Looking back...

The Club this season  2010/2011 did not register any activity, many members, cause of the economic situation, left the State, others  like Roberto Mattoni and Sandro Tarozzi left the Country going back to Italy, Alex has been struggling with health problems and unfortunately did not play since last year in July.

 Sandro & Alex before a Florida Cup 2007 game

We had a very good start with 4 tournaments in the first season of the club life, but now we have to rebuilt the club looking for players  strenght  and passion to start all over again.

Roberto & Larry in action during the 2010 Corsendonk Cup

We will look back at some of the best  Subbuteo moments of our founder Alex Batacchi  in his trips around the Country trying to gain  the best of the inspiration from the memories.

A.S.A National Championship -Alexandria, Va - June 5-6 2010

The only participant of the T.B.T.S.C. at the National event was Alex Batacchi, joining the competition after months of inactivity.

He participated in the Open National tournament, in the Veterans one and in the Virginia Cup for teams and another couple of Unofficial tournaments .

The Veterans tournament was played with a group format, where the first two classified were going to play the final for the Championship, usual format of Group stage and then knock out rounds for the Open one.

He started his fourth National Championship participation with his first Veterans game vs Dewey La Rochelle winning 5-0.

In the Open category he was seeded in Group D with Andrew Brister [WTSL] - Matt Steinmuller [MSC] - Dewey La Rochelle [ WTSL], winning his group with 9 points [3wins]; 5-0 to Andrew, 5-0 to Matt and 3-1 to Dewey.

Great highlight the victory over Matt Steinmuller in a tight game that he resolved with a superb shooting performance, and honestly the result at the end did not reflect the playing on the pitch.

Alex getting ready on the purple Harchester United pitch that will see all his Open group games.

Before continuing his Open adventure he played two tough games in the Veterans Group; the first with Gregg Deinhart 1-1 and the second with Paul Eyes 2-2 coming back from a 0-2 deficit in a match full of "high class touches" from both players.

Alex and Paul in action from their Veterans Group game.

Open Quarter of Final versus Michael Tillman, as usual a great game, very tight that could have gone either way but our representant missed his chances and was defeated 1-2, Michael went on to loose the final at the Golden Goal against the Super Champ Zach Walker.


Last game for the Veterans Group so Alex beating Andrew Zunino 5-0 and waiting for the result between Paul and Gregg to see if he was going to play the final.


The second day of the Nationals saw the Virginia Cup for teams, Alex as usual was playing as a free agent, his team eliminated in the Group stage, with him playing several fantastic players:

0-0 with Stuart Russell [MSC], 0-3 with Zach Walker [WTSL] and beating 1-0 the legend Rick Wilcox [WTSL].

Last game of his National adventure, the final of the Veterans category, a fantastic game with Paul Eyes, a game that was called at "European level", great performance even though he came up short , loosing 0-1.

Paul and Alex posing with the National Trophy before the Veterans final.




Another fantastic weekend of Subbuteo with Alex adding another National Runner up finishing at his collection [ 2008 Team with SOCAL , 2009 Open individual] , so this year Vice Champion in the Team Competition with SCC United and in the Veterans Category.





Alex National Veterans Vice Champion

Corsendonk Cup - 1/17/2010

The Corsendonk Cup was played Sunday January the 17th at the Batacchi grounds and saw the first games played on the new "mini Old Trafford" with 9 participants in total.

We had some late withdrawals and unfortunately this time our Savannah friends did not join us.

The tournament saw the participation of Larry Fryer [M.S.C.] , that was in Florida to attend a baseball umpire school and our friend played his best Subbuteo ever.

The format was a little different from the past tournaments: two groups one of 5 players [ Alex Batacchi, Larry Fryer, Roberto Mattoni, Teo Boscaino, and Ludovico Boscaino] and the second with four[Isabel Batacchi, Max Boscaino, Federico Boscaino, Nazareno Boscaino], then Quarters of final, the loosers of these played for the M.J. trophy .

Group "A" saw Alex Batacchi as Winner and Larry Fryer finished second [after winning a very close one against Teo Boscaino], Group "B" Isabel in first and Max Boscaino in second place.

Larry and Alex playing their Group game on the new "Mini Old Trafford".
Quarters of final -

• Alex Batacchi - Federico Boscaino 6-0
• Larry Fryer - Nazareno Boscaino 1-0
• Isabel Batacchi - Roberto Mattoni 1-0



Max winning goal on shots

• Max Boscaino - Teo Boscaino 1-1 [ Max winning on shots[2-1] after a fantastic game between father and son.

