Brooklyn, NY, April 26, 2008
Lou Marinoff swept a hot "Sabre in
Virginia" 2-1, 5-1, 5-2, 6-2 to win his second consecutive
NYCTHA Classic Cup Championship Saturday April 26th at Peggy
O'Neill's in Coney Island NY.
"Sweet" Lou knocked out John Labianca in the Round
of 8 4-0, then Roger Owens in the semifianls, 4 games to
2 and now is the undisputed Champion of Classic Table Hockey
in New York City. Congratulations Lou. All this NYC Champion
needs is to win a Quebec Tournament and his resume as a
champ will be complete. Lou has supported the NYCTHA Classic
League right from the start, competing in our inaugural
Event, "The Original Six Classic" in September
2006, our Inaugural League date a month later and has only
missed one league date in two seasons. Besides being a champion
on the tables, Lou has served the NYCTHA well as Honorary
Commissioner. Thanks Lou for it all.
"Sabre in Virginia" made it to his first NYCTHA
Finals by knocking out a hot AJ Sarma in the Round of Eight,
4 games to 2; then he took on his nemesis JP in the semifinals
and battled back from a 2-3 defecit to knock JP out in OT
of game 7 (JP's first OT loss all year!) "Sabre"
has also been with NYCTHA right from the start, helping
to organize the Original Six Classic, the NYCTHA International
Classic (September 2007) and served as NYCTHA Classic League
Vice-President, handling stats, website and other organizational
chores. This player will go the extra mile for anyone and
we are fortunate and grateful for his work and skill. Congratulations
"Sabre." "Sabre in Virginia" is planning
to organize a custom coleco tournament here in NY in October,
please email him for details at sabre_in_virginia@yahoo.com
Roger Owens, the Legendary Table Hockey Pro had a tough
day behind the rods, but he still finished 3rd Place in
the Elite Division for the second season in a row. Roger
mowed down his pesky rival Edward in the Round of Eight
6-3, 3-2, 6-1 and 7-3. But in the Semis, he ran into the
buzzsaw that was Lou, dropping the series 4 games to 2.
Roger is the only player to defeat Lou in any playoff games
through two seasons. Roger then obliterated a weary JP for
third place, 7-3 and 5-3. This player has tremendous class,
tremendous skill and is part of the reason the NYCTHA was
founded. Thanks Roger for your support and friendship!
Roger Owens
Rounding out the top four
in the Elite on this day was JP. JP finished second overall
and so had to play Adam Zawislak coming out of the Playoff
Round Robin. Adam took a 2 games to 1 lead in the series
before the pasta lunch was served. After the pasta, JP won
3 in a row to take a very tough series as Adam played awesome.
Then in the Semis, JP ran into "Sabre in Virginia"
and despite a 3 games to 2 lead, lost two in a row to get
bounced. JP has no regrets however, and is grateful to all
the players for a great two years as NYCTHA GM. JP will
be stepping down as NYCTHA GM and hopes that his fellow
players will assume his role as organizer of the Classic
League for the 2008-2009 season. Thanks Guys for the great
plaque and for your friendship over two seasons.
NYCTHA TROPHIES AND AWARD WINNERS
NYCTHA 2007-2008 Classic Cup Champion: Lou Marinoff
NYCTHA 2007-2008 First Division Trophy: John "Coleco
Labs" Labianca
NYCTHA 2007-2008 Most Gentlemanly Player Sportsmanship Award:
Anthony Sciacca
NYCTHA 2007-2008 Most Improved Player: Nicholas Galatioto,
Bill Galatioto
NYCTHA 2007-2008 Best Newcomer: Steve Dowell
NYCTHA 2007-2008 Regular Season Champion: Lou Marinoff
NYCTHA Classic League Elite Division Runner Up: Sabre In
Virginia
NYCTHA Classic League Elite Division Third Place: Roger
Owens
NYCTHA Classic League First Division Runner Up: Aj Sarma
NYCTHA Classic League First Division Third Place: Edward
Power
A plaque was awarded, on behalf of all the NYCTHA Classic
League Players, to NYCTHA Founder JP for his "Outstanding
service to the sport of table hockey."
The Quest for the Classic
Cup--NYCTHA Playoffs 2007-2008
Nine players crashed, banged, and scored at Peggy O'Neill's
on Saturday April 26th as the Clash for the Classic Cup
ended NYCTHA Classic League Season two.
John Labianca traveled in from Las Vegas and took the First
Division Trophy after finishing fourth in the Playoff Round
Robin, playing the "Play-In" series, and then
knocking out AJ Sarma, who had traveled in from Irvine CA.
Congratulations John "Coleco Labs" Labianca!
John Labianca
Playoff day at the NYCTHA
began with five players playing a Playoff round robin on
three custom coleco games to round out the Round of Eight
who would play for the NYCTHA Classic Cup: Edward, AJ, John,
Adam and Anthony.
Only four out of the five would make it to the round of
8, and it came down to the final match of the round robin;
John Labianca was 3-5 and had finished his games; Anthony
was 2-5 but still had a match with a hot AJ Sarma who had
just won three in a row; this was the final match of the
Playoff Round Robin, and the fourth spot was still up for
grabs . . . .
