SUMMERSIDE – Coaches and their teams wrestled rain and gusty, chilly winds on Saturday during the third annual Domino’s Spartans Bowl flag football tournament at Eric Johnston Field in Summerside.
Logan Plant, coach of the Summerside Spartans, admitted that the bad weather affected play. He said the conditions made it harder for players to handle and control the football, as well as pull the flag loosely attached to the carrier’s belt.
“We’re a passing team, so playing in this wind has changed our whole game play,” he said while switching players up on the field in front of a handful of parents wrapped from head to toe in winter sleeping bags, mitts and hats.
Divisions
The three-day tournament, which was hosted by the Summerside Spartans, featured 23 teams in two divisions. Five of those teams were from Nova Scotia.
A total of 10 teams competed in the under-12, and 13 teams registered for the under-14 category.
Connor Blood, 11, of the Summerside Spartans had a sunnier outlook on the game.
“I find flag football really fun, and I get to play with a couple of my best friends,” remarked Connor with an infectious smile. “I’ve been playing the sport for around four years, and we usually play every weekend and practise two to three times a week.”
He continued: “We have to catch the ball and get flags, so you have to be quick on your feet. The cold is making the game harder to play because your hands freeze, and it makes catching the ball harder, as well as grabbing the flags because you can’t really feel them.”
Blood noted the best part of flag football is the social aspect.
“You can help your friends to get better at the sport, and it’s really satisfying,” he concluded.
Games kicked off on Friday evening, and wrapped up after playoffs under partial sunny skies on Sunday.
Champions
In the Under-12 Division, the Alberton Predators won the gold medal with a convincing 31-14 victory over the Valley Bulldogs. Both teams punched their ticket to the gold-medal games with wins over Central Queens and the Summerside Blue Spartans, respectively.
Central Queens beat the Blue Spartans 24-22 in a very entertaining bronze-medal game.
In the Under-14 Division, the Valley Football organization from Nova Scotia swept the medals as the Valley Bulldogs won gold, the Gators took silver and the Wolfpack claimed bronze.
The Bulldogs defeated the Gators 46-7 in the championship game, and the Wolfpack downed Central Queens 32-26 to win the bronze medal.
