By Gary Curreri

Photo by Gary Curreri

The Deerfield Beach dynamic duo of running back Jaylan Knighton and quarterback Derohn King flexed their muscles and helped lead host Deerfield Beach to a convincing, 32-14 Class 8A regional quarterfinal playoff victory over Miramar on Friday night.

Knighton ran for 140 yds. on 18 carries and three touchdowns in the second half as the Bucks moved to 10-1 on the season and will host Plantation on Friday night in the regional semifinal.

Knighton had a game-clinching score from 19 yds. out with 3:23 remaining to give the Bucks a 26-14 lead and added a 28 yd. run with 41 seconds left as Deerfield snapped a three-game playoff losing skid to Miramar. The Bucks lone loss this season came at the hands of St. Thomas, 38-6 three weeks ago.

“We weren’t running the ball the first half,” said Knighton, who had just four carries for 16 yds. in the first half. “The second half, I put the team on my back and carried them.”

Knighton said he asked for the ball in the second half. He scored on runs of 1, 19 and 28 yds.

“It came to a point where I wanted to destroy them,” he said. “They came up and started talking and doing stuff I didn’t like, so I wanted to make them feel me.”

Deerfield Beach junior quarterback Derohn King came off the bench to throw two TDs in a 2-minute span of the second quarter to give the Bucks an early 13-0 lead.

King, who injured his throwing shoulder in a win against Piper two weeks ago, didn’t play the first three series of the game as senior Tyron Herring got the nod. He was ineffective and was replaced by King, who promptly game connected on a 78 yd. pass to senior Dashaun Davis for a 7-0 lead with 5:55 left in the first half.

Deerfield Beach coach Jevon Glenn said they tried to rest King, but since Miramar was crowding the line of scrimmage taking away the run, they inserted their junior quarterback to open things up.

“We put Derohn in and once he hit them a couple of times over the top and started stretching the field they had to respect that and it opened up things for Jaylan,” Glenn said.

King made it 13-0 on a 29 yd. pass to senior wideout Donte Banton on the Bucks’ very next offensive series after forcing the Patriots to lose the ball on downs deep in their own territory. King hit Banton running in stride in the end zone with 3:50 left to extend the lead. King was 11 of 18 for 193 yds. and two TDs for the game.

Miramar’s Torrie Cox returned the second kickoff 65 yds. to the Bucks’ 12 yd. line. Three plays later, senior running back Clifton Miller went in from 5 yds. out to trim the lead to 13-6 with 11:12 left in the third quarter.

Miramar (6-5) took a 14-13 lead on a 61 yd. scoring pass from Smith to Carlos Hill and a 2-point conversion pass from Smith to Joseph Adams with 4:40 left in the third quarter.

Deerfield Beach answered as they marched 78 yds. in 9 plays to grab a 19-14 lead on a 1 yd. run by Knighton with 1:20 left in the third.

Miramar entered the game 3-1 versus the Bucks in the postseason. The Bucks won the regional final 21-14 in 2005; however, Miramar had won the last three playoff meetings. Miramar won 34-30 in 2008 regional final, 24-21 in the regional quarterfinal, 24-21 in 2010 and again in the 2013 regional quarterfinal, 43-6.

Deerfield Beach is 20-8 all time in first round playoff game, including 16-4 at home. Both teams were coming off upset losses in last year’s regional quarterfinals. Miramar fell 28-20 to Park Vista, while Deerfield was downed by Western, 20-17 at home. The Bucks were the top-ranked team in the state at the time.

Golfers win local tourney

The team of Andy Burt, Joe Patchen, Dennis Rooy, Gene Stoller carded a 114 in the Pompano Beach Men’s Golf Association’s Two Best Ball of Foursome competition on Nov. 7 at the Pines Course at the Pompano Municipal Golf Club.

George Disch, Jerry Goodman, Tim O’Brien and Bart Valerio was second with a 116, while Oscar Aleman, Frank Cutrone, Al DiBenedetto and Dave Dowling (blind draw) shot 119.