The Consolation tournament or Mary Jane saw Teo Boscaino as Winner with victories over Roberto Mattoni [1-0] and Nazareno Boscaino [1-0] -
Alex won his Semifinal with Max almost crusing after scoring a couple of goals in the first five minutes, instead in the other Semifinal was drama.
Isabel Batacchi attacked Larry Fryer in the first half missing a couple of good chances, then Larry with a great defensive plan and good ball possession was able to survive and finish the regulation 0-0, in the Overtime [ they were played two halves of five minutes each] the play was very much even and with no scores ,they went to shots: here, Larry's greater experience gave him the edge winning 1-0 and going to the final.


The final for Third place was won by Isabel 3-0 over Max.





Larry and Alex  before the final



In the final Larry tried the same tactics against Alex and was able to close the first half just 1 goal down, but in the second half gave away a cheap second goal and at that point was game over, Alex won 5-0 with a last fantastic goal on a rolling corner....sweet !!!!-

Another fantastic day of Subbuteo at the Batacchi grounds and at the end Larry teached everybody a lesson at " Dominion".












Larry proudly pose with his trophy and the original that was played in Farmington CT in 2006



Holiday Silver and Team National Championship in Maryland

The weekend of December the 5th and the 6th Alex Batacchi was the only club member to participate at the annual classical held at the Patapsco Middle school in Ellicot City, MD.

The competition in every tournament was very tough and our player did not show his best Subbuteo, frustrated mostly by a terrible shooting form that to a certain extent affected his whole game.

He reached the Semifinal in the Veterans tournament to be eliminated by Gregg Deinhart [7 times American Champion, in the picture], he left the main event at the round of 16 loosing with Ed Morgans at the Golden Goal in overtime, and on Sunday he reached the Semifinal in the F.A. Cup style tournament to be trashed by Zach Walker 5-0 best American player at the moment and probably for years to come [ simply awesome to watch him playing].

His best performance was in the Team National Championship, where being in the S.C.C. United team[as a free agent] he won all his games, and even though

his shooting was still terrible, in the interest of the team he kept on playing with discipline and intensity.

His best weekend game was in the Team Championship Final against Michael Tillman, very tight game, that could have gone both ways, he was able to win it in the dying seconds....Batabomber!!!!

Incredibly competitive this event, leave to a side your own individual perception of the game and put you at your team service.

For Alex was the second final in team competition in a row, and again a second

place with an unbeaten individual sequence of 12 games[ 11 won one tied]-

Our heroes lost the final 2-1 againt the M.S.C. team ,for the fourth time in a row A.S.A. Champions. In the picture above Miguel Marques, Alex Batacchi, Ed Morgans and Massimo Conturso [Captain], proud members of the S.C.C. United team Vice National Champion. Massicci ed incazzati!!!!-

The National Team Championship final results board.

Again a fantastic weekend of real competition in Maryland, a lot of fun playing this fantastic game and looking at a movement that is growing big time in quantity and quality of players.

Looking back at our history

First of all congratulations to the S.T.S.L. for their fresh start, hopefully they will prosper and play the game, unfortunately the old history of the club was lost in the internet so let's try to remember just with numbers and pictures, it would be very difficult and too long writing about any singular event.

There were played 3 A.S.A. sanctioned tournaments held at the Batacchi grounds since September 2007:

1. Florida Cup 07 - Winner - Alex Batacchi - Runner Up - Jody Schaaf
   
2. Turkey Classic 08 - Winner - Alex Batacchi - Runner Up - Jody Schaaf
   
3. Florida Cup 09 - Winner - Alex Batacchi - Runner Up - Isabel Batacchi
   

Above some action from the Florida Cup 2007.

Matt- Jody on the left . Jody and Alex on the right.

There were played also 2 not A.S.A. sanctioned events :

1. Gasparilla Cup 08 - Winner - Alex Batacchi - Runner Up - Isabel Batacchi
   
2. Sunshine Cup 08 - Winner - Alex Batacchi - Runner Up - Isabel Batacchi

The Gasparilla Cup above and Sunshine Cup Winner and Runner Up.

