Flag football season gets underway in Plantation
Opening day for the Plantation Flag Football League was quite the spectacle as the fields at Plantation Central Park were packed with players and coaches hoping to get off to a fast start in their respective divisions.
There are approximately 300 players spread among 31 teams in five levels based on age. The goal of all the clubs is to reach the Super Bowl contests that take place Nov. 4. The end-ofseason All-Star games are played the following week.
Hope springs eternal for every squad entering the first weekend of play. Every team makes it to the playoffs so any team regardless of record can come out of nowhere and wrestle the championship away from the favorites.
The 6-under division is comprised of five teams and the 14-under division includes five teams. The other three levels — 8-under, 10-under and 12-under all consist of seven teams.
The format of play is 7-on-7, except for the 14-unders who play 4-on-4. First- and second-place teams receive end-of-season trophies.
Doug Hoffman has been the league commissioner for five years. It is hard for him not to get excited about the games on opening day.
“Every team is undefeated at least for a little while,” Hoffman said. “On a scale of one to 10, the excitement level is an 11.”
Hoffman explained that an equally weighted draft takes place before the season to ensure parity.
“We strive to have equal teams, although it doesn’t always end up that way,” Hoffman said. “I would like to see every team be at least .500 at the end of the season.”
The featured opening game in the 14-under division saw the Hurricanes jump head of the Gators 28-0 and hang on for a 28-12 victory. Hurricanes coach Asmer Monterrey’s 12-under squad won the Super Bowl last season, and this year’s club looked very comfortable stepping up one age level to the 4-on-4 play.
“I love the 4-on-4 setup because I played it for 20 years,” Monterrey said. “We have proven plays that if executed right, we should be alright. We have great athletes on the club and it will be a fun season.”
Monterrey mentioned several players whom he feels will play key roles in the success of this year’s squad.
“We have Kai Miyamoto back and he’s our best player, and Joey (Parraga) is leading the offense as our quarterback,” he said. “Aaron (Monterrey) is back again and will be a big scoring threat.”
The Hurricanes had a balanced scoring attack in the opener against the Gators with Miyamoto, Monterrey and Tim Shaw reaching the end zone.
J.J. Olivera was able to provide defensive pressure on Gators quarterback Aaron Anchell throughout the game. Anchell was able to make some late game adjustments and connect with wide-receiver Kenya Harriott for two touchdowns.
Miyamoto was glad to see the season begin since football is his favorite sport. The 13-year-old from Fort Lauderdale splits time between wide receiver and cornerback.
“The best part is getting to play with my friends. We are familiar with each other on the field,” Miyamoto said. “Our team goal is to just win, but this 4-on-4 is a lot different and you need to cover a lot more ground. If you make a mistake defensively the other team will score. It’s just a fun league.”
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