Disch also won the closest to the pin on the 17th hole when his shot landed 11 ft. from the hole.

Pompano Beach Women’s Golf Association results

The team of Jan Ruck, Janet Tomchik, Lynn Goodman and Elaine Schoengood carded a 113 to win the Pompano Beach Women’s Golf Association’s 1-2-3 Best Ball Mixed Foursome tournament on Nov. 6 at the Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Club.

The team of Kim Heath, Vonnie O’Keefe and Patti Van Zandt finished second with a 118, while the team of Georgie Wright, Sarah Lee, Wiltrud Messinger and Anita MacMichael was third with a 120 following a scorecard playoff.

The following week (Nov. 13) was a competition of Low Net in Flights. Deb Brown shot a 75 and won the tiebreaker in the A Flight. Jan Ruck was second. Winning the B Flight with a 72 was Deb Ladig, while Janet Stuart was second with a 75. The C-Flight winner was Lynn Goodman, who shot a 74, while Vonnie Okeefe carded an 83 to finish second. Alberta Bove shot a 71 to win the D-Flight, while Anita Macmichael was second with a 78.

By “Cinema” Dave

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

With no Marvel Comic Universe or Star Wars movies opening this holiday season, all bets are off in determining the final box office Juggernaut of 2018. The Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald opens this weekend, with Creed II being released in time for Thanksgiving, repeating the marketing strategy of the Rocky Balboa in 2006 and the original Creed in 2015. The much acclaimed A Star is Born has shown consistent box office numbers, with a likely resurgence this Thanksgiving weekend.

The Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) concludes its 33rd edition this weekend. More than any other FLIFF in memory, documentaries and short subjects are overshadowing the fictional features. Each category is very competitive and the subjects vary. While the best documentaries are science based, the short subjects vary in tone from serious to whimsical.

Shot in the Cayman Islands, Hotel features a sad man and a happy woman who meet in the hallway. Being out of towners, both people find they have much in common. It should be noted that the female ingenue is portrayed by Taylor Burrowes, an actress with a PhD in counseling who goes by the moniker, “Doctor Babe.”

An Italian short subject based on a true story, Magic Alps looks at immigrants entering Italy and being separated from their pets.

United Kingdom’s The Vest is a seven minute nightmare about a suicide bomber who seeks redemption.

From Life is an eight minute short subject from the United Kingdom. A complete story with a solid beginning and middle with a surprise ending, this movie provokes thoughts about art, history and the nature of being. From Life is easily the best short subject of the festival, though Animal Cinema deserves special recognition for a science short subject. Told from the perspective of wild creatures operating video cameras from 2012 to 2017, the video footage was found on all seven continents.

Directed by Teresa Tico, Keely Shaye Brosnan and executive produced by her husband Pierce, Poisoning Paradise looks at the conflict between native Hawaiians and corporations developing genetic pesticides for corn crops. With a dramatic opening and close celebrating the Hawaiian Paradise, this film bogs down in the middle by relying on television interviews and stock footage of protests.

In contrast, Secrets of a Frozen Ocean is a minimalist documentary about a 75-year-old scientist who makes one last trek to the Arctic to find evidence of a meteor landing there millions of years ago. Avoiding editorial drama and a musical score that would make Marlon Perkin’s “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” so cheesy, this film strives for truth and is very humane.

Sharkwater Extinction is easily the best documentary of FLIFF. The narrative is strong and the cinematography captures the oceans, landscapes and sunsets in Gods crowning glory. Adventurer Rob Stewart’s life mission appeared to have been to change the negative perception of sharks as a killing machine. When viewed rationally, sharks are necessary predators of the food cycle to prevent population surplus.

