CATANIA LEADS COMPETITION AS BATTLE FOR SECOND THROUGH FIFTH SEEDS HEAT UP AT NYTHL 2024-2025 LEAGUE DATE VIII.

The NYTHL’s eighth league date of its tenth anniversary season took place on Saturday May 10, 2025 at Rab’s on Staten Island.  It featured fifteen competitors from four different states.  The day was highlighted by the second appearance of Dan Henner – who hails Syracuse, New York. His improvement from last month to this month was remarkable.  As voted on a couple of years back the members of the N.Y.T.H.L. implemented a new rule which stated there would be no playoff tournament at the end of round robin play of league date eight.  This was in order to build more anticipation for the League’s Championship which takes place in June.  Instead the fifteen players participated in a grueling double round robin consisting of twenty seven games.  Let’s review the day.

     With next month’s championship quickly approaching, the day’s double round robin would go a long way toward determining seeding.  Those seeds will be decided by winning percentage.   The day began with the May Grudge Match.  The game featured rivals Walter Zissler and Brian Sullivan who settled very little in this battle as they played their way to an exciting 2-2 tie.  Dennis Simone was suffering with a back injury and only played the first round robin.  This gave him a total of fourteen games played with all others finishing with twenty-seven contests.  At the conclusion of the double round robin play – it was league champion Vinny Catania who led the field with a 25-1-1 record.  His only loss was a first - to up and coming Phil Brancucci.  The tie was to Chris D’Andrea.  The hard charging “Big Daddy” Rob Brancucci was second at 22-5-0.  Bob D’Addario played well as he finished 21-5-1 good for third.  Chris D’Andrea returned and played to an impressive 20-4-3 mark landing hi fourth.  League veteran Len Mecca performed well as usual.  He played his way to a 17-9-1 record - good for fifth.  The Ageless Anthony Sciacca continues to play great table hockey.  His 16-8-3 mark was good for a sixth place finish.  Walter Zissler and Phil Brancucci each finished at 12-11-4 which tied them for seventh.  Syracuse’s Dan Henner made his second ever appearance and showed great improvement as he compiled a record of 9-16-2, landing him ninth.  Brian Sullivan and Tom Kearns who also travel a great distance to play each finished 8-17-2 which tied them for tenth.  Larry Durham struggled at 8-18-1 which put him twelfth.  Mike Digiulio was thirteenth as he completed the day 2-24-1.  Dennis Simone played just one round robin and his four points were compiled as a result of his 2-12-0 fourteenth place finish.  Hank Librandi continues to play more competitive, but still struggled as he finished in last at 1-25-1.  The day produced a lot of movement in the second through fifth place spots.  Steve “The Stein Bernstein who sat out the day due to illness started the day as the overall two seed and was bumped down to fifth.  The battle for second seed is razor thin between four competitors.  Big Daddy, The Bob O, Chris D’Andrea and the Stein will have a lot riding on next month’s final round robin before the year-end playoffs begin.  Let’s preview next month’s Championship.

On Sunday June 22, 2025 the N.Y.T.H.L. will close its tenth anniversary season by crown its champion.  There will be a single round robin which will count toward the end of the year standings.  All winning percentages will then be tallied and each player will be seeded.  Sixteen players will be eligible to compete for the “A “Championship. To have qualified each player will have had to attend the average number of league dates (five).  Those sixteen will play a best of seven series with the eight winners moving on to the Quarter-Finals.  The eight who do not move on will then join all other players to compete for the “B” Championship.  Those players include anyone new or a player who did not attend the required five league dates.  All series from that point on will be best of sevens until both Champions are crowned.  The league will also announce the three winners for Most Improved, rookie of the year, and the Anthony Sciacca Sportsmanship awards.

Another exciting league date is in the books.  We hope to see you next month at the league’s year end Championships.  Table hockey along with the N.Y.T.H.L. continues to grow.  With great competition, even better company, and the best games to play on - Dare I ask?  What are you waiting for?  Get behind the rods and Join the NYTHL.  Like so many others, you will be glad you did.  See you at League Date IX (CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY) June 12, 2025 at our home - Rabs.

Until next month – Be Well!