The MUSA O55 team convened in Las Vegas for the first time ever
representing the oldest installment of a now long tradition of Grand
Masters Soccer for Maccabi USA.
With 2 games on Saturday, 2 on Sunday, and the possibility of 2 on
Monday, the team packed up their Vitamin I, Vitamin A2, Vitamin A3,
Vitamin V and Vitamin T in hopes of just making it through the
weekend. (Ibuprofen, Advil, Aleve, Viagra, and Tylenol)
The tournament started with a 3-3 battle of errors as the MUSA'55
fought back through 2 goals from Mark Wisnevitz (Macc '09, '13, '17)
and Ed Harris (Macc '13) to draw with Seymour FC from Vancouver and
straight from their Little Shop of Horrors revival.
In Game 2, the MUSA'55 began to roll as they defeated Mojos, (who had
none by the way), with a goal from recent import Laurence Swerner (ex
Macc GB who landed just before the Tramp immigration ban) and recent
addition to the tribe Bob Boone from LA and a former college teammate
of our own Scott Agran by a score of 2-1. Solid defense from the
legal team of Cohn, Cohen, Alhadeff, Silverman and Kramer kept the
opposition at bay setting up the win.
After Day 1, MUSA in second place by 2 points with everything to play
for on day 2.
As the sun rose on the Vegas Strip, the guys had difficulty finding
each other, not on the field, but in the lobby as the orchestrated
rides to the field.
Once that was accomplished, they came together to notch another win,
this time a 3-1 victory over Angelos who needed a prayer to beat
MUSA'55 on the day. Laurence Swerner notched another two goals and Ed
Harris notched his second of the tourney en route to an easy win with
just too much "FIRE"power for the Ohio team.
As the team headed into the Quarter Final round in the Sunday late
game playing the 3rd place team from the other Bracket (DTC Soccer
Geeks) who from the outset, were outclassed and outplayed by a now
well run machine spearheaded by Coach Hochberger (Macc '09). Never
before (in my short memory) have we seen such offensive prowess come
together with Swerner taking apart the Geeks with 3 goals, another 2
from David Parks (Macc '05, '09) and Maccabi veteran Scott Cohen (Macc
'09) getting his first of the weekend to send the Geeks back home to
their computers 6-1.
The team celebrated by finding a closed Sushi Restaurant and then
coming together with approximately 31 for dinner. What happens in
Vegas, Stays in Vegas.
Off to the Semis, the team had an early wake up call and had to travel
to the farthest field about 40 minutes north of town to play the
Number 1 seed from group A, Shaheen FC. It was a very tight affair but
Macc'55 prevailed on a single goal by Maccabian Dan Indech (multiple
representations including '09, '13). Again, the solid defense
spearheaded by saves from GK Jeff Cohn (Macc '09) and the entire
defensive crew, helped preserve the first clean sheet of the
tournament for MUSA'55.
Destiny had arrived as the team received word that their opponents in
the final would be the Seymour FC squad from Vancouver in a rematch of
game #1.
A tight affair resulted in a 0-0 draw, the second shutout in a row for
MUSA'55 but also the first game we failed to score. Penalty kicks can
be harsh on any team and after a recent penalty kick loss in Israel,
the team was out for revenge on whomever they faced.
With Ed Harris in goal for the PK session, Seymour kicked first and
scored followed by MUSA's Swerner who slotted home from the spot.
Subsequent kicks resulted in the following:
1-2 Seymour Score
2-2 Indech
2-3 Seymour Score
3-3 Hochberger
3-3 Harris Save
3-3 Lalezari Miss
3-4 Seymour Score
3-4 Alhadeff Miss
The final result 0 - 0 (3-4) PK's and Second Place for MUSA'55
Congratulations to the entire team of:
Jeff, Cohn ('09)
Don Kent ('05, '09, '13, '17, other)
Dan Kurtz (MaccabiUSA Alumni Director)
Mark Wisnevitz ('09, '13', '17)
Bob Boone
Keith Silverman ('13)
Scott Cohen ('05, '09, other)
David Stone ('09)
Ed Harris ('13)
Ramin Lalezari ('05, other)
Scott Agran
David Alhadeff ('09, '13)
Jess Mogul ('13)
Dan Indech ('09, '13, other)
Stu Hochberger ('09, other)
David Parks ('09, other)
Ken Kramer
Laurence Swerner (Macc GB '09, '13, other)
Steve Goldenring ('05, '09*)
Gary Bernstein ('09, '13, 17)
Mexico City is right around the corner and look forward to the next
tournament together.
--- Gazza
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