[Stewart showed his first 2006 film Sharkwater at FLIFF and he was presented a Humanitarian Award by FLIFF in 2012 when his film Revolution was showing at Cannes]. Tragically, in 2017, he died while diving in The Keys [possibilty from equipment malfunction]. His last film, Sharkwater Extinction will be screened this Saturday night at 8 p.m. at Bailey Hall at Broward College (3501 Davie Rd, Davie, FL 33314). Even if one separates the emotional connection to this young man’s last film, Sharkwater Extinction deserves to be seen on the BIG SCREEN to appreciate the visual beauty of the world of which we live.

For more information on the festival, visit www.FLIFF.com.

Deerfield Beach

Oct. 30: A man said that someone stole his iPad Mini 2 valued at $150 from his vehicle parked at 4333 NE 3 Ave. The man is a Comcast technician and was installing an alarm at a home during the theft.

Nov. 2: A woman reported that someone entered a car and stole her Apple iPad. A man next door also reported that his vehicle was burglarized but nothing was stolen. The incident was reported at 3851 NW 7 Pl.

Nov. 2: It was reported that someone stole a generator from inside a food truck parked at 682 S. Military Tr.

Nov. 2: A woman reported that her boyfriend stole her iPhone following an argument at 599 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Nov. 5: A woman reported her Honda Civic stolen from 4311 Crystal Lake Dr.

Lighthouse Point

Oct. 21: A loose dog was found walking alone at Copans and Dixie Hwy. and the resident brought the dog back to her residence at 1911 NE 28 Ct. Attempts to locate the owner were unsuccessful.

Oct. 22: Police responded to a report of a suspicious person at 2100 NE 36 St. The victim said she was trying to leave the office building but there was a shirtless man sleeping and blocking her from leaving. The subject had an outstanding warrant and was transported to jail.

Oct. 23: The victim said a known subject stole a vehicle alternator from the passenger compartment of a 1998 Ford pickup truck at 3778 N. Federal Hwy. The loss was $250.

(This is a partial list. For Deerfield Beach Crime Watch in full, visit www.DFB.City and click on “Sign Me Up” to receive the city wide report.)

Memory & Blood Pressure Screenings

Friday, Nov. 16, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Center for Active Aging

227 NW 2 St.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Facilitated by Kelly Gallo, Licensed Mental Health Counselor. They can connect you with important mental health education and support services. The Center for Active Aging offers transportation services. For more information, call 954-480-4449 or email kgallo@deerfield-beach.com

Boots & Bourbon Fest

Saturday, Nov. 17, 2 to 9 p.m.

Main Beach Parking Lot

149 SE 21 Ave.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Listen to country western tunes played by bands on the main stage while browsing through arts & craft booths and other vendors. Grab a bite to eat, do a little dancing and enjoy the great view of the beach. Shuttle available from The Cove. Get more details on Pg. 4.

Thanksgiving Luncheon

Saturday, Nov. 17, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Church of Christ

360 SW 2 Ave.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

The Deerfield Church of Christ is inviting the city to come out and enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving meal. Everyone’s welcomed.

Pompano Beach Garden Club meeting

Monday, Nov. 19, 12:30 p.m.

Emma Lou Olson Civic Center

1801 NE 6 St.

Pompano Beach, FL 33060

The meeting is open to the public. The program will be “Herbs, Vegetables and Unusual Edibles” by Roland Gaudet. Then, it is “Fun with Flowers” from 3 to 4:30 p.m. after the meeting. For more information, call 954-253-9938.

Save the Date:

Cookies and Fashion at FIFI’S Fine Resale Apparel

Wednesday, Nov. 29, 5:30 to 8 p.m.

FIFI’S Fine Resale Apparel

306 S. Federal Hwy.

Boca Raton, FL 33432

The Zonta Club of Greater Deerfield Beach invites all Fashionistas to join them on a FUNraising event. Enjoy shopping along with friendship, cookies and wine. All proceeds to support Zonta’s various local Charities. For more information, contact Sandy Manning at bosanboc@comcast.net or visit www.ZontaDeerfieldBeach.org.

