions in the first 20 minutes of play. The Miller Electric Lions closed out the half with another touchdown run by Gardner and the score at 12-0.

Hoping for a better second half showing, the Vikings could not stop Gardner who took the ball on the second snap for a first down run. Gardner then stepped out of the pocket and found Doher in the end zone for the third Lions touchdown of the night. Gardner found Eric Gledhill in the back corner of the end zone for the extra point advancing the score to 19-0.

QB Manderine could not find his rhythm and the Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings handed the ball back to the Miller Electric Lions after three snaps of the football. In six plays, the Lions put up another seven points with a pass from Mike Gillum to Gardner for the touchdown and the extra point by Hamphill moving the score to 26-0.

Trying again to put points on the board Manderine threw an incomplete pass after the Vikings cross mid-field for the first down. With the end zone in sight, Manderine hit Doher again for the third interception of the game for the Lions. Doher ran the ball back past mid-field. The Lions scored another seven points for a score of 33-0.

As the time ticked off the clock, desperation sat in for the Vikings. Doher nearly captured another interception on a bad throw from Manderine. Another bad throw on third down to Moore hit the ground.

In the last offensive possession for the Lions, Gardner threw a short pass to Doher. Lawyer quickly yanked his flags for a Vikings stop. Hamphill made a strong reception with another Lawyer flag pull. But the Lions just could not be stopped. Doher scored another touchdown and the Lions got the extra point spreading their lead to 40-0.

Hoping to put points up on the scoreboard, Manderine hit Moore for yardage before Gardner made the stop. With a near interception by Gledhill the Vikings offense became desperate. On third down, Manderine threw a bomb into the end zone where Gardner intercepted the ball and ran it 45 yards for the last Lions touchdown ending championship game with the score of 46-0.

The Lions became only the second team in the history of AMICC adult flag football to go through the season undefeated and win the Super Bowl.

The Sun Scoreboard

Wednesday, August 19

Adult Flag Football – Semi-Final Games

Sugar Beach Digital Cowboys 13
Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings 27

Poppo’s Taqueria 49ers 0
Miller Electric Lions 20

Adult Flag Football – Championship Game

Tyler’s Ice Cream Vikings 0
Miller Electric Lions 46


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