MidWoooooddd!! Takes the Gold

   By Lin Fernandez,
Handball Commissioner

  Midwood’s Coach Greenspan knew that winning the coin toss for choice of home or away would serve as an advantage. He chose away, which allowed FDR to choose the first matchup. Coach Scaduto’s second doubles have performed well in the postseason. They went first and handed Midwood their first loss with an impressive 21-12 win.

Coach Greenspan chose 1st Doubles next. Scaduto’s first doubles were feeling comfortable since they beat the Midwood doubles in their last meeting, but this was clearly a better prepared Midwood doubles team. Marilyn Li/Florence Mui (Midwood) ended it early for FDR with a slamming 21-4 win, taking 2-1 lead. Scaduto went for 2nd singles in the third game, looking to tie the match. Iris Looi (Midwood) knew she was in for a battle in this matchup, since Kelly Tran (FDR) had lost by just a marginal point (20-21) to Iris in the regular season. This was clearly the best of the five game match, performed by two very focused players. The Ooohsss and aaahhss were consistent by the crowd, as the match approached an even 17-17. Tran jumped into a 20-19 lead with fascinating left angle serves, but threw the winning serve out as Looi’s hands went up with excitement, being given another chance to serve again.

The girls exchanged volley play two more times at 20-20 before Tran finally hit a shot out of play, awarding Looi the 21-20 win, with Greenspan’s Ace, Na Liu up next. Na, who was the 2002 City Individuals Runner-up, was off to a slow start versus Anne Ko (FDR). However, as Roger Bradley (PSAL Handball Coordinator) has said in the past, “Once you are in the Zone, no one can stop you from winning”. This became the inevitable as Liu breezed passed Ko with a 21-3 win, claiming the 2003 NYC Team Championship Crown in Girls Handball for MidddWoooooodd!!!!! Although the match was officially decided, FDR’s 3rd Singles, Annie Chan closed the deficit in the final game, 21-12.