Tyler's Ice Cream churns it up

In a battle between the #4 ranked Team Tyler's Ice Cream and #5 ranked Team Anna Maria Oyster Bar (AMOB), the 11- to 13-year-old youth flag football league season starts to wind down with Team Miller Electric as the clear leader. Coach Rob Alderson, of Tyler's Ice Cream, called in systematic plays his team has practiced all season. The practice paid off.

AMOB coach Zac Yost and coach Alderson both stress the importance of continuing to play hard despite their season records. With Team AMOB slated to play the top team in the first round of the playoffs, Yost works on honing plays and coordinating his team.

Driving the football down the field with Josh Waldo as the quarterback, Devin Calderone was the designated receiver on the first offensive drive of the game. Three completed passes, including a first down right at the goal line, paved the way for Tyler's Ice Cream to get on the scoreboard early with a touchdown by Cash Carter. The failed extra point attempt left the score at 6-0.

Three snaps of the football by AMOB put the football back into the hands of Tyler's, but not before Byron Law took the ball for a 15-yard gain on a handoff.

Tyler's quarterback got the ball to Thomas Heckler, giving him the option to run or pass. Heckler found Carter for short yardage. A short pass to Ava Alderson took the football five yards short of the mid-field line.

On third down, Waldo hit Heckler, who broke away from the defense taking it down the rest of the field for six more points. Heckler's catch in the front corner for the extra point advanced the score to 13-0.

Another short pitch to AMOB's Law resulted in a 10-yard gain before giving the offensive possession back to Team Tyler's Ice Cream.

Changing up their offense, Carter went under the center. Reading the play, Travis Bates nearly made an interception on Carter's first pass of the day right at the end zone. With another option play, Heckler ran the ball for a 20-yard gain.

Cash was almost intercepted again by Andrew Davidson. With the pass tipped off of Davidson's hands, Calderone caught the football for the third Tyler's Ice Cream touchdown moving the score to 19-0.

After two botched plays, Law was the only player open. Law's catch was just short of the first down giving the football back to their opponent.

Waldo returned to the QB position, and placed the ball on the back of Reese Riley for a sneak rush and a 10-yard gain. Strong coverage on defense by AMOB stopped the second down play with a forced pass to Alderson. Alderson could get her hands on the ball.

With a fake handoff to Riley, Waldo threw a short pass to Josie Alderson for a huge first down run, giving Tyler's Ice Cream three more snaps of the football.

The long targeted pass to Carter resulted in six more points on the scoreboard, widening the scoring gap to 25 points. Tight man coverage by the AMOB defense stopped the extra point for Tyler's as time ran out, and the quarterback could not get the pass off in time.

Tyler's Ice Cream's defense could no longer employ the rush on the QB due to the point spread. The first down pass to Davidson was incomplete. Wesley Choate completed a pass for gained yards before Calderone's flag pull.

With 30 seconds left in the first half, AMOB made a huge first down reception, leaving time for a short pass to Kale Petrin. The half was closed with a critical flag pull by A. Alderson at the three-yard line preventing the score.

The second half of play started with AMOB on offense. The first play resulted in seven rushing yards by Law with another crucial stop by A. Alderson. Davidson's dropped pass took AMOB to third down. Calling for the ball, wide receiver Choate grabbed the football and gained first down yardage and more.

In a repeat play, on first down the hand off once again was to Law who again was stopped by A. Alderson, her fourth flag pull of the game. Unable to convert on second and third down, Tyler's Ice Cream took over the football.

Tyler's offensive possession included a reception to Carter for a 15-yard gain. The long pass by Waldo hit Carter in the end zone for another touchdown resulting in a score of 31-0.

After short gains and flag pulls by J. Alderson, Petrin, as the QB, regained the high snap. Petrin hit Bates with the first down pass. On first down and half the length of the field to score, Davidson took the football for a 15-yard run eluding the flag pulls of two defenders before being stopped by Heckler.

Spinning moves by Dylan Jacques got Team AMOB its first touchdown of the game with less than 10 minutes left on the game clock. The one-point conversion was good taking the game score to 31-7 preventing the shutout.

Taking over on offensive, Tyler's Ice Cream's Calderone was stopped by Law in what would have been another score. Cash taking the snap threw the ball to A. Alderson as the intended receiver. The football bounced off the defender and right into A. Alderson's hands as she recovered the pass for a touchdown with tremendous concentration.

With the score 37-7 and seven minutes left on the game clock, the extra point attempt was not successful.

Never quitting despite the point spread, AMOB's Petrin threw a long pass to Choate for another six points after missed flag pulls by two Tyler's defenders. The extra point by Law closed the score gap to 37-14.

Taking it to the ground, the first down hand off to A. Alderson gained 15 yards for her team before she ran through two defenders and lost her balance. The short run by Calderone took it to third down. Anther bad snap gave the ball back to Anna Maria Oyster Bar.

After three snaps of the football Team Anna Maria Oyster Bar scored with a Brandon Yost touchdown and extra point ending the score at 37-20.

Sun Scoreboard

Thursday, February 23

Adult Co-Ed Flag Football

Mason Martin13
Smoothie King 12

Beach to Bay 34
Progressive Cabinetry 6

Moss Builders 0
Tyler's Ice Cream 20

Saturday, Feb. 25

Youth Flag Football: 8- to 10-Year-Old League

Beach to Bay 40
Slim's Place 36

Salty Printing 19
Truly Nolen Win 16

Bark & Co. 12
Cloud Pest Control 0

Youth Flag Football: 11- to 13-Year-Old League

Progressive Cabinetry 13
Planet Stone 31

Anna Maria Oyster Bar 22
Tyler's Ice Cream 37

Youth Flag Football: 14- to 17-Year-Old League

Air & Energy 46
Duncan Real Estate 13

Intechgrate Systems 48
Sign-A-Rama 6