Scrapshooters rule Asahi 4-person beach volleyball

Len’s Scrapshooter continued its dominance over Verizon Eggheads and kept its unblemished record in clinching the championship of the Asahi Four Person Beach Volleyball League held at the Pacific Islands Club Thursday.

Although, Len’s Scrapshooters was the favored team going into the tournament, Verizon Eggheads almost ambushed them in a three set thriller in an elimination round match some two weeks back.

The exciting elimination game set-up what was expected to be a titanic struggle in the finals between the two teams. However, any inkling of an upset was quickly doused by Len’s Scrapshooters as they overwhelmed Verizon Eggheads in the first set, 11-1. It also did not help that Verizon Eggheads started the set flat and without fire.

The second set saw Verizon Eggheads substitute its starters as their coach looked for the winning combination. But it was no avail as Len’s Scrapshooters continued its onslaught and claimed the second set to the tune of 11-8.

Verizon Eggheads salvaged a bit of their dignity when they pushed Len’s Scrapshooters to the brink before bowing out in the third set, 12-10.

“From Doug’s (Mauro) moon ball serves to the pinpoint placement of Denise Gunther that were unstoppable,” said a dejected Verizon Eggheads captain John Cramer. “We came out like an iceberg and they came out like molten lava.”

For his splendid performance during the entire tournament, Len’s Scrapshooters’ Doug Mauro was adjudged the league’s Most Valuable Player. His teammate, Tyee Mister, on the other hand, went home with the league’s Most Inspirational Player award. Aside from playing with Len’s Scrapshooters, Tyee also coached the two high school teams during the season.

In the battle for third, T-8 Reef took down Abracadabra in three exciting sets, T-8 Reef actually had revenge on their minds as they lost to Abracadabra early in the season.

In the first set, Abracadabra looked to repeat against T-8 Reef as Dan Westphal and his teammates won 11-5. However, it was a different story in the second set as wicked hits from Dimas Omar and devil-may-care digs from Julie Omar helped T-8 Reef bounce back 11-4.

In the third and deciding set, T-8 Reef took the measure of Abracadabra but proved hungrier as they edged Abracadabra in a close game 11-8.

In the game for seventh place, the MHS Dolphins (A) Team warmed up early and beat Old Bull & the UN in three straight sets, 11-7, 11-3 and 11-9.

“They improved so much from the last time we played. We just couldn’t put the ball away on them,” said Old Bull’s Evan Hunsberg.

The Old Bull team also suffered from a few service problems and the Dolphins just took advantage of them by getting their serves in.

All of the top eight teams in the league received prizes donated by Meitetsu Mart including Pocari Sweat, Calpico Water, glasses and mugs. First through third place teams also received cash prizes.