“Members Only” Holiday Party

Thursday, Nov. 29, 5:30 to 9 p.m.

Sample-McDougald House Museum

450 NE 10 St.

Pompano Beach, FL 33060

Enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas, sip on champagne and nibble on holiday treats as you preview this year’s fully decorated holiday home at the historic Sample-McDougald House. Open beer/wine bar, live musical entertainment. Santa arrives at 7 p.m. There will be hot apple cider on the porch, Miss Christmas Joy and more awaiting you as you celebrate the holidays with your friends at this historic home. Membership can be purchased or renewed at the door or through their website starting at $35 (individual), $40 (duo) or $50 (family). For more information, visit www.samplemcdougald.org or call 754-307-5446.

Coastal Cocktails

Deerfield Island Park

Saturday, Dec. 1, 3 to 7 p.m.

1720 Deerfield Island Park

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

First ferry from Sullivan Park leaves at 2:30 p.m. Light fare, two drinks, island tours, music. $20 donation per person for members and $45 for non–members. Includes 1 year membership. Raises funds to improve the island, by Friends of Deerfield Island Park. Rain Date: Sunday Dec. 2. Limited reservations so call Pat at 954-892-9443.

Toys for Tots

Myers Insurance

703 S. Federal Hwy.

Pompano Beach, FL 33062

The offices of Myers Insurance will be collecting unwrapped new toys for the U.S. Marine Corps annual Toys for Tots drive. Toys will be collected through Dec. 9. They will deliver the toys to needy children and children in foster homes. Hours for drop-off are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturdays, drop-offs are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 954-784-9029.

Deerfield Women’s Club Travels

• Thursday, Dec. 6

One day trip to South Beach and the Miami Waterfront. You will see the famous Wynwood Walls graffiti art area. Christmas season Bayside Boat Tour, lunch at Bubba Gumps and Bayside shopping “Miami Flair.” Cost is $70, all inclusive.

• Friday & Saturday, Jan. 11 & 12

Overnight stay to St. Augustine and Jacksonville.Alhambra Dinner Theatre and historic St. Augustine plus second day dinner at Hurricane Pattie’s on the water before going home. Cost is $253.

• Friday & Saturday, Feb. 22 & 23

Overnight in Ft. Myers. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre to see “Guys and Dolls.” Shopping and lunch on the beach at Parrot Key. Cost is $183 all inclusive.

There is limited seating still available for all trips. For more information, or if you would like to go on these trips, contact Sally Brinkworth at 954-427-2175.

(I Thessalonians 5:18a)

On behalf of Zion Lutheran Church and myself, Pastor Jeff Gross, I want to wish our community a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving. For those who are traveling, be safe. Enjoy the company of the people you love. And let thankfulness and gratitude be the focus of all of your celebrations. God has been good to us and let us not forget His many blessings.

When should we give thanks? When we feel like being thankful? How about when we don’t feel like being thankful? When we are in good spirits? How about when we aren’t in good spirits? Being thankful at all times is a tall order, when you think about it. Is this even a practical expectation? I am glad you asked. I actually have an answer.

I was at a church conference last week in north-central Florida. I had a chance to stay with my son, to cut down some expenses, and when the day was over I could visit him. This was a gift for which I am very grateful.

And as I was driving toward his apartment, my car started to shake. The tire light never came on so I dismissed the idea that it was a flat. Maybe the car was out of alignment. Who knows? I just knew that I had to bring it to a shop the next morning because it was a Sunday night, not the ideal time for car problems. Monday would be better.

The next morning, the tire blew out and plans changed. I was in a strange neighborhood. I called AAA and they were running late … Monday is a busy day. And, when they came, I knew I had to get a new tire, which isn’t cheap. And this would also, potentially, delay my morning.

I wasn’t feeling grateful. I wasn’t in the right mood. This is one circumstance when I didn’t want to give thanks. Just then something snapped (in a good way).

