2020
2019: PLAYOFFS:
2019
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It was a day of upsets, it was a
day of favorites.
It was a day of triumphs and a day of despair.
There were laughs, tears, food and beers.
And rain.
The only thing missing was sun and music.
If you ever wonder what the regular season
means, is it worth it?, just look at who won the ten divisions.
5 #1 seeds, 3 #2 seeds.
That’s eight of the ten divisions won by either
the first or second place team. Overall in an imperfect season,
on an imperfect day, perfection may have been achieved after all.
Without the sun it was a comfortable day.
Without the music the whistles sang and the
laughter played melody.
Without our leader things ran smooth almost as
if he was with us all along.
The food was great, the sportsmanship was
apparent, and gosh darn it, a good time was had by all. OCEAN
The biggest upset of the day, maybe ever,
occurred in the top division to the overall best team the past two years.
Kobeyaki Got Kills was shocked by the number 8
seed One on One Physical Therapy in the first round.
As word spread throughout the league as other
first round matches ended a crowd gathered around the big game.
One on One won the first game 21-18, but more
shockingly they won the second 21-14.
Kobeyaki regrouped as the crowd cheered against
them and for the underdogs winning the next two 21-15, and 21-11.
Seemingly back in control, Kobeyaki entered
game five confident but were stunned as One on One were inspired by the cheers
and took down the defending
champs
21-10.
As often happens after a great win, One on One came up
flat against Freehands in the second round.
Bungalow Bar swept through the first two rounds
beating JG Electric and Wise Clock Café 3-0 in each match.
Wise Clock Café took the Freaky Tiki All Stars
in the first round, 3-1.
The finals between Bungalow and Freehands was
hotly contested.
All games were close but Bungalow was too
consistent this day winning 3-1 completing a one loss day.
OCEAN BREEZE
Pico also only lost one game on the way to the
championship.
They beat Jameson’s in 4 in the first round.
Other first round matches saw Sullivan and
Galleshaw beat Bryan’s Auto Accelerators in
closely
played games 3-1.
The Mighty Crom beat Pointless 3-1 and game 3
featured a 27-25 win for the Mighty ones.
FAM’s Breakaways swept Diggin and Swiggin in
the first round and then swept The Mighty Crom to reach the finals.
But on this day Pico was too strong and swept
to the title.
WAVE
Another number one seed Kiss My Ace won the
Wave Division.
They beat the Federation and the Cabana in four
games each match to get to the finals.
The Cabana beat Whits End in a close first
round match 3-2.
In a big upset the number 7 seeded Notorious
DIGs beat the Sand Spikers in the first round in five closely contested games.
In other first round action, Owneys Rum lost to
Casino Towing 3-1 but two of those losses were in overtime.
The third game went to 27-25, Casino winning
it. Notorious took Casino in the semi finals 3-1 before losing in the finals in
a five game match to champions Kiss my Ace.
BEACH Earning the bye in a six team
division did not seem like a reward as the top two teams in the division got to
sleep late only to lose to lower seeded teams in the semi finals.
Kevin C Buckleys Sandstorm beat The Wharf Rats
in four games before knocking off the number one seed, The Melons.
Although the match was 3-0, it was closer than
that with scores of 21-17, 21-19, 21-19.
Meanwhile ROCK FAM swept Ratpack NYC and then
the second seeded RBQ to gain a seat in the finals against Kevin C Buckleys.
ROCK FAM prevailed in a great match 3-2. BEACH BREEZE As in the top division, the best
team lost to the eighth place team in the Beach Breeze division.
#1 Bungalo Baranhas lost 3-2 to #8 The Sand
Castle. Amazingly
#2 Gingas in Paris also lost in the first round to #7 RBNY Physical Therapy,
3-0!
And as so often happens after a big upset both the
Sand Castle and RBNY then lost in the second round.
Kerry Hills swept Breezy Lumber before beating
The Sand Castle 3-1 to enter the Finals.
Meanwhile By the Beach CoCo’s swept 5 Rock in
the first round before beating RBNY in a close 5th
game.
In the finals Kerry Hills beat CoCo’s in a hard fought
five game match, last game 21-18.
