« January 2009 : November 2008 »
2008 Review (Wed Dec 31 08)
With each passing year the Southern California Subbuteo Club gets stronger, increasing its membership and hosting more competitions than before.
The Werder Weeklies became ever more popular regularly with five to six players, and even ten on one night. In September it was formalized into league competition, Season 6, with eight players playing most Fridays. With four games left to play only the third and fourth positions in the Championship play off group are left undecided. Wayne Smith has won the Championship play off group and Steve Tucker has finished runner up. Kevin Nieman has won the Wooden Spoon play off championship, Jason Mitchell is runner up, and Adam Carlson has finished in third place.
The biggest tournament in California this year was the Western States Open, returning to the Golden State after a four year absence. The turn out, twelve players, was the largest for a tournament held by the SCSC. Wayne Smith won a close final against Steve Tucker. Ian Sayer won the Mary Jane, beating Dominic Hutchinson by a single goal. Dominic won the Under 19 tournament beating Adam Carlson.
The SCSC hosted the second California State Championship, and for the second year there were only players from Southern California taking part. Wayne Smith retained the trophy, beating Kevin Nieman in the final. Edward Nathan beat Dominic Hutchinson in the Missions final. Dominic was beaten in the under 19 Sierra final by Adam Carlson.
In March and June we played ASA Opens. March’s saw the return of Edward Nathan from Malaysia, he went on to be the Mary Jane runner up. In June Rob Tucker, member of the Maryland Subbuteo Club, returned to California with his son Cameron for vacation and to play in the Open. Rob finished runner up, and Cameron was amazed how everyone only beat him 3-0.
Wayne Smith and Steve Tucker went to the ASA National Championship held in Boise, Idaho, in July. Steve won the Mary Jane, and Wayne was the beaten finalist in the Veterans tournament. The Southern California Subbuteo Club team, which included Zach Walker (Sporting America, DC) and Alex Batacchi (Suncoast Table Soccer Club, FL), were beaten by the Maryland Subbuteo Club in the final of the team competition.
The year brought a number of new players. Munir Merchant joined in January, never having played Subbuteo before, and learned the game so quickly that he was a semi finalist in the ASA Open tournament in June, and is still vying for a third place finish in Season 6. Edgar Flores and Ian Sayer joined from a group of occasional players based in Silverlake. Ian has won two Mary Janes this year. Jason Mitchell is another Englishman returning to the game he played in his youth. He quickly became a regular in the Werder Weeklies and Season 6. David Jensen was new to the game, and joined in a “baptism of fire” making his debut in the Western States Open.
Edward Nathan returned from Malaysia to California twice this year and was able to take part in the ASA Open in March, where he finished as Mary Jane runner up, and the California State Championship, as Missions trophy winner. At the end of the year Greg Willey returned after a two year hiatus, he is working on recreating the famed “Willey defensive wall” that frustrated so many in previous years.
Players' comments about 2008
From Simon Hutchinson
High points: The Western States Open, it was great to organize the biggest
tournament in the history of the SCSC. We managed to keep it moving so
we could play all 36 games and finish within the time alloted.
On the playing side it would have to be the California State Championship. After a poor start losing to Kevin and drawing with Dominic I bounced back to tie with Wayne in the group stage. After winning the quarter final against Jason in a shoot out, I met Wayne again in the semi final. I managed to keep him scoreless until two minutes before the end of the game. That meant I stopped him from scoring for 58 minutes.
Low points: Too many missed flicks at crucial times in games.
Hopes for 2009: To keep recruiting new players to the club. '08 was
a great year with the number of new players who joined us.
Season 6 (Fri Dec 12 08)
With a victory and a tie with Jason Mitchell, Kevin Nieman won the championship of the Wooden Spoon play off group.
The only undecided issue is third and fourth places in the Championship play off group. Munir Merchant, currently in fourth place, beat third place Simon Hutchinson. There are now only two points separating these two.
In Supplemental (friendly) games Simon scored five goals in the last quarter of the game to defeat Jason, and Wayne Smith defeated Kevin.
Season 6»
Season 6 reports»
Season 6 supplemental games»
ASA Open in January (Tue Dec 9 08)
The Southern California Subbuteo Club will be hosting an ASA Open tournament on Sunday January 25, 2009.
It will be held at Steve Tucker's Subbuteo "zone", which he will be building over the Christmas holiday.
If you would like to take part either email Steve or Simon Hutchinson, or use the Contact page.
For directions and to see who has signed up to participate see the ASA Open January 2009 page.
Season 6 extended (Mon Dec 8 08)
With only two Fridays before Christmas there are six games remaining in the Championship play off group and eight in the Wood Spoon play off group With the demands that this time of year puts on the players the decision has been made to push the date for the end of Season 6 out to Friday January 16. This gives two extra Fridays, January 9 and 16, to play the outstanding fixtures.
Season 6 (Fri Dec 5 08)
Tonight was Adam Carlson's night. The first game of his double header with Kevin Nieman ended in a tie, Adam twice coming back from a goal down. An early goal in the second game was enough for Adam to win the game. Despite the victory Adam, who now has just two games left to play, will finish in either third or fourth place in the Wooden Spoon play off group. Kevin is still in with a shot of the Wooden Spoon championship as he is only two points behind first place Jason Mitchell. Both players have four games left, including two games against each other.
Steve Tucker's victory over Simon Hutchinson ensured that he will finish in the runners-up spot in the Championship play off group. Champion Wayne Smith 100% record came to an end after an exciting tie with Simon. Third and fourth places in this group are still to be decided between Simon and Munir Merchant, who still have to play each other twice.
In Supplemental (friendly) games Adam's good fortunes continued to a third game which was a tie with Simon. He did not fair so well in his game with Steve where Steve "got in his head" and Adam "fell apart".
Season 6»
Season 6 reports»
Season 6 supplemental games»
Maricopa Cup over for 2008 (Mon Dec 1 08)
As there will not be a round of the Maricopa Cup this month this year's competition has drawn to an end. The winners of the various cups are:
- Maricopa Cup
- Winner : Wayne Smith
- Runner up : Simon Hutchinson
- Newcomers Cup
- Winner : Andrea Guarducci
- Runner up : Munir Merchant
- Maricopa Trophy
- Winner : Simon Hutchinson
- Runner up : Kevin Nieman
Congratulations to all the players who competed in this year's competition. You will find the final tables for the various cups and links to all of the scores and match reports on the Maricopa Cup page.