The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper


Vol. 16 No. 32 - June 8, 2016

sports

Underdogs find victory at The Center

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

monica simpson | SUN

Team Sugar Beach Digital captured the 11- to 13-year-old league
championship win on Saturday against Team Coldwell Banker.
Pictured left to right, top, Tuna McCracken, Jack Barnes,
Sam Waterman and Coach Monica Simpson, and, bottom,
Maddy Rogers, Nicholas Cavalluzzi, David Daigle and Morgan Horesh.
Not pictured is Michael Pears.

Each sports season at the Center, new teams are created and new coaches commit to growing their players. This mixing up of old friends with new players is the on-going tradition of the Island recreational sports program. It takes practices, games and time for a newly formed team to gel. Often times, it takes the whole season.

For the volunteer coaches, trying to figure out the best positions for each of their players, despite where they may have played in the past, requires fine-tuning and tweaking each game. This, while making sure each player gets playing time and touches the ball, can make for a long and sometimes losing season.

But, when it all comes together, the victory is so sweet. This past week two teams in the Center's youth soccer league experience this feeling. Their hard work and dedication paid off. The underdogs got that all important win.

The quarterfinal game on Wednesay, June 1, in the 8-to 10-year-old league was a battle royale for the remaining spot in the semifinals. In a rare occurrence, both teams were coached by the wonderful moms of the players – Ester Mattick for Team John Demato PA and Lindy Gilbert for Team Lux Carts.

Coach Gilbert entered the playoff game without a win in the regular season hoping that the underdog could once again get their bone.

Team John Demato PA's Jackson Pakbaz immediately showed his excellent ball handling skills dribbling the ball down the field. Teammate Audrey Robuck was defensively strong against Lux Carts' Jiles Kirkland, stopping his breakaway.

Frankie Coleman and Kyle Samuels both played hard against the Lux Cart, looking to help take their team to the semifinal game. Kirkland took a shot that would have put his team on the scoreboard, but Michael Coleman handled the shot like a pro for Team John Demato PA.

After the goal attempt Lawson Francis fought for position on the field for Lux Carts, but the opponent's defense was just too tough. With Fiona McCarthy in goal and Team John Demato PA on offense quickly approaching the goal to score, Lux Carts' Gabriella Gilbert made the stop and cleared the ball.

With eight minutes left in the first half, Phillipe Baumgartner scored the first goal of the game moving Team John Demato PA ahead 1-0.

To the encouragement of their coach, Team Lux Carts continued to play hard. Avoiding a second goal, Ava Baugh cleared the ball defensively for Lux Carts giving her team the offensive possession.

Pakbaz tied up the game with his shot past the goalie with five minutes left in the half. Samuels quickly came back and took a shot that just went right of the goal.

As the speed of the game picked up and the first half grew closer to an end, Jack Mattick smartly swept the ball out of bounds to prevent the shot by Team Lux Carts.

Team John Demato PA switched up its line up with Brian Gallihers in the goal to end the first half. Both teams held their ground on the field to end the half.

The second half of play saw Samuels and McCarthy in goal. Mattick started tough by taking the ball down the field for Team John Demato PA. McCarthy had a nice save stopping the ball with her feet and quick reaction.

Lux Carts continued to play tough with defensive clears by Kieran Cloutier and support by Lawson Francis. Team John Demato PA never quit, as it did all season with the help of teammates Rylan Guerrero and Karaline Berzowski.

With less than five minutes left in the first playoff game of the night, Pakbaz took the ball all the way down the field to score the winning goal for Lux Carts. Capturing its first win and the last slot in the semifinals, Team Lux Cart got there as a team, including players that were not able to play in this nail bitter – Grayson Mitchell, Victor Albrecht and Angelina Albrecht.

The story of the underdog continued last week. In the 11-to 13-year-old league, Team Sugar Beach Digital finished the regular season with a 2-4-1 record. What the record does not show is the clear parity in the league. Each of Sugar Beach Digital's regular season losses were close battles on the field. Pulling it all together, the team won their semi-final game against Team Beach Bums in the heat of the late afternoon.

Literally sweating it out again, Sugar Beach Digital faced the top team in the league on Saturday in the Championship Game. After 40 minutes of great soccer, Sugar Beach Digital defeated Team Coldwell Banker 4-2, with goals by Nicholas Cavalluzzi, David Daigle and Tuna McCracken for the victors. The two bullet goals for Coldwell Banker by Tyler Brewer were just unstoppable.

The morale to the story and the life lesson to be learned at the Center – just keep playing hard and playing your best because any given game your team can be the victor despite what the record may show.

Sun Scoreboard

Tuesday, May 31

Adult Basketball

Team Jackson 60
Team Calvary 57

Team Bailey 26
Team Aaron 57

Team Terman 74
Team Sapanora 66

8-to 10-year-old league

Lux Golf Carts 0
John Demato PA 1

The Feast 8
Wash Family Construction 3

Wednesday, June 1
Youth Soccer

6-to 7-year-old league

Truly Nolen 3
Progressive Cabinetry 0

Signarama 2
Pink and Navy 0

8-to 10-year-old league:
Quarter Final Game

Lux Golf Carts 2
John Demato PA 1

11-to 13-year-old league

Coldwell Banker 1
Beach Bums 0

11-to 13-year-old league:
Semi-Final Game

Beach Bums 2
Sugar Beach Digital 5

Thursday, June 2

Adult Co-Ed Soccer

Ross Built Construction 2
Wash Family Construction 7

Jiffy Lube 7
Eason Builders Group 0

Blake Hospital Team #2 2
Blake Hospital #1 2

Slim's Place 5
Island Pest Control 4

Saturday,gre June 4

Youth Soccer

8-to 10-year-old league

The Feast 7
Lux Golf Carts 0

Wash Family Construction 0
Blue Lagoon Landscape 7

11-to 13-year-old league: Championship Game

Coldwell Banker 2
Sugar Beach Digital 4


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