Team USA may soon force SPA into creating a new division. Two years ago they won the 50 AAA and were moved up, in 2016 they won the 50 Major crown and moved up. This year they added the SPA 50 Major Plus crown to their list of accomplishments.
Team USA went 3-0 in bracket play beating Suncoast Addias 13-12 in the title game. They didn't exactly run away with the championship as they only beat Team 1 Sports 31-29 and Suncoast Addias 21-20 in earlier bracket games.
”It was an evenly matched tournament with all four teams being very equal, “ manager Mike Rose said. “The difference for us was our depth.”
Playing in 100-degree weather conditions, Rose used his entire roster of 15 players.
“If they didn't start one game then they were runners in that game, the next game they started and we used other runners. I just wanted to keep everyone as fresh as I could..” Rose said.
It has been a good season for Team USA winning five of the seven tournaments they played compiling a 45-7 record. They still have a couple of tournaments left on the 2017 schedule.
Members of the 2017 SPA 50 MAJOR PLUS World champions are: coaches Dutch Detwiler Jr and Jimmie Johnson. Players are Michael Allegretti, Verdell Blackston, John Casner, James Devine, Michael Dill, Ernest Donaldson Jr, Jay Ehrhart, Edward Farrell, Stephen Heller, Bob Jones, William Kelly, Reid Miller, Kenneth Shemonski, Charles A. Smith and Ronald Wenrich.
Final Standings: 1. Team USA, 2. Suncoast Addias, 3.Team 1 Sports, 4. Mid-Atlantic