Flag football saw a number of interesting developments during the men’s regular season. One man who embraces the positives is Cayman Islands Flag Football Association vice president Brendon Malice.
Malice, a government employee by day, states the 2011 Island Air Flag Football League was a notable one on many levels.
“First off, it’s great that we had eight teams on the field,” Malice said.
“There were lots of new players and faces. The league as a whole was more competitive. Any given Saturday any of the teams could win.
“There are still the top teams like the Doghouse Bulldogs and the dms Hellcats. Dms won some close games but they have experience and didn’t panic.
That’s how they won. Doghouse did much of the same.”
Two of the biggest surprises are the Cox Lumber Colts and the PWC Ironmen. In their first season in existence, Cox Lumber had a stellar 7-5 record to end up with a second place finish in a tough West division. They won their first playoff game last weekend over the Burger King Panthers and play in the semi-finals this Saturday, 24 September at the Ed Bush field in West Bay. Among their star players are Brad Conolly, Taj Haye and Chester Hurlston.
After many seasons without a win, PWC stepped up to nab two victories in the 2011 campaign. The most impressive of those triumphs was a 6-0 victory over the Hammerheads Pirates, the second place team in the East division. Among the playmakers in that game (and throughout the season) were wide-out Antonio Hanna and quarterback Chris Lebeau.
Another notable change this season was the introduction of new referees. Last year’s chief officials (Andreas Kettner and Arthur Screaton) were replaced with Sean Glidden and Rob Duty. Malice did not comment on their performance but from all accounts they held their own under heavy scrutiny.
Ultimately Malice, who also served as the team captain for the Burger King Panthers, has part of his focus on 2012. One of his objectives is to work closer with the Grand Cayman Flag Football Association, which is run by female flag football players.
“We miss having the women involved. It takes away from some of the togetherness. My hope is to reunite the women with the men next year. We still get that support and camaraderie from the ladies but it’s not the same with them playing at a different venue at a different time.”
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