Mekong
Cup 2000 Champions
by
John Casella
On Saturday, April 29th the
Bangkok Thai Stix ball hockey warriors did battle in the 6th Annual Mekong Cup
International Ball Hockey Tournament, the largest ball hockey tournament of its
kind in all of Asia. This event takes place every year in the middle of
springtime once the winter snows of Phuket have melted, giving way to the smooth
surface of the Amari Coral Beach tennis courts and exposing the soft underbelly
of Patong Beach (sounds exciting doesn't it?). This year, the tournament's
historical combatants were all in attendance - Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala
Lumpur. Heightening the drama was the fact that in spite of engaging
strong troops in past years, Bangkok had never managed to win the war for
regional ball hockey supremacy.
Personally, this year's
tournament was truly the most extraordinary Mekong Cup that this reporter has
ever been a part of over the last four kicks at the can. This is not simply
because we won the damn thing (although that has plenty to do with it), but also
the way in which we won (pulling off the most miraculous turnaround in Mekong
Cup history). The team from Thailand got off to a terribly weak start, losing
the first two games by a combined score of 10-3 (Singapore 4 Bangkok 1, and
Kuala Lumpur 6 Bangkok 2).
Any reasonable person would have
completely counted us out.
Fortunately, we are not
reasonable people. The team didn't let its dismal morning dampen its spirits.
Some chalk-talk over lunch and a poolside pep-rally helped keep the team loose
for the afternoon. The Thai Stix had the advantage of the other teams' supreme
over-confidence and that was just the way we wanted it. They had fallen into our
trap, which we had spent 5 years perfecting. A couple of adjustments were made
in the line-up, a little communal soul searching, and the team from Bangkok was
off to the races. And the scores tell the tale:
Game 3: Bangkok 2 - Kuala Lumpur
0
Game 4: Bangkok 1 - Singapore
FINAL : Bangkok 4 - Kuala Lumpur
2
Everyone was focused and every
player contributed with all he/she had. The Thai Stix truly played and worked
together as a unit. Our founding fathers Rich Meiklejohn (now living in Sydney)
and Philip Utsch (now in Seoul), despite some reservations, moved back to
defense and played brilliantly. Marc
Ehler, Germaine Bergeron, Keith Johnston, and Kelly Cailes made up the rest of
the defensive core that thoroughly shut down opposing attackers. They were the
backbone of our team and allowed only two goals in the three grueling afternoon
games. There was not a weak link out there and guys were not afraid to throw
their bodies around, blocking shots, and moving the ball like never before. The
Thai Stix really took control of the play!
And Thailand's ultimate victory
could only have happened with an equally strong effort from their offense. The
KL and Singapore players never had time to get set-up because the Bangkok
forwards were always on top of them, forcing the play and creating good scoring
chances. Line-mates were as follows: John "il Duce" Casella &
Shane "Pchez" Gunther, John "BBB.com" Stevens & Jamie
"all the way from HK" Hunter, and the threesome of Scott "Curator
of the Dave Brown Museum" Murray, Jennifer "the Girl" Hall &
Harold "Tuk Tuk to the Airport" Chislett. Hats off to John, Jamie
& Germaine for pulling the trigger on most of the goals, but the whole
offense was clicking on all cylinders. And Pat Brundson, goaltender
extraordinare, was outstanding between the pipes and deservedly won the MVP
award. The Mekong Cup was finally hoisted for the Thai Stix and the champagne
overflowed.
Bangkok's
ball hockey players have already begun the campaign to defend their title at
Mekong Cup #7 (tentatively scheduled for the end of April 2001). The team
plays open scrimmages on the tennis courts at the British Club (Silom Soi 18)
every Thursday evening from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Anyone interested in joining
the fun should contact John Casella at (662) 231-8234 or email him at jcasella@churchill-pryce.com
FINIS
