Sato Real Estate turns it around for championship

ANNA MARIA – In an action-packed flag football game, team Pineapple Market Place captured the 11- to 13-year-old league championship against Solid Rock Construction in a close battle last Tuesday night at The Center.

With the 8- to 10-year-old flag football league final game rescheduled due to an event at Anna Maria Elementary School, the top-seed Sato Real Estate squad faced the fourth-ranked Westfall’s Lawn Care and Pest Control last Thursday night.

Sato Real Estate’s 38-7 win against sixth-seed Moss Builders last Monday night earned them their spot in the championship game.

Going into the semifinal game a slight underdog, team Westfall fought their way through two halves of flag football play to win by nine points against Solid Rock.

As the clear favorites, the Sato Real Estate team was shook when their opponents came out onto the field playing to win.

With the much-needed mid-season add-on of Kellen Hunt behind center for Westfall, the Sato team fell behind for the first time in the season with a Westfall touchdown in early play.

In a cleanly physical and exciting game, Sato Real Estate’s Dylan Sato found himself injured and on the bench for several snaps of the football.

Team Westfall continued to play with accuracy and fire, taking advantage of a Sato squad struggling to find its footing in the game.

Self-determined with supportive coaching by volunteer and father Jason Sato, quarterback Brandon Sato lit up the field and ignited the excitement of the sideline with a game-changing interception. B. Sato’s nab of Hunt’s throw gave the Sato Real Estate team the positive play needed to ultimately win the championship.

Finishing the game with five touchdown passes, two defensive flag pulls and two interceptions, including one for six points, B. Sato was the unofficial game MVP.

Big brother D. Sato caught three of his brother’s throws for touchdowns and had a big defensive stop to help win the game.

Teammates Braylen Briggs and Kellen Reed each were the scoring targets for B. Sato, scoring 12 points in receiving touchdowns.

Scoring three total points, Silas DeWitt, Beau DeWitt and Reed all caught for one point conversion after Sato Real Estate TDs.

The remaining team Sato flag pulls came from Reed, B. DeWitt and Briggs. S. DeWitt had three crucial flag pulls to assist his team defensively.

Game-winning and season-making contributions came from Sato Real Estate players Camden Rudacille and Leo Tyler, helping to make the championship win possible.

Despite the loss, Westfall’s players fought hard until the last second of the final youth flag football game of the season played before the adult flag football semifinal games.

Hunt’s touchdown duos in the big game were Ethan Angel, Carter Hey and Callin Westfall, each with a scoring catch for six points. Westfall put four receptions in the stat book.

Angel finished the game with five catches and two flag big flag pulls. Hey made two stops in addition to his TD catch.

Elijah Karabagli and Cody Stockton caught three and two passes for positive yardage for team Westfall, respectively.

Helping the Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control work their way to the championship game, Thadeous Daniels and Ruby Kesten made critical plays throughout the season.

The high-scoring championship game for the older age group was a shootout with 17 total caught passes thrown by Pineapple Market Place quarterbacks, including by Jack Mattick, for a total of 18 points.

Sato Real Estate turns it around for championship — 8- to 10-year-old flag football league champions, team Sato Real Estate, are, from left, (top row), Braylen Briggs, Camden Rudacille, Kellen Reed and Brandon Sato, (bottom row) Coach Jason Sato, Beau DeWitt, Silas DeWitt, Leo Tyler and Dylan Sato. – Monica Simpson | Sun

The caliber of play on both sides of the football by both teams makes it difficult to determine who would walk away with the most valuable player honors for the season-ending game.

Mattick threw for three TDs, pulled three flags, caught for one interception and one two-point conversion.

Carter Eurice and the offensive team for Solid Rock Construction threw for 16 passes, scoring 24 points.

Despite the in-the-air action, it ultimately was the two rushing touchdowns that may have been the difference for the 11- to 13-year-old league Pineapple Market Place team.

The speedy wheels of Mattick raced the football past his Solid Rock opponents.

The Pineapple scoring receptions came at the hands of Krosby Lamison with two scoring catches. Cyrus Ryan was the receiver for six points in the endzone.

Lamison’s hot hands made six catches and snagged a flag while on defense.

Rounding out the scoring, Peyton Hovda scored three points with two one-point conversions and a two-point play after a TD. Defensively, Hovda had a team high four flag pulls.

Kaleb Romangnino had a single catch and two flag pulls, while teammate Brantley Kobialka scored one point with a point after conversion.

Brantley finished the last game of the season with two catches in the game.

On defense, Colin Bankert made a huge stop for Pineapple Market Place. Bankert’s teammates Jordan Tobey and Riley Karecki each made team contributions in the winning season.

Working on the other side of the field, quarterback Eurice hit the hands of Hyden Eurice and Audrey Guess for 24 points, each with two TD catches.

Eurice made four catches, two flag pulls and had one interception in the game. Brother Carter Eurice had two flag pulls in addition to his scoring throws.

Guess was the top receiver in the game with eight catches and had five defensive stops.

Austin Guess contributed to his team’s efforts with one catch and three flag pulls, while Addie Guess had two nice receptions and a one-point conversion.

Making a nice two-point conversion and catching a pass for Solid Rock was Colson Mendiola.

Solid Rock Construction’s Bella Roadman had a beautiful defensive stop with a flag pull.

Obi Roadman and Avery Guess made huge team contributions throughout the season, helping the Solid Rock squad make it to the championship game against the top-seed Pineapple Market Place as underdogs.

In the adult co-ed flag football league, #1 met #2 in the final game of the season. With an easy win against The Briley Mortgage Team, with the final score 96-39, the Luxury Services squad secured their position in the big game.

Despite the name, Solid Rock Construction’s owners and family represented Moss Builders on the football field against the Solid Rock team. The Solid Rock squad slotted into the final championship position with the 35-28.

Ready for battle on Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m., top-seed Luxury Services meets team Solid Rock Construction, with the young team looking to take home the championship.