VINNER CAPTURES LEAGUE DATE 7, HENNER CONTINUES TO IMPRESS.

     The 2025-2026 NYTHL season rolled into its seventh league date of the year on Saturday April 18, 2026.  It featured nine players from three states who competed in a double round robin totaling sixteen games.  Not all players were present, but many of the weaker ones were not in attendance which made for a very competitive day.  This was the last league date of the year with playoff’s at the end.  Next month’s May date doesn’t have a post round robin tournament in order to build anticipation for the June Championship playoffs.  The Vinner led all comers on the day with a 12-0-4 mark.  The ageless Anthony Sciacca finished second at 8-4-4.  League Champ George Slater was third with a record of 7-4-5.  Chris D’Andrea finished fourth this month at 8-6-2.  Larry Durham finished 6-6-4 for fifth.  Right behind him was Syracuse’s Dan Henner who played to a respectable 6-7-3 finish.  Dan has started to play the circuit in Canada and has been working really hard honing his craft and it is paying off.  Len Mecca was a disappointing 5-8-3, but played better later on in the playoffs.  Mecca was seventh.  The Bob O – Bob D’Addario really had a rough day finishing eighth with a 4-8-4 finish.  A strong argument can be made that the self proclaimed second best player in the league isn’t even in the top six any longer.   Tom Kearns of Pittsburgh also started playing the circuit and he too has been putting hard work in on the board.  The results aren’t as obvious just yet, but he is in more and more tightly contested games.  The wins will come, but didn’t this month as Tom managed three ties as he finished ninth.   It was on to the playoffs.

     Eight seed Bob D’Addario and nine seed Tom Kearns played a Preliminary best of three series to see who would grab the final spot in the Quarter-Finals.  Bob easily took game one by a 7-1 score.  The second game was much closer, but in the end the Bob O proved to be too much as he won the game 3-2 and swept the series 2-0 games.  He was now in the Quarter-Finals and would face the top seeded Vinner.

     The Playoffs were now all best of five series.  The Quarters were underway and the Vinner made quick work of the Bob O defeating him by scores of 10-0, 6-2 and 4-2.  The swept ended D’Addario’s day.  In what was the best series of the day – Seventh seed Len Mecca and two seed Anthony Sciacca went the distance.  Len won games one and two by scores of 6-2 and 4-2 putting Sciacca on the brink.  The ageless one mounted a furious comeback by beating Mecca in overtime of game three 2-1.  Anthony then won another one goal game by a score of 4-3 to knot the series at two apiece and force a fifth game.  The deciding game was a nail biter, but this one goal game was won by Len 4-3 as he ended Anthony’s day and advanced to the Semi-Finals.  Three seed League Champ George Slater faced upstart Dan Henner.  George took game one 3-2.  Henner then stormed back to win game two 4-2.  Dan then put the clamps on Slater by shutting him out 3-0, then finishing him off 2-1 for the three games to one series victory.  It was considered an upset, but George after winning the title last season has failed to win any of the league dates this season.  Finally fourth seed Chris D’Andrea who has had an impressive year made the best of his poor round robin play by by sweeping five seed Larry Durham by scores of 3-2 in overtime, followed by back to back shutouts of 5-0 and 4-0.  It was then time for the Semis.

     The Vinner faced off against Len Mecca.  Catania won the series in a sweep by scores of 5-1, 6-3 and 6-5.  As usual it is better to win a series if you can early against Mecca because he gets better as the series progresses.  This time was no different.  In the other half of the bracket, Dan Henner pulled off his second straight upset as he not only defeated Chris D’Andrea in the best of five series – HE SWEPT HIM!  Dan won by scores of 5-3, 4-3 and 3-1 respectively to clinch his first appearance in a League Date Final against The Vinner.

     Earlier in the day – Dan Henner managed to take his first point from Catania in a 4-4 tie.  Vinny knew that Dan was hot and he would have to tighten things up.  As a result he did.  The Vinner swept Dan by scores of 8-2, 7-3 and 7-0 to capture the League Date Seven crown.  For Dan it was the first of what will probably many trips to a Championship round in the future.  It was also invaluable experience despite the final outcome.  Henner continues to impress and strive in the table hockey world.  The Syracuse league he founded is thriving and he is hosting an S-Slot tournament there as well

on August 29, 2026 which will be part of the North American tournament circuit.

     Another month is in the books.  We will see you in May for what will be a Triple Round Robin because the time gained by not having the monthly playoff will allow us to help settle many tight spots in the standings.  As usual I leave you with the same question.  With so many great competitors, games and personalities – why are you still on the sidelines?  Get in the game by getting on it and join us.  Until next Month – God Bless and enjoy our great sport.