Anthony jumped out to a 4-1 lead; AJ stormed back but Anthony
re-asserted his lead to 6-4. AJ would not be stopped, as
he scored three goals to win the match 7-6 in a tremendous
comeback for his fourth win in a row! Had Anthony held on,
John would have had to play Anthony in a sudden death match,
but it wasn't meant to be for Anthony . . . . "Coleco
Labs" held on for the prized 8th spot in the Round
of Eight.
Edward came to Playoffs with a chip on his shoulder . .
. . after being the Classic League whipping boy for the
regular season, he dominated the Playoff round robin, winning
6 of 8 games and averaging 3 GPG, the most he has ever scored
per game. Alas, he could not find any chicken to grease
Roger Owens's rod tips, and Roger swept him in the round
of 8. Edworld bounced back to take third in the First Division
defeating Adam 2 games to none --congratulations Ed!
AJ traveled all the way in from Irvine CA to support NYCTHA
players. Having competed in the Las Vegas Coleco Classic
(a sanctioned NYCTHA league date due to five NYCTHA players
participating), made him elgible for the Playoff Round Robin,
but he would have to play hard to make it to the Round of
8 and play for the Cup. Starting off 1-3, AJ won his last
four games in a row, to take the second spot in the Round
Robin. AJ faced Greg in the Round of 8 going down 2-4 but
battled his way back to the First Division Final before
being eliminated by Coleco Labs, 4 games to 2. Second place
in the First Divsion is a heck of an achievement! Congrats
AJ!
AJ Sarma
Adam Zawislak had the passion
at NYCTHA Playoffs. I've never seen him play harder in all
the times I've played him. Adam battled his way through
the den of vipers that was the Playoff Round Robin to finish
4-4, good for third place. In his Round of Eight series
with JP, he was up 2 games to 1 before a heavy pasta lunch
took the edge off of his game. Our series was a tremendous
dogfight and I had nothing left after it was over. Adam
battled bravely, with terrific intensity and focus. It was
great having Adam in the NYCTHA this season. He is what
the NYCTHA is all about: fun!
John "Coleco Labs" Labianca jetted in from his
penthouse on top of the Palms Hotel and Casino in Vegas
to Coney Island to play for the Classic Cup . . . . and
that he did, sneaking into the Round of Eight as the 8th
seed. Classic Cup Champ Lou swept him, and then Labs had
to play a play--in with Anthony to qualify for the First
Division Playoffs. Labs won that series 4-1, then took down
the gaseous cloud that was Edward, 4 games to 2, then in
the First Division Finals defeated AJ 4-2, to crawl out
from the bottom to win the First Division Trophy! Congrats
John on an amazing performance!
Anthony Sciacca . . . . what more can be said about this
guy? Salt of the Earth. Anthony Sciacca is the Winner of
the NYCTHA Classic League 2007-2008 Most Gentlemanly Player
Award. Anthony has exhibited all season long what it means
to be a professional table hockey player, both on and off
the boards. Anthony is our best referee, one of our most
enthusiastic players, and is a leader in his own right,
organizing events like Yonkers Table Hockey Day. Anthony,
you are a gem and all of us at NYCTHA love you man!
Anthony Sciacca
Anthony had a rough rough day
behind the rods at NYCTHA playoffs. Finishing 2-6 in the
Playoff Round Robin and dropping his first chance in two
seasons to play for the Classic Cup must have hurt, but
Anthony took it in stride and came out fighting in the First
Divsion Play-In, defeating Labs 4-3 before losing the series
1-4. Anthony stuck around anyway and refereed in brilliant
fashion, calling Edward for a five-second violation even
though it was a tie game! Wow! Congrats Anthony on your
well-earned award.
NYCTHA Playoffs at Peggy O'Neill's
in Coney Island Saturday April 26th 2008;
back row, from left: Sabre, Anthony, Lou, Edward
front row, from left: AJ, JP, Adam, Roger, John Labianca
ROUND OF EIGHT FINAL
SCORES
(1) Lou Marinoff v. (8) John "Coleco Labs" Labianca:
3-0; 6-0; 6-1; 5-1;
Marinoff wins series 4-0
(2) JP v. (7) Adam: 4-5; 2-1 OT; 3-4; 5-3; 4-0; 7-2. JP
wins series 4-2
(3) Sabre v. Aj: 0-3; 5-2; 1-4; 6-1; 4-0; 4-2. Sabre wins
series 4-2
(4) Roger v. Edward: 6-3; 3-2; 6-1; 7-3. Roger wins series
4-0.
CLASSIC CUP SEMIFINALS
(1) Lou v. (4) Roger: 5-3; 3-2 OT; 4-5 OT; 5-2; 4-5 OT;
6-2.
Lou wins series 4-2
(2) JP v. (3) Sabre: 3-2; 4-5; 1-4; 3-0; 4-2; 2-5; 4-5 OT.
Sabre wins series 4-3.
CLASSIC CUP THIRD PLACE (best of three)
(2) JP v. (4) Roger: 3-7; 3-5. Roger wins series 2-0
CLASSIC CUP FINALS
Sabre to Marinoff, prior to
final series: "You're going down today."
(1) Lou Marinoff v. (3) Sabre: 2-1; 5-1; 5-2; 6-2. Lou wins
Series 4-0
Lou Marinoff makes Sabre eat his words.
story by John Power
