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2007 FISTF Holiday Silver International Open
December 1-2 in Ellicott City, Maryland
December 1-2 in Ellicott City, Maryland
Ellicott City, MD
Connecticut has left the building.
With this salute by their captain, an award-loaded SCC army took leave
from Ellicott City, Maryland after a fruitful 24-hour playing time weekend.
5 medals, 2 team cups and 1 individual trophy were the plunder from
another Maryland invasion that took place 3 years after the first.
In 2004, 10 SCC players made history by creating new meaning for words
like club, commitment, comradeship, and a complete sweep of the
Holiday Silver (Open, U19, MJ) confirmed the birth of a new powerhouse
in American Subbuteo.
2004 Sunday Sweep Sunday
Today, in 2007, in the day after the largest event ever played on US soil
(66 players!), we celebrate two great returns as the 9-man All-Blacks
ideally parade in the icy home streets: the North Atlantic/Holiday Silver
Team Double and the Holiday Silver itself.
NORTH ATLANTIC TEAM CHALLENGE
The two Old Firm rivals arrived to the challenge with 3 wins each. This
7th edition was special for being the first 4-a-side competition, and
became even more special when the game went to overtime for the first
time.
The SCC strategy was to use the boom boom duo Massimo-Miguel to go
after Maryland's young guns, Patrick & Stuart. JT would have tried to
continue his positive streak against Paul, while Eddie was supposed to be
the sacrificial lamb against the US vice champion, Daniel Cranston.
Instead, Massimo threw away the lead with a spare goalie error, while Mig
struggled to find the net and went down 1-0.
Eddie came to the rescue and became a roaring lion with a masterpiece
1-0 win that leveled the score as JT protected a scoreless tie against the
MSC captain.
The silence that accompanied the begining of overtime was soon broken
by a jubilant Jim Taylor! After a save by the Scot, the ball rolled all the
way to Paul's shooting area, and Jim put the game away with a
one-touch perfect chip to crush Maryland's quest for the Treble.
HOLIDAY SILVER TEAM CUP: THE DOUBLE
The largest ever team event in USA saw 12 teams at the starting line for
the 3rd edition of the competition. The SCC presented 2 All-Black squads
captained by Massimo Conturso and Eddie Davidson. The no-seed
condition gave the All-Blacks I & II tough matchups against WTSL,
featuring Alex Batacchi, & Sporting America, reinforced by Canadian Dave
Baxter.
All-Blacks I faced a Wilcox-deprived WTSL in the opening match and
claimed a 3-1 victory (with wins by Luis Silva, Jim Taylor and Rick
Marques) that possibly changed the tournament dynamic in their favor.
Despite Benkart's absence, Sporting managed to beat All-Blacks II, but
the CT team qualified after a 3-1 win over MSC II.
After a double SCC-Patapsco matchup in the Quarter Finals, both SCC
teams met in the Semifinals for an All-Black derby. The Maryland version
of a league night ended with a 4-0 sweep by SCC I, who were to face
the host club in the final once again. With CT as North Atlantic Cup
winners and MD as National Champions, the Double was on the line. MSC
lined up Michael Tillman for Daniel Cranston, while Luis Silva was the SCC
sub. The strategy designed by the SCC crew paid off on every table as
captain Conturso routed Tillman 3-0 and Miguel Marques defeated Paul
Eyes 2-0, while Jim "Slowhand" Taylor pinioned Stuart Russell. The only
doubt at the break was on Rick Marques as he was 2-0 down to Patrick
Sheridan. Conturso considered a substitution, but Rick expressed his
confidence for a comeback that punctually arrived in the 2nd half: 2-2
and 2-0 team win for the 3rd straight Holiday Silver.
HOLIDAY SILVER INTERNATIONAL OPEN: THE PLATE IS BACK!
A massive roster of 66 players in 22 groups flicked off early Sunday
morning. Saturday's MLS Cup saw another Zach Walker's win, while the
best SCC player was Luis Silva as he reached the Quarter Finals. For the
IO final win, the usual suspects were past winners Walker, Deinhart,
Eyes, Conturso, who was aiming at his 4th straight HS final, and Canadian
super star Dave Baxter, while Miguel Marques was a possible dark horse.