BOARWALK DJS@WORK beat Team Margaritas 3-1
in the first round, the Rincon Gringos in the second round 3-1 to make it to the
finals.
The Gringos upset the 3 seed in the first round with a
dramatic game five come from behind victory to beat Attorney Bill Kelly’s Legal
Eagles.
The Rockaway Gliders beat the Stanii 3-1 in the first
round while It’s All Good beat Your Name Could be Here, 3-1.
The Gliders then had a tough match against It’s
All Good winning in game five 21-19.
DJS@work beat the Gliders in the finals 3-0 but
every game was close.
Jake Smith was Rincon Gringos most improved player.
SUN
Danger Zone was another top seed who won the
sweatshirt.
They beat a pesky Rodgers Irish Settlers 3-2 in
a tough first round match.
The second seed Star Wars also had to fight in
the first round beating Rock Beach 3-2.
Also Rouge Sharks prevailed in five over
Coastal Real Estate.
Third seed Atlantic Service Sandsharks beat
LeGreann 3-1.
In the semi’s Atlantic Service had to go five
games to beat Star Wars whiule Danger Zone beat Rouge Sharks in four.
In the finals Danger Zone won it 3-1. SUNRAY
The Sunray division saw the biggest upset as 7th
seeded Simba’s Pride scratched and clawed their way to the championship.
In the first round they swept 2nd
seeded “Quatela Architects Suns of Beaches”
but
every game was a nail biter.
In the semi finals they won 3-1 over Remax
Elite Net Results but two games were in overtime, one game went to 27-25.
Top team It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere took care of
the Beach House 3-0 and then Rathbone 3-1 winning the last game in overtime.
Rathbone got to the semi’s by beating Serve Pro
NW Brooklyn in a five set match in the first round.
Then in the finals Simba’s Pride showed their
pride completing the upset 3-1 over top seeded it’s 5 o’clock. MOON
Top seeded Last Call held form winning the
moon division by beating Riis Park Beach Bazaar 3-1, then Boarders Surf Shop 3-0
and finally Cape Cod Irish Villagers 3-1 despite losing the first game of the
championship match.
Boarders were down 2-0 in the opening match
before fighting back and winning the last three games, including a thrilling
21-19 final game. Cape Cod beat The Social Yachties 3-1 and then BILLY MACS 3-1
to get to the finals.
Billy MACS won an exciting first round match
over DisFUNctional in 5 including a close 21-19 final game. STAR
In the Star division The Harbor Light cruised
to the finals seeping throught the first two rounds over Paul’s Bicycles and
Downtown Diggers.
The Downtown Diggers swept the Odd Couples in
the first round but were overpowered in the semi’s.
Meanwhile Sets On The Beach defeated Serves em
Right 3-1 and EZ Company 3-0 to gain the finals.
The finals were exhilarating as they fought
back and forth in the rain setting up a 21-19 Harbor Light championship victory
in game five.
Its great just to show up every week and run
out and play and when its over relax with friends and family on a Wednesday
night on the beach.
That’s why a big shout out goes to the members
of the RBVL committee.
For them Wednesday nights involve getting there
early, getting the equipment out and organized, assigning the refs, putting up
the schedules, resolving issues as they come up, etc.
Then when the games are over, collecting nets,
making sure they are complete, getting score sheets, resolving issues, packing
up, etc.
Not to mention work being done during the week as
well, and year round.
All for no pay. However many people have
thanked committee members for all they do both in person and on facebook and
that is a reminder of why they do it.
Its
great whenever players lend a helping hand to help run smoothly.
George Sullivan and others stepped up when we
needed it most. Before the finals, one of the teams, Serves em Right, saw
the food being delivered and noticed how busy the committee members were, so six
of their players stepped up and took over receiving the delivery. This kind of
community spirit is what makes it all possible.
A
special shout out this year goes to Theresa Sutterlin and her family.
Theresa has been a member of the committee for
years now and her husband Rusty left us way too soon in the middle of this
season.
Rusty always had a big heart and smile for everyone he
met.
Despite the tragic loss Theresa continues to give of
her time every week, helping to make Wednesday night the best night in Rockaway
every summer.
Nine months until opening day.
See you on the beach
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