SPA News

SPA DALTON WORLDS HOST 50/55/60 MAJOR/MAJOR PLUS TEAMS

DALTON, GEORGIA – It was another fantastic 50,55,60 MAJOR and MAJOR PLUS SPA DALTON WORLDS as FORTY-ONE teams from TWENTY-ONE states participated in the June 17 -20 event.

'WOW.!!!, All I can say is WOW!!,” SPA PRESIDENT RIDGE HOOKS said, “All year I have been hearing major and major plus teams aren't attending tournaments this year and then we see this type of turnout.”

 “The problem for the majors and major plus teams isn't that they don't want to attend tournaments, they just can' find tournaments which will let them play,” HOOKS explained. “We (SPA) will change that a little next year, we are already planning to have two-or-three major and major plus tournaments over three months in 2015. We will find a place for the majors and major plus teams to play.”

 If those tournaments HOOKS is talking about are anything like the DALTON WORLDS you can certainly add another big WOW to the SPA 2015 MAJOR and MAJOR PLUS schedule.

 The 50's MAJOR 15-team bracket set the tone for the tournament with the championship going to an “IF” game to determine the winner. CALIFORNIA'S RATED ATHLETICS took the deciding game 30-28 over FLORIDA'S GOOD TIMES squad.

 The FLORIDIANS forced the “IF” game by beating RATED ATHLETICS 42-30 which ironically was almost all the runs the CALIFORNIA team had allowed (46) in their four previous bracket games.

 RATED ATHLETICS advanced to the title game with bracket wins over HERRINGTON SERVICES (27-12), MONSTER SOFTBALL (26-8) and LIGHTHOUSE LOOKOUTS (34-11). GOOD TIMES edged LEVIN 50'S 18-17 in the loser's bracket finals to earn their shots at RATED ATHLETCS.

 Others in the 50 MAJOR BRACKET were SOUTHERN ELITE, DOC C'S, TEAM ARKANSAS, ATLANTA MONARCH'S, TEAM 1 USA, TENNESSEE COMETS, ROCHESTER 50'S, N.E.STORM and BIG TEN SOFTBALL.

 WISCONSIN'S DLB SOFTBALL ran the table in bracket play with wins over TEAM 1 SPORTS (43-38), TEAM ADIKTIVE 30-14, OKI (24-21) and MID-ATLANTIC (28-11) to claim the 50 MAJOR PLUS crown.

 MID-ATLANTIC reached the finals by disposing of the 2013 50 MAJOR PLUS CHAMP OKI 29-9 in the loser's bracket finals. Others in the eight-team group were TSC TRI-STATE, TEXAS PLAYERS, DLB SOFTBALL and BRYSON'S PUB/VELTRI.

 DOCS made up for their 2013 early exit (1-2) from the 55 MAJOR SPA WORLD'S TOURNAMENT by going undefeated in bracket play (4-0) to win the 2014 title.

 DOC'S started their title run by sneaking by SWEET CONSTRUCTION 29-28, followed by wins over HIGH STREET BUCS (27-9) and S.A. SOFTBALL (15-0). The OHIO wrapped up their championship run beating SWEET CONSTRUCTION again, this time 18-9.

 SWEET CONSTRUCTION reached the title game disposing of S.A. 55 SOFTBALL. Others in the ten-team field were LEVIN 55, TRIANGLE MASTERS, SCRAP IRON, GONZALES INSULATION, NEXT LEVEL and MWC.

 GONZALES INSULATION took no prisoners going undefeated in both pool and bracket play to win the five-team 60 MAJOR title. The TEXAS team beat K.C.KIDS (35-14) and HIGH STREET BUCS (15-13) in pool play and continued on in bracket play beating COLUMBUS LX 26-11 and CRYSTAL COBRA'S 34-20.

 SUPERIOR SR. SOFTBALL made amends for finishing in the runner-up spot in the 2013 SPA 60 MAJOR PLUS WORLDS by easily knocking off 2013 60 major champs MN MASTERS 37-18 in the finale.

 The VIRGINIA team earlier had beaten HOLLIS APPRAISALS 26-11 to make the title game. MINNESOTA WHITE made it out of the loser's bracket with a 29-24 win over HOLLIS in the three-team bracket.

 The SPA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP series continues with the 75AAA, 75 MAJOR and 80 AAA tournament AUGUST 11-14 in COLUMBUS, OHIO.

It wraps up SEPTEMBER 4-21 at DALTON with the WOMEN'S WORLDS, MENS' AA and AAA 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70's as well as the 65 and 70 major tournaments.

TEAMS FROM THE 60'S AND 65'S DIVISION BATTLE IT OUT

 JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE – THE SPA 2014 TOM WILLIAMS MEMORIAL at WINGED DEER PARK didn't have any representatives from the JERSEY BOYS or BEATLES at the tournament but there were enough 60 and 65 DIVISION TEAMS to again make the event a success.

The TOM WILLIAMS MEMORIAL is fast becoming a refuge for 60 and 65 division teams looking for a good competitive 60/65 only event.

Celebrating it's 22^nd year, the TOM WILLIAMS MEMORIAL drew 13 teams who battled it out for the four division crowns.

