[ VETERANS CUP ]
Sacramento's Marty Parachou battled with Honolulu's Angus McKibbin, left, and Tom McClain, right, yesterday.
Hawaii teams make
Cup history
The United States Amateur Soccer Association's 2004 Veterans Cup concluded its two-year Hawaii run yesterday at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park with local teams winning two titles -- a first for Hawaii teams -- and finishing second in two other final matches.
CORRECTION
Tuesday, August 10, 2004A caption on Page B2 Monday June 28 incorrectly identified Sacramento's Vihlem Barte as Marty Parachou. Also, it incorrectly identified Oren Schlieman as Tom McClain.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.
Yesterday, Honolulu United rallied with three second-half goals to beat Sacramento Turn Verein 3-1 in the men's over-40 first division title match.
On Saturday, Leahi Soccer Club Blue won the women's over-30 division championship with a 1-0 overtime victory in against MoJo S.C. representing California South.
Vaiete S.C. had two women's teams in championship showdowns, but both were defeated in overtime.
The women's over-40 premier team lost to San Francisco 1-0 on a sudden-victory goal 10 minutes into OT.
The women's over-55 team was defeated by Shear Power (Wash.) 2-1, with Sue Potter scoring both goals, the second coming in the third minute of OT on a breakaway down the right side. Her shot was blocked up in the air by Vaiete goalkeeper Donna Fouts, but fell behind Fouts and bounced over the goal line.
Debbie Aiu had given Vaiete a lead early in the game with a long shot into the net.
United was formed three years ago by Pete Gaskell and Oren Schlieman after they returned from the Supra Oldies Tournament in New Zealand. Playing in the Men's Island Soccer Organization, United won the last two over-45 MISO division titles, but yesterday was their first shot at a national championship.
Sacramento took a 1-0 lead at 18:30 when Vilhelm Barte took a through ball on the right side and planted his shot inside the left post.
United's best chance in the first half came on a scramble in from of the goal following a corner kick. Schlieman's right-foot attempt as he was falling backward was just wide right.
Sacramento goalie Tom Freidrich watched the ball just moments before Ben Bystrom scored for the Honolulu United.
The second half belonged to United, as goalkeeper Kent Untermann faced just one difficult shot and it was right at the 6-foot-5 former University of Hawaii tight end.
Former Kalani High player Ben Bystrom, who returned to Hawaii in January after 20 years as an investment banker in New York and Tokyo, pulled United into a tie at 65:01 of the second half with a diving head shot inside the right post. Joe Turbin's chip shot over the defense set up the goal.
Bystrom was in the perfect spot at 28:47. Tom Watson unloaded a close-range shot from the left side on Sacramento goalkeeper Tom Freidrich, who deflected the ball back. Watson got the rebound and rolled the ball to a wide-open Bystrom 4 yards off the line for the easy tap-in.
"I've played the last five years with company teams in Japan, but I love Hawaii and this is where my wife, Maria, and I want to raise out daughter, Bianca," Bystrom said.
The clincher came at 82:52 when United midfielder Chris Kumagai controlled a loose ball in his half of the field. He beat the Sacramento defense with a 60-yard run and finished with a left-footed chip shot into the right corner of the goal.
"We played pretty well in this tournament. We came together and we were unselfish," said United coach Lloyd Nishimoto. "We tried to attack the wings, then bring the ball back in."
"Lloyd did a great job of substituting, keeping 20 players happy with playing time," Kumagai said. "Mainland teams only have 13 or 14 players and I'm sure that made a difference with five matches in five days.
United outscored their opponents 22-6 and only allowed three goals, one on a penalty kick, after the first half of the first match.
"We had a decent quality team, but we had a lot of depth," said Untermann, who has been playing just six years and says he is just an ex-football player without skills who tries to catch the ball and keep it from going in the goal.
Each winning team receives $750 and automatic entry into next year's tournament, which will be held in Wilmington, N.C.
Tim Busch, chairman of the Veterans Cup, and Paul Scherer, region IC commissioner, agreed that the host Hawaii Soccer Association raised the bar for cities bidding to host future tournaments.
"The Waipio complex is gorgeous," Busch said. "And then you have the quality of people who have worked tirelessly, not only for the tournament but for the social event we had Saturday.
"The travel packages and the assistance they provided in getting players here was outstanding. The Hawaii people made everything very attractive. Their warmth and friendliness makes people want to come here. By having the tournament here two years, people discovered other things to do and many are going to the outer islands before returning to the mainland."
