5 teams consisting of 20 players participated in the fifth annual Minnesota Cup of Table soccer. Welcome to new Cup participants Mo A, Uday, Adarsh, Anu, and Wallis.
The Teams:
Team 1: Chris M, Krink, Mo A, Brad S (captn) aka 'Final Score Zombies'
Team 2: Jared W, Mike E, Trevan S, EB (captn) aka 'Team Morts Smack'
Team 3: Bill W, Dave G, Tristin H, John W (captn)
Team 4: Bombo, Rick B, Wallis, Skip (captn) aka 'Habitat for Foos-anity'
Team 5: Anu, Adarsh, Goot, Uday (captn)
The Qualifiers...
The qualifying round consisted of a Round Robin style Battle Royale of standard team doubles and singles, plus doubles and singles triathlon formats. We ended the qualifier after four rounds due to time constraints**, but saw tons of upsets, comebacks, 4-4 balls and Team Rondo 3rd game deciders.
(** Somehow we got four rounds in with 7 teams last year!)
Some highlights from the Quallfiers:
- Jared's singles win v. Krink.
- Bombo's push-kick split on 4-4 putting John's team on their heels in the first round.
- Uday and Adarsh's speedball upset v. Krink and Brad.
- EB's Game 3 Team Rondo Forward Shootout win v. John's team .
- Brad's Team Rondo win vs. Habitat for Foosanity to guarantee their place in the finals.
- Anu's rolling pull in Johnny Lott
The Finals....
The final consisted of a best of three sets. Sets being 2/3 games (fooser's choice between Team Doubles, Singles, Doubles Tri or Singles Tri); any Cup-deciding game would be played Team Rondo style. Both teams kept with Team Doubles.
In all three sets, Rick and I came out swinging regardless of the opponent, but Brad's team repeatedly responded winning the second game, forcing 3 team rondo rubber matches. Wallis was the difference-maker in both the 1st set win and the final Cup-winning point, both with a lights-out pull-kick performance as a forward and a pull spray from back to claim the Cup.
Definitely the most competitive final since the great Shades of Gray win of 2016. Thanks to my teammates and congrats to Brad's team on an impressive and hard-fought final. Your names wait to be emblazoned on the cup in 2020.
MN Cup Results: (5 teams, 20 players)
1st: Habitat for Foos-anity Wallis: Bombo, Rick B, Skip (captn)
2nd: Final Score Zombies: Krinkie, Mo A, Chris M, Brad S (captn)
Thanks to all who helped make the 2019 MN Cup a success. It is a tough event to run, but I always appreciate the sportsmanship, strategy, team-building, and diverse foos talent that the event brings out from players throughout the region.
2020 MN Cup team recruiting begins at the next MN Monthly 1/4/20!