The group stage was mainly a formality except for two key matchup: Rick
Marques vs. Zach Walker in Group 1, and Eric Walton vs. Miguel Marques
in Group 8. Miguel ended up losing 1-0 and qualified as 2nd, but it was
Rick who possibly changed the whole scenario as he pulled off a 0-0 draw
with Walker, who qualified as 2nd after a shootout loss. The bracket
received a shook up that brought some unexpected results. After saling
throught the barrage round with a 3-1 over Chris Walker, things got
tough for 2nd seed Mig Marques, who faced and defeated HS title
holder, Paul Eyes in the round of 32. SCC Ostap Mishtal almost reached
the impossible dream as he held Gregg Deinhart to a scoreless match until
40 seconds from shootouts! The round of 16 saw the most of the
upsets as 3 legitimate contenders fell short: Walker lost to Deinhart in
OT, Baxter to Cranston after shootouts, while Miguel dramatically came
back against fellow club mate Conturso with a 13-seconds-to-time
equalizer and a shootout win. The Portuguese was joined in the Quarter
Finals by other 2 SCC players, Jim Taylor and Luis Silva, who were to face
each other: at least one All-Black would have reached the top four.
Actually, the All-Blacks in the Semifinals were two: Jim Taylor (1-0 over
Silva) faced without success the surprising Alex Batacchi from Florida (1-0
Alex), while Marques pulled off (against Deinhart) yet another comeback
and another win after shootouts!
The FISTF final match (1st ever for Batacchi, 2nd for Marques) was an
Italy-Portugal affair as both players are European born. Alex played
without pressure as he already made history for himself and his Suncoast
Table Soccer League, and took the lead in the first half. Initially maybe a
bit nervous, Miguel settled after the break and his superior skills and
experience eventually prevailed in overtime, after he blasted a big one
under the crossbar for the Connecticut Triptych.
Connecticut has left the building.
With this salute by their captain, an award-loaded SCC army took leave
from Ellicott City, Maryland after a fruitful 24-hour playing time weekend.
5 medals, 2 team cups and 1 individual trophy were the plunder from
another Maryland invasion that took place 3 years after the first.
In 2004, 10 SCC players made history by creating new meaning for words
like club, commitment, comradeship, and a complete sweep of the
Holiday Silver (Open, U19, MJ) confirmed the birth of a new powerhouse
in American Subbuteo.
2004 Sunday Sweep Sunday
Today, in 2007, in the day after the largest event ever played on US soil
(66 players!), we celebrate two great returns as the 9-man All-Blacks
ideally parade in the icy home streets: the North Atlantic/Holiday Silver
Team Double and the Holiday Silver itself.
NORTH ATLANTIC TEAM CHALLENGE
The two Old Firm rivals arrived to the challenge with 3 wins each. This
7th edition was special for being the first 4-a-side competition, and
became even more special when the game went to overtime for the first
time.
The SCC strategy was to use the boom boom duo Massimo-Miguel to go
after Maryland's young guns, Patrick & Stuart. JT would have tried to
continue his positive streak against Paul, while Eddie was supposed to be
the sacrificial lamb against the US vice champion, Daniel Cranston.
Instead, Massimo threw away the lead with a spare goalie error, while Mig
struggled to find the net and went down 1-0.
Eddie came to the rescue and became a roaring lion with a masterpiece
1-0 win that leveled the score as JT protected a scoreless tie against the
MSC captain.
The silence that accompanied the begining of overtime was soon broken
by a jubilant Jim Taylor! After a save by the Scot, the ball rolled all the
way to Paul's shooting area, and Jim put the game away with a
one-touch perfect chip to crush Maryland's quest for the Treble.
