Maccabi USA Grand Masters Soccer: Columbus Cup 2015

Monday, October 12, 2015

Columbus Cup 2015, The Final Day +

As the sun set in AZ yesterday (and by all accounts and the pictures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.) it was a beautiful way to end the day.

As far as the team results went, this is how each team fared through today's events.

MUSA 35

MUSA 35, by placing 2nd in Group A with a late afternoon draw with FC Sultan 0-0, was paired with the Group B Winner Jake Stars O35 from IL.

Unfortunately, MUSA 35 lost a tough match 1-2 and can look to a successful tournament (first time together) as a great achievement and hope to only improve over the next 2 months on the way to Chile "Oro". Congratulations to the team and coaching staff on a successful and fun weekend.

L-R (Back Row) David Warren, Boris Kapelnik, Leo Krupnik, Flynn Turner, Robert Wynner, Ross Berman, Michael Haynes, Jason Corliss, Bries Wassner, Ernest Murdukhayev, Rob Olin, Asst, Coach Itzik Rapaport.

Front Row: Doug Baker, Noah Lewkowitz, Alan Dubrovo, Matt Lefferman, David Swift, David Linn, Ethan Zohn.

MUSA 40 Chile 15
The O40 team represented by players 45 and older closed out their Sunday games after being placed into the 2nd place flight (consolation bracket) against Prestige Worldwide from Amarillo TX. The winner of this game would then play in the semi finals on Monday but the team was unable to end on a high note and eventually lost in PK's after drawing the game in regulation 1-1. The final score listed as 5-4 represented the team completing 3 of their 5 PK's. This isn't the first time a Maccabi team was knocked out of a semifinal birth as was the case in Las Vegas just last year.

As the team now settles down to final preparations for Chile, the team members continue to practice their Spanish and are taking Cueca lessons to get more acclimated to the environment. Don Kent, a former dancer himself (see Israel video) is leading the charge and is personally outfitting the team with Maccabi Sombreros. Salud Don!

Congratulations on the team coming together from all over the US and supporting a great cause while playing the game we love. Remember that this is just one step on the road to Chile and may the next big step you take be off the top of the Podium with a "Oro" medal in your hands.

Cheers to all!

L-R (Back Row) 4 Doug Homer, 9 John Levene, 18 Randall Winn, 7 Mark Wisnevitz, 11 Andy Zeft, 44 Ori Hoffer, 19 Victor Poppvsky, 2 Stefan Greenberg, 72 Justin Greenberg, 8 Joel Biran, Coach Alan Bodenstein, 23 Phil Fishel

(Fron Row) 22 Richard Shakter, 1 Jonathan Whiteson, 20 Larry Block, 8 Stu Hochberger, 14 Elliot Koolik, 33 Andy Reichgut, 3 Brett Epstein, 3 David Alhadeff, Asst Coach Don Kent. (Not Shown) Ian Grusd, Carlos Salama, Dan Indech (Chairman)

McMacabbis 48
In the category of..."We didn't see this coming, or maybe we did", the team representing former players and friends and family (sounds like a Verizon plan) navigated their way through the preliminary rounds and finished a very close third in their group which put them in the Group C playoff round late on Sunday. Results didn't show up on the website until this morning and I for one had a hard time sleeping not knowing the outcome.

A positive result of 3-0 against North Dallas 40 (not sure where they are from) sent the team into the semi final on Monday as the team to beat and they didn't disappoint. The team again found their scoring mojo and added another 4 goals (and a clean sheet) in the Semi Finals vs LA Roar FC and rounded the tournament out with 5 goals in the final to 1 for the team Clayton Wonders (I Wonders where they are from?)

Congratulations to this team and to all the teams on a job well done.

Next stop is Santiago Chile and we'll see you in about 2 months time. Train hard and bring home the GOLD.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

10/11/15 Post 3

News Flash

MUSA 35 draws 0-0 with group winner FC Sultan and finishes as Group A runner up with 28 points, 6 GF, 1 GA.

MUSA will now play on Monday Morning in the tournament Semi-Final at 8:00am on Field #2 against Group B Winner, which will be decided later today in a match between Lokomotiva and Jake Stars O35.

10/11/15 Post 2

What do Mad Dogs, Englishmen and Maccabi Footballers have in Common?

They go out in the midday sun and chase a little ball around a park. Channeling George Carlin for this one!

As I said earlier, the teams are fairing well today and this form continued with the O40 team who came away with yet another tie and a clean sheet. This team has more clean sheets on the pitch than they do back at the hotel according to one spectator who said she wanted to remain anonymous.

A 0-0 tie with Los Angeles Soccer Club (LASC) see http://blog.lasoccerclub.com means that the O40 team will be placed into the O40 2nd Place Flight and will likely play at 3:15pm in even hotter conditions.