REALITY CHECK certainly got it's money's worth as they battled out of the loser's bracket to win the 60 GOLD DIVISION by beating BOYS OF SUMMER 22-16 in the “IF” game.

REALITY CHECK started bracket play beating CHARLOTTE SENIOR SPORTS 18-9 before losing 23-12 to BOYS OF SUMMER. They returned to their winning ways beating CHARLOTTE 21-6 in the loser's bracket finals and forced the “IF” game with a 21-16 victory against BOYS OF SUMMER.

FLIP DOW BONDING 60'S won the 60 SILVER bracket going 2-0 in bracket play beating TENNESSE SENIORS twice 22-9 and 23-8 in the championship game. The TENNESSEE earned their spot in the finals by beating TRI-CITIES 60;s 22-5 in the LOSER'S BRACKET finals.

FLIP DOW BONDING 65's followed the lead of their younger “brothers” by claiming the 65 GOLD TITLE with wins over TENNESSEE RV (14-11) and CHARLOTTE SENIOR SPORTS 65's twice (18-8, 13-12)

SPORTS LETTERING outdistanced three others in the 65 SILVER GROUP to stand alone at the top of the podium.

The champs beat TRI-CITIES 70's 22-15 in the title game. Their other bracket wins were 16-14 over TRI-CITIES 65's and TRI-CITIES 70's 17-12.

TRI-CITIES 70's reached the title game by beating PATRICK HENRY 27-16 in the LOSER'S BRACKET FINALE.

TEAMS STILL FIND IT, EVENT DRAWS THIRTY-SEVEN TEAMS

LOST MOUNTAIN, GEORGIA – Despite having to move the SPA 2014 PEACH STATE CLASSIC from AL BISHOP'S COMPLEX (MARIETTA, GEORGIA) to LOST MOUNTAIN PARK at POWDER SPRINGS the tournament still bettered last year's total drawing THIRTY-SEVEN teams.

 “We knew last year that the AL BISHOP COMPLEX where we usually hold the tournament would be under renovation in 2014, so we planned ahead to use POWDER SPRINGS,” TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR ROBBIE FAUCETT said.

 PLANNING is the key word for a FAUCETT - run tournament as he leaves nothing to chance. He usually starts his planning for the PEACH STATE CLASSIC six months ahead of time and that is why the tournament is always SPA'S highest attended tournament in the South.

 It was no different this year as EIGHT DIVISION CHAMPS were crowned in the 50-thru-75 age brackets in the JUNE 26-29 tournament..

 IBALZ SOFTBALL was focused in on the assignment at hand beating N.GA. OUTLAWS two out of three for the 50 AAA TITLE.

 IBALZ SOFTBALL won 20-18, 18-19 and 23-15 in the deciding game for the championship.

 There was a little more action in the 50-MAJOR BRACKET with seven teams battling it out for the the top spot.

 In the end it was ATLANTA MONARCHS running the table with wins over TENNESSE COMETS 35-22, LANGSTON PAINTING REVENGE BAITS POWER FORCE 13-10, MONSTER SOFTBALL 29-27 and DOC C'S 26-13 in the title game.

 SOUTHERN ELITE SOFTBALL and LIGHTHOUSE LOOKOUTS rounded out the field.

 It took three games to decide the winner of the 50-MAJOR PLUS BRACKET in a two team battle between T.S.C. And ADIKTIV SPORTS. The teams split the first two games with T.S.C. winning 38-33 and ADIKTIVE SPORTS taking it's game 27-22.

 In a scoring bonanza T.S.C edged ADIKTIV SPORTS 39-35 for the championship.

 In a six-team battle for the 55-AAA title DAVID BOWEN SPORTING GOOD took no prisoners sweeping aside GEORGIA ALABAMA SNIORS (GAS) 20-19, DIXIE EXPRESS 23-21 and G.A.S. again, this time in the finals 23-9.

 ATLANTA RECYCLING SOLUTION LLC, (BY) GRACE REDEEMED and DT EXPRESS were the other teas in the bracket.

 The 60 AAA DIVISION saw 4:13 RIMFIRE go 3-0 in bracket play to best the other four teams in the group. RIMFIRE BEAT STRYKERS 28-14, ELITE 60'S 33-16 and 22-16 to claim the top spot.

 Others in the bracket were BOYS OF SUMMER and T.A.G.

 EDGE SOFTBALL downed COLUMBUS LX 34-20 and CAROLINA COBRA'S twice (29-25, 22-21) to take the three-team 60 MAJOR CROWN.

 The 65 AAA BRACKET saw HUFFMAN ELECTRIC go undefeated in four bracket games to win the six-team division title.

 HUFFMAN beat EXTREME HEAT (15-8), S.E. LEFTOVERS (23-14) and SPORTS LETTERING 65's twice (14-5, 21-14) to take home the top prize. Others in the field were TEAM ABC and TENNESSE R.V.

 The 70 AAA went to SENIOR MOMENTS after they beat the GEORGIA NUGGETS 14-8 in the title determining “IF” game.

 The NUGGETS forced the “IF” game coming out of the loser's bracket to defeat SENIOR MOMENTS 16-14.

 Others participating in the six-team field were LEIDEN'S LEGENDS, SPORTS LETTERING 70'S, GEORGIA CLASSICS and CRIM'S BORDER STATES 70'S..