HOLIDAY SILVER TEAM CUP: THE DOUBLE
The largest ever team event in USA saw 12 teams at the starting line for
the 3rd edition of the competition. The SCC presented 2 All-Black squads
captained by Massimo Conturso and Eddie Davidson. The no-seed
condition gave the All-Blacks I & II tough matchups against WTSL,
featuring Alex Batacchi, & Sporting America, reinforced by Canadian Dave
Baxter.
All-Blacks I faced a Wilcox-deprived WTSL in the opening match and
claimed a 3-1 victory (with wins by Luis Silva, Jim Taylor and Rick
Marques) that possibly changed the tournament dynamic in their favor.
Despite Benkart's absence, Sporting managed to beat All-Blacks II, but
the CT team qualified after a 3-1 win over MSC II.
After a double SCC-Patapsco matchup in the Quarter Finals, both SCC
teams met in the Semifinals for an All-Black derby. The Maryland version
of a league night ended with a 4-0 sweep by SCC I, who were to face
the host club in the final once again. With CT as North Atlantic Cup
winners and MD as National Champions, the Double was on the line. MSC
lined up Michael Tillman for Daniel Cranston, while Luis Silva was the SCC
sub. The strategy designed by the SCC crew paid off on every table as
captain Conturso routed Tillman 3-0 and Miguel Marques defeated Paul
Eyes 2-0, while Jim "Slowhand" Taylor pinioned Stuart Russell. The only
doubt at the break was on Rick Marques as he was 2-0 down to Patrick
Sheridan. Conturso considered a substitution, but Rick expressed his
confidence for a comeback that punctually arrived in the 2nd half: 2-2
and 2-0 team win for the 3rd straight Holiday Silver.
HOLIDAY SILVER INTERNATIONAL OPEN: THE PLATE IS BACK!
A massive roster of 66 players in 22 groups flicked off early Sunday
morning. Saturday's MLS Cup saw another Zach Walker's win, while the
best SCC player was Luis Silva as he reached the Quarter Finals. For the
IO final win, the usual suspects were past winners Walker, Deinhart,
Eyes, Conturso, who was aiming at his 4th straight HS final, and Canadian
super star Dave Baxter, while Miguel Marques was a possible dark horse.
The group stage was mainly a formality except for two key matchup: Rick
Marques vs. Zach Walker in Group 1, and Eric Walton vs. Miguel Marques
in Group 8. Miguel ended up losing 1-0 and qualified as 2nd, but it was
Rick who possibly changed the whole scenario as he pulled off a 0-0 draw
with Walker, who qualified as 2nd after a shootout loss. The bracket
received a shook up that brought some unexpected results. After saling
throught the barrage round with a 3-1 over Chris Walker, things got
tough for 2nd seed Mig Marques, who faced and defeated HS title
holder, Paul Eyes in the round of 32. SCC Ostap Mishtal almost reached
the impossible dream as he held Gregg Deinhart to a scoreless match until
40 seconds from shootouts! The round of 16 saw the most of the
upsets as 3 legitimate contenders fell short: Walker lost to Deinhart in
OT, Baxter to Cranston after shootouts, while Miguel dramatically came
back against fellow club mate Conturso with a 13-seconds-to-time
equalizer and a shootout win. The Portuguese was joined in the Quarter
Finals by other 2 SCC players, Jim Taylor and Luis Silva, who were to face
each other: at least one All-Black would have reached the top four.
Actually, the All-Blacks in the Semifinals were two: Jim Taylor (1-0 over
Silva) faced without success the surprising Alex Batacchi from Florida (1-0
Alex), while Marques pulled off (against Deinhart) yet another comeback
and another win after shootouts!
The FISTF final match (1st ever for Batacchi, 2nd for Marques) was an
Italy-Portugal affair as both players are European born. Alex played
without pressure as he already made history for himself and his Suncoast
Table Soccer League, and took the lead in the first half. Initially maybe a
bit nervous, Miguel settled after the break and his superior skills and
experience eventually prevailed in overtime, after he blasted a big one
under the crossbar for the Connecticut Triptych.
| 4th and 5th TOURNAMENT OF THE 2007-08 NORTH ATLANTIC INTERREGIONAL CIRCUIT |
|