In O35 news, the team is just about to take the field against the group leader Sultan FC, where a win would see the 35'ers take the top position and survive Group A. Speaking of survivors, looks like two of the biggest survivors are helping the team out as Survivor Winner Ethan Zohn has pulled his gloves back on in goal after last representing Maccabi18 years ago, and Co-founder of Cycle for Survival David Linn who makes a return from the Maccabiah 2009 Masters team in Israel.

More to follow from the "Big House" in AZ later today.

10/11/15 Post 1

Good and Hot

A good day so far for Mac Teams as the 48 won 2-1 and the 35'ers won 2-0. The 40's game is in progress.

Details to follow after the teams take a cold plunge.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

10/10/15 Post 6

10/10/15 Post 5

Overall Results - Day 1

Day 1 Results

MUSA 35 3 - 0  FC Gilbert Arsenal, Gilbert AZ
M-Scorers: (Murdukhayev, Corliss 2)
MUSA 35 1 - 1  Santa Clarita FC-O35, Santa Clarita CA
M-Scorers: (Turner)

Maccabi USA Chile 15 0 - 3  Four Peaks Brewers, Tempe AZ
Maccabi USA Chile 15 0 - 0  Mundo FC, Sandy UT

McMacabbis 0 - 4 FTI, Seattle WA

McMacabbis 0 - 0 Shaheen Soccer Club, Tempe AZ

10/10/15 Post 4

O35 Result

MUSA O35 drew 1-1 against Santa Clarita FC O35 in their late game today. Flynn Turner scored for MUSA and the team is in pole position at the top of the bracket with Santa Clarita.

The team now looks forward to games against BPTD-35 from Sandy UT at 9:45am and FC Sultan from Boise ID at 1:30pm. After games against the Sand and Sultans, the team will head back to their Bedouin tents for a little mutton and some ice cold Manishewitz Extra Heavy Malaga.

Can't wait for the selfies from this shindig.

10/10/15 Post 3

MUSA Desert Update - Casa Grande

The MUSA Chile 15 in the O40 group completed their second game earlier today and drew 0-0 with Mundo FC who earlier drew 2-2 with LASC, tomorrows MUSA opponents who now lead the group.

MUSA continues to struggle finding the back of the net, as Coaches Bodenstein and Kent will undoubtedly be working on a plan to break the seemingly impenetrable barrier called the goal line.

Some suggestions we've received in our inbox today include:

Applying heavy Lox Schmeer on the goal line

Place signs behind the goal reading: "Chile...This Way --->"

Award 3 shekels for the first goal scored and enshrinement in the book of life

It's only a matter of time but a draw and a clean sheet is worth 4 points so not all is lost. The last prelim game is set for tomorrow.... can't wait!

In other results, the O48 McMacabbis lost a "close one" 0-4 to FTI, a traditional powerhouse and former champion of this and several other tournaments. This year chaired by honorary Maccabi Brian Kerriberg (Kerrigan) in the absence of veteran Maccabi Eric Brief, they were unable to break through and look to get back on track in today's later match.

More to come from the driest place on earth!

10/10/15 Post 2

O35 Result

Dateline Casa Grande, AZ
In today's first game for the O35 team as they prepare for Chile 2015, Chairman Doug Baker reports the team garnered all 10 points in a 3-0 win (0-0 ht) for the Red, White and Blue over another local AZ team FC Gilbert Arsenal. Goals from Ernest Murdukhayev and 2 by Jason Corliss sealed the win for the young guns from all around the US.

The team is looking to continue on with the positive results as they play later today.

10/10/15 Post 1

Casa Grande News Flash

In their first official match as Maccabi USA Chile 15 Grand Masters, the team lost a tough match against a local Arizona side Four Peaks Brewers 3-0. Team report to follow.

While not the results the team had hoped for, it has been a pattern for MUSA teams in the past to take some time to gel and continue to improve as the tournament moves forward. With the ultimate goal of a medal performance in Chile, the team noted many positive aspects of their first game regardless of the result.

Stay tuned for additional updates on this and the second game to be played later today.

Friday, October 9, 2015

Monday, October 5, 2015
Here is a map link to this weekend's event.

Columbus Cup Casa Grande, AZ

Friday, October 2, 2015
We are 1 week away and the schedules have been posted to the tournament website: http://soccerinsun.com/columbuscup/index.html

Shown below are the consolidated as well as individual team schedules for your review. If you have the team calendar on your mobile device, the calendar will also be updated to reflect these details.

As the official schedule may change, please refer to the team managers for any updates and we will make every attempt to validate what is posted.

Good luck to all the teams.

Combined

O35

O40

O48

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