I give no credit to myself. This was a God moment. I realized that I was fortunate. I have a car to get me around. A lot of people don’t have cars. I have a cell phone that enables me to call for help and a AAA membership. I have the means to get a new tire. I had a chance to go to a conference on Ministry with my fellow Lutheran pastors. I had some quality time with my son the night before.

When the AAA person helped me with my tire, I was in great spirits. I confused the clerk at the tire place by being unusually happy with a blown out tire. Most people are in bad spirits when this happens. In fairness, so was I, until I “snapped.” And, when all was said and done, I had a new tire and got to the conference with plenty of time to spare. I thank God that I had a flat tire. Yes, I thank God I had a flat tire. It grounded me in the reality that I am fortunate and it shifted my attitude in the right direction. Call it a “gratitude attitude.”

I may come across as a starry eyed optimist but I can assure you that I can be a real curmudgeon, especially if I don’t have my coffee. Truth be told, something as simple as counting blessings can change your entire day, your entire outlook on life. An inconvenience can become a gift.

These words from the Bible have practical implications. If you are having a bad day that is the BEST time to count your blessings.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I know that it is the one day a year set aside to give thanks. One day is woefully inadequate considering how blessed we truly are. Every day should be Thanksgiving. Every moment should be an opportunity for gratefulness.

I want you to feel as good as I did that Monday morning when a flat tire actually made my day. The good news is that you can. It only requires some reflection and perspective. You don’t have to look far to find a blessing. And, when you do, celebrate. The quality of your day depends upon it.

Pastor Gross is a pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, located at 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, call 954-421-3146 or visit www.zion-lutheran.org.

Social media sites such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter have become primary channels for entrepreneurs and corporations to promote their products and services. The loyal digital audiences they engage are turning to social media influencers to better identify specific products and services that align with their tastes and lifestyles.

Defining a Social Media Influencer

A social media influencer is a user on social media who has established credibility in a specific industry and has access to a large audience. An influencer can persuade others by virtue of authenticity, expertise, credentials and social reach.

Marketing strategy company Olapic (www.olapic.com) conducted a survey in 2017 noting that Baby Boomers within the 55-61-year-old range did not identify with any definition of a social media influencer, while Millennials (also known as Generation Y) ages 21-36 were the most engaged and Generation X ages 37-52 and Generation Z ages 8-22 close behind.

The Psychological Power of Persuasion

The psychological tactic behind influencer marketing is about incorporating the power of persuasion to convince people to make purchasing decisions. A social media influencer cooperates in marketing a product or service to make money and grow a base of followers. The followers purchase an influencer’s campaign because they are connected and persuaded by the product or service recommendations the influencer promotes.

Influencers do not need to be well known celebrities with millions of followers. Often, trusted influencers are smaller in scale and are human in appearance and activities. They cultivate a community of their own on social media and leverage their friends, co-workers and family members and the connections those friends, co-workers and family members have as well.

Jodi Riley @jojo_fit is a south Florida gym owner, trainer, coach and athletic champion with over 100,000 Instagram followers. She promotes her brand to include online and onsite training, coaching packages, various nutritional products and athletic workout gear. I contacted Jodi and asked her to describe the pros and cons of being a social media influencer. Jodi’s top pro and con were the same — exposure. The exposure she receives on various social media platforms has helped Jodi develop a successful and profitable brand, but exposure has also brought some unexpected postings from her followers. She tells me that she simply ignores any negative postings because she does not allow negativity to be part of her life and she may even choose to block individuals, with one simple click from being able to make future postings on her social media accounts.

Are you under the influence(r)? You may be! Understanding the interrelationship between social media, talented influencers and the psychological and masterful art of persuasion — a new and powerful marketing strategy exists in our world today that has a huge impact on our decision making when it comes to purchasing products and services.

