SPORTS

28 THE SUN SPORTS JUNE 1, 2022

Moss, Gitt season champions

BY MONICA SIMPSON

SPECIAL TO THE SUN

ANNA MARIA – The final whistle blew Thursday night, marking the end of another action-packed soccer season at The Center. Youth champions, The Gitt Team and Moss Builders, were named earlier in the week. Team Moss Builders also eked out a 7-6 win to earn the Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup over the Salty Printing squad in a high-stakes shootout.

The Gitt Team’s teamwork, with standout play by striker Callin Westfall, with a hat trick, and critical stops by the league’s Goalie of the Year, Kason Davis, pushed them toward a 3-2 victory in the big game.

Their opponent, Flip Flop Candy Shop, worked the field without Preston LaPensee, one of the league’s MVPs for the season. Luca Rosenkrans scored the only goal for his team. An own goal by The Gitt Team put a point on the scoreboard for the Flip Flop team.

Keilee Mulcahy, goalie for team Flip Flop Candy Shop, helped to hold the score to a one-point game with six important saves.

Despite the work of the entire Flip Flop team all season, the win was just not in the cards.

The Gitt Team finished the season not only with the championship and goalie accolades, but the team’s Tess Bolognone was awarded the league’s other MVP honors.

Solid Rock Construction’s Luke Willing was named the league’s Most Improved Player for the season. Defensive honors went to Aidan Guess for Tidy MD. Camden Rudacille took home the Sportsmanship award for the 8- to 10-year-old league.

In the 11- to 14-year-old league, Moss Builders’ Addie Guess was Rudacille’s counterpart, winning the Sportsmanship award. Guess and her teammates fought hard against team Shady Lady in the final game of the season.

With everything on the line, Jack Mattick worked the field and Shady Lady defense, scoring all four goals for the Moss Builders team.

In goal for Moss, Charlie Serra made five important stops, as Maddox Culhane and Jayden Sparks made him work the duration of the game. Culhane and Sparks each had solo goals in the game.

Protecting his team’s goal, Jack Zaccagnino also had five saves, helping to keep the championship within reach. Jack’s brother, Jesse, was voted Goalie of the Year for the league.

Despite the team effort by Shady Lady, without key player Victor Albrecht, the Moss Builders squad’s earned the championship to close out the youth soccer season.

The league finished with top honors to two HSH and two Miz & Hiz Biz players. HSH’s Ava Gitt was named the Most Improved Player and Konnor Oelfke, playing for Miz & Hiz Biz, won the Defensive MVP award.

League Offensive MVP distinctions were earned by Miz & Hiz Biz’s Cecelia Kroth and HSH’s Frankie Coleman.

Thursday’s night action for the adult co-ed soccer league included both semifinal action and the big game. After eliminating Sato Real Estate and Gulfview Windows & Doors, respectively, teams Moss Builders and Salty Printing went to work on the pitch.

Starting the season winless until the last weeks, Salty Printing came into the playoffs with nothing to lose and everything to prove.

Team Moss Builders, having won the championship before, played to win.

Both sides of midfield fought hard for two full halves of regulation play, finishing with no points on the scoreboard.

With five additional minutes on the clock, overtime play commenced and ended once again with a scoreless game. The stalemate took the game to a shootout, with the spectators cheering and excitement in the air.

Finishing field play with 11 saves in the game, Salty Printing’s Tuna McCracken took the line for the first penalty kick by Olaf Krause. Krause’s strike drifted to the left of the post.

Ryan Moss was on the line for Moss Builders, saving 12 shots during timed play. Salty Printing’s Kevin Roman made the first shot, followed by another by Luca Vecchio after Hakan Toka missed for his team.

Greg Moss finally eluded McCracken, scoring Moss Builders’ first goal in the game.

Alternating back and forth, Tyler Brewer and Chris Culhane made the next goals for Salty Printing, while Eduardo Filipe and R. Moss scored for Moss Builders.

With everything tied up again and two consecutive missed shots for both teams, the line ups came back around with Roman and G. Moss each making a shot.

Vecchio and Filipe hit their next shots, making the last shot by each team critical.

After a full round of penalty shots and the score six all, Moss Builders’ Gerardo Urbiola’s shot went past McCracken after going off his fingertips.

Brewer placed the soccer ball on the line for Salty Printing, with the pressure of knowing that his shot would either tie or lose the game for his team. The adrenaline of the moment sent the ball sailing over the fence, ending the championship game with a score 7-6.

MONICA SIMPSON | SUN Clockwise above, The Gitt team won the final game of the season against Flip Flop Candy Shop, making them champions of the 8- to 10-year-old recreational soccer league at The Center. The Center’s 11- to 14-year-old league champions, Moss Builders, after their big win in the season-ending game. The Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup winners, Moss Builders, “smiledeep” in “Ace’s Corner” at the Island’s community center.

SUN SCOREBOARD MONDAY, MAY 23 8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE SEMIFINAL PLAYOFF GAMES Beach Bums 3 Flip Flop Candy Shop 5 11- TO 14-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE SEMIFINAL PLAYOFF GAMES Moss Builders Win by Forfeit HSH Loss

Shady Lady 5 Miz & Hiz Biz 4

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME The Gitt Team 3 Flip Flop Candy Shop 2

11- TO 14-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Moss Builders 4 Shady Lady 2

THURSDAY, MAY 26 ADULT CO-ED SOCCER SEMIFINAL PLAYOFF GAMES Sato Real Estate 2 Moss Builders 3

Salty Printing 4 Gulfview Windows & Doors 2