Here to follow some stats of the players with more than 10 games played and organized by the S.T.S.L. in A.S.A sanctioned events:

1. Alex Batacchi - 21 / 21 / 0 / 0/ 97 / 1 /



2. Jody Schaaf -14 / 11 /0/ 3 / 28 / 3 /



3. Sandro Tarozzi - 17 / 9 / 1 / 7 / 31 / 19 /



4. Isabel Batacchi - 18 / 7/ 3 / 8 / 23 / 20 /



5. Matt Fox - 17 / 4 / 3 / 10 / 6 / 39 /
   


6. player - GP/ W/ T / L / GS / GA /
   

Some stats from the not A.S.A sanctioned events:

1. Alex Batacchi - 14 / 14 / 0/ 0 / 62 / 2 /
   


2. Isabel Batacchi- 15 /5 / 5 / 5 / 9 / 14 /
   


3. Sandro Tarozzi - 9 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 3 / 14 /



4. Matt Fox - 14 / 1 / 1 / 12 / 1 / 39 /
   

Total stats for all games [ + 25 games ]

Alex Batacchi - 35 games - 35 wins - 159 goals scored - 3 goals allowed -

Isabel Batacchi - 33 games - 12 w. - 8 t. - 13 l. - 32 g.s. - 34 g.a. -

Sandro Tarozzi - 26 games - 11 w. - 4 t. - 11 l. - 34 g.s. - 33 g.a.

Matt Fox - 31 games - 5 w. - 4 t. - 22 l. - 7 g.s. - 78 g.a.
Last S.T.S.L. tournament of the old course: Florida Cup 2009 - 2nd edition , held at the end of May before the Nationals.

Let's hope that both clubs prosper bringing to the game as many players as possible to make Florida one of the largest Subbuteo State of the Country, spreading the interest for this little but great game, the only real simulation of soccer for tabletop ever created: "flick to kick" my friends.

Alex's reign at the Turkey Classic continues

Great 5th edition of the Turkey Classic at the Batacchi grounds, as tradition full of great games and competition with friendship and fun.

The format was a round robin with home and away games between the six players competing: Alex Batacchi, Isabel Batacchi, Sandro Tarozzi, Jody Schaaf, Joey Balmer, Josh Knight.

1. Josh - Alex 0-4 / Isabel - Joey 0-2 / Jody - Sandro 4-0 /
2. Joey - Alex 0-1 / Sandro - Josh 2-0 / Isabel - Jody 0-1 /
3. Alex - Sandro 4-0 / Josh - Isabel 0-4 / Jody - Joey 1-1 /
4. Alex - Jody 3-0 / Sandro-Isabel 0-0 / Josh - Joey 1-4 /
5. Isabel - Alex 0-2 / Joey - Sandro 0-0 / Jody - Josh 4-0 /
   

The first whole round of games saw Alex leading the field with 15 points, followed by Jody with 10, then Joey 8, Sandro 5, Isabel 4 and Josh 0.

Jody and Joey returned to the competition after last year Turkey, but they showed good form, Isabel did not start very well, while Sandro had his worst of Subbuteo days and newcomer Josh impressed everybody for his touch [ if he will keep on playing will become a serious contender].
All the games were quite tight and full of adrenaline, after a good pizza lunch the second whole round was played:

1. Alex - Josh 4-0 / Sandro - Jody 0-1 / Joey - Isabel 0-2 /
2. Alex - Joey 3-0 / Josh - Sandro 0-3 / Jody - Isabel 0-2 /
3. Sandro - Alex 0-4 / Isabel - Josh 1-0 / Joey - Jody 0-0 /
4. Jody - Alex 0-4 / Isabel - Sandro 3-0 / Joey - Josh 2-1 /
5. Alex - Isabel 3-0 / Sandro - Joey 1-1 / Josh - Jody 1-3 /

Incredible comeback for Isabel in the partial round with 12 points giving up only one game to Alex that topped with 15 points, then Jody 7, Joey 5, Sandro 4 and Josh 0, but scoring his first goals in an A.S.A event.

For the fouth edition in a row Alex lifted the Turkey Classic trophy, Jody was runner up and Isabel fantastic third.

Most important all the participants had a good time and fun, even though it was a serious competition and hopefully we will see everybody next year for the 6th edition of this traditionally fantastic Turkey Classic.

You could see other pictures of the tournament at :

http://Tampabaytablesoccerclub.shutterfly.com/

Turkey Classic 5th edition is approaching

The Turkey Classic was created by the Savannah Subbuteo Club in 2005, the 5th edition will be held in Tampa this coming Sunday at the Batacchi grounds.

The Turkey Classic has become a tradition full of great matches and drama, fun and competitive games.

The past winners will be present again to revive their rivalry, the 2005 edition was won by Jody Schaaf with Joey Balmer as runner up, 2006 saw Alex Batacchi beating Mark Holloway in the final, in 2007 again Alex in front of Jody with a superb performance prelude of a great Holiday Silver, and last year saw Alex winner again topping Jody after a very competitive final.

The ingredients are all there for a competitive and full of fun recipe such as become the Turkey during the years.