Dr. Julia Breur is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a private clinical psychotherapy practice in Boca Raton. Further information available on website at www.drjuliabreur.com

By Rachel Galvin

For 25 years, SOS Children’s Village has been providing a home and hope to foster children. In that time, they have served over 700 children, with 183 of them being reunified with families and 44 placed in forever homes through adoption, according to Executive Director Jillian Smath.

On Nov. 1, they held a special event to mark their 25th anniversary at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. The luncheon brought out 275 people. Honorees included Marcy and Art Falcone; Jennifer and Marc Bell, members of the founding SOS Board of Directors; Arthur Adler, on behalf of the Boca West Children’s Foundation; Jay Dipietro, on behalf of the Club Managers Association of America; SOS employee Eryc Allen; SOS alumni Ernst Pierrelouis and Edith Stein, in memory of her husband Martin Stein.

About the event, Smath said, “This is really celebrating 25 years of serving children of Broward County. We wanted to look at how we got here and honor the people who have been instrumental in getting us here today and now we look forward to the next 25 years.”

She added that proceeds from the event will go toward SOS Children’s Village and said, “We have about a $4 million budget. Half is paid by the state. We have to raise the other half.”

The event was emceed by event chair Max Tucci, who said he has visited the Village and encouraged people to not only go to the events, but to visit the children, saying that the kids want people to say, “I hear you. I see you. You Matter.”

He co-chaired the event with Angela Fisher, who emotionally spoke to the audience, saying, “I have been involved seven years, Max invited me. I can’t describe the feeling I have when I step into the village.”

The sold-out event had Rolonda Watts as the guest speaker. She is an actress, standup comic and author. She told the story of being raised by parents who were foster children and said they were the most successful people she knows. She said SOS Children’s Village helps children to be successful, saying it takes a village and this is a village we can believe in.

The event also featured honorary chairs former Miami Heat player Mark Strickland and his wife Tomi Rose.

Jackie Lewis today is married and has a child. But, at one time, he was a foster child growing up at SOS Children’s Village. He addressed the crowd, talking about his experiences.

He said, “I came in 4th grade and was adopted when I was 16. My mother was an employee at SOS. What I was given was a blueprint not only for what love should look like, but what family should look like. Thanks to Next Steps (which helps kids who have aged out of Foster Care), I have had someone who has been side by side with me. What SOS does is it allows children to dream, which most foster kids never get to do. It is not a foster care facility. It is literally a home. I go back to visit. I don’t have to be ashamed [to be a foster child]. I have been given opportunities that most kids won’t have. I have been to sleep-away camp, football camp. I have met All Stars. It showed me that the sky’s the limit. It’s about the love you can give to another person. On behalf of the alumni, I would like to thank you. The money you give allows us to grow and be productive members of society. We don’t have to be a statistic.”

There were some generous bidders during the live auction. The event raised $170,000 overall.

Many who have given back to SOS were honored at the event and a music video by Xavier Lewis was shown. Guests enjoyed a delicious lunch and received a swag bag when they left.

SOS Children’s Village in Florida is part of a worldwide network of more than 500 international villages caring for foster children with the aim to keep siblings together and to ultimately reunify families if possible while creating a home for them in the meantime. The local village is in Coconut Creek and includes 13 family-style homes around a cul-de-sac, each staffed by a full-time live-in houseparent with SOS providing an array of support services and enrichment opportunities to help the children grow into productive adults.

To find out more about SOS Children’s Village, visit www.sosflorida.com.

By Rachel Galvin

Wearing Derby attire, guests gathered at the Sheltair hangar of the Pompano Beach Airpark on Nov. 3 for this year’s 150 Drawdown Dinner benefiting the local Exchange Club and the multiple charities they support. Guests could watch the horse races that were projected on the wall and bet using Exchange Club bucks for real prizes. There were also multiple raffles, silent and live auctions, and more. The band got everyone up on the dance floor while their violinist and saxophonist roamed through the room. A delicious three-course dinner was offered buffet style, served up by John Knox Village. Of course, a party themed “Night at the Races” could not be complete without mint juleps. TapSnap captured the moment with its pop up photo booth complete with props. Prizes were given for best outfits. It was a wonderful evening for a great cause.

The Exchange Club’s charities include The Children’s Healing Institute, the Broward Children’s Center, the Boys and Girls Club, First Tee of Broward, Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen, Woodhouse, Dynamos, the DAV, Honor Flight and many more. The Exchange Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit service organization, which focuses on child abuse prevention, community service, student recognition and scholarships, and Americanism and Veteran’s support. For more information, visit www.exchangeclubofpompanobeach.com.

Living simple, playing hard on Deerfield’s beach

By Diane Emeott

Photos by Chris Korzen

“The Most Interesting Man in the World,” from the Dos Equis beer commercials, brought his debonair charm to Deerfield’s beach for the 9th annual Ranse Classic Beach Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 3.

Actor Jonathan Goldsmith now represents Astral Tequila. The owner of the tequila company that sponsored the “Most Interesting Man” is Joe Taverrite, a Royal Palm Beach (near West Palm Beach) volleyball player.

“We were pretty lucky to have him there!” enthused Deerfield resident John Esposito, a longtime supporter of the Ranse Classic.

BSO Deerfield District Fire Chief Matt Pellitteri, who also attended the event, said Esposito did a great job.

“We both grew up on Deerfield’s beach and have daughters who have played beach volleyball here,” he said,

Over 200 players and several hundred spectators came out to the event held north of the pier, along Deerfield’s shore.

Esposito said he was “blown away that the event has become so successful” — after getting past the three to five year mark (which isn’t easy for many events).

“The Ranse Volleyball Classic has evolved into a nationally-recognized event to benefit Stroke Awareness, through the hard work of the local volleyball community. Our 10th year during the first week of November of 2019 will be the best yet!” he said, adding, that he wants to thank Broward Health North and the City of Deerfield Beach. “Moving the location of the main court has elevated the tournament to the next level in the world of beach volleyball.”

“The committee that puts on the event consists of all local volleyball players: Andre Melo, Douglas Nascimento, Diogo Sousa, and me, as well as too many volunteers to name, but we could not be successful without them,” Esposito said.

DS Sports Plex (on Powerline Road, south of SW 10 Street) was a title sponsor, as was Southern Jet — the owners of which are both Deerfield residents and volleyball players.

Blue Ocean Poke restaurant in the Publix plaza was also a big supporter.

Other sponsors included Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort, HEW Hard Exercise Works, Playa Bowls, Ranse Jones Stroke Awareness Fund — Broward Health North, Astral Tequila, TRA and JB’s on the Beach.

Broward Health North, which has a Comprehensive Stroke Center, hosted a merchandise tent with T-shirts featuring the slogan “Live Simple. Play Hard” – a motto which Ranse lived by.

The event, part of the “Dig The Beach” Volleyball series, benefits the Ranse Jones Stroke Awareness Fund at Broward Health North.

Ranseford “Ranse” Jones was a former Deerfield Beach firefighter who had a brain aneurism while playing the semi-final of the AVP Young Guns tournament in Panama City in May 2004. He died six months later on Nov. 8, 2004 at the young age of 34.

The City of Deerfield Beach would like to announce free admission (Sightseeing or Fishing) for all retired and active military personnel on Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov. 11, at the International Fishing Pier, 200 NE 21 Ave. Please see the eligibility list and documents required below.

Anyone currently serving in or a Veteran of the US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, US Marine Corps, US Coast Guard, Reserves or the National Guard. Veteran includes all individuals who are retired from the US armed forces or who have been discharged (e.g., honorable, under an honorable condition, general).

The acceptable forms of documentation to receive access are:

Veterans Identification Card (VIC), Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), Common Access Card, Uniformed Services Identification Card, Uniformed Services Identification Card Active Duty, State driver license and identification with veterans designation, DD214 or DD256

For more information, please contact the International Fishing Pier at 954-480-4407