BAKOS TOURNAMENT KICKS-OFF 2008 USABA GOALBALL SEASON

This weekend, 16 goalball teams from across the United States and Canada converged on the Campus of Western Michigan University to compete in the first installment of 3 USABA goalball tournaments, the 2008 John Bakos Memorial (USABA Northcentral Regional) Goalball tournament.

In the women's division, fans witnessed some very closely-matched defensive matches. At the end of the pool play, the Michigan Chaos, Colorado Bandits, New Jersey and newcomer team, Illinois Panthers advanced to the semi-finals. This round determined the pairings for the gold and bronze medal games: Colorado defeated New Jersey , 10-0, and the Michigan Chaos topped the Illinois Panthers, 2-0.

The final game of the women's division came down to two perennial powerhouse teams: last year's champions, Michigan Chaos and the always-tough rivals, the Colorado Bandits. This game was a two-way defensive showdown. Regulation play ended in a remarkable 0-0 draw. As the game progressed through the sudden-death overtime round, neither team budged, forcing a one-on one shootout—with both teams still holding on to an amazing 0-0 tie! Several rounds into the shootout, Colorado was ultimately able to break the stalemate, taking this year's women's crown with a 1-0 win over the Chaos. The Illinois Panthers defeated New Jersey taking home this year's bronze medal.

The men's division was equally exciting as fans witnessed very exciting play during the pool and cross-over competition rounds. The initial field of 8 teams was narrowed to 4, as BSO , NE Florida , WMU Wrecking Crew-Red and the Ontario All Blacks emerged the field to face off for the men's championship crown.

As the tournament progressed to the gold medal game, the fans witnessed yet another closely contested pairing as the BSO Venom, playing in memory of their fallen teammate, Darryl Green, took on the Ontario All Blacks. As with the women gold medal game, this game would also end regulation play in a tie (7-7). It was deep into the second period of overtime play before fans would see the winning goal—BSO emerging victorious with a 8-7 over Ontario and taking the 2008 Bakos tournament men's gold medal. In an earlier game, NE Florida would take the bronze medal from the home town favorite WMU Wrecking Crew-Red by the score of 8-2.

FINAL RESULTS

MEN:

Gold Medal: BSO Venom
Silver Medal: Ontario All Blacks Michigan Chaos
Bronze Medal: NE Florida Illinois Panthers

WOMEN:

Gold Medal: Colorado Bandits
Silver Medal: Michigan Chaos
Bronze Medal: Illinois Panthers

This year, fans who couldn't attend the tournament in person were able to experience games via live Internet broadcast coverage, courtesy of Bill Teale and Accessible World.com.

Many of these same teams will pair-off next month at next installment of USABA goalball, the 2008 ABANJ/USABA Northeast Regional Goalball Tournament, to be held in Westmont , New Jersey , on April 5 and 6.

Future 2008 tournaments include the 2008 Rocky Mountain Shootout (USABA Western Regional) Tournament, to be held in Colorado Springs, Colorado , May 16-18, and the 2008 USABA National Goalball Championship Tournament to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, June 19-21.

For additional information and entry forms for these tournaments, click here.

Goalball is a unique team sport across the United States and in the Paralympic Games by athletes who are blind and visually impaired

The United States Association of Blind Athletes, a member organization of the U.S. Olympic Committee, is a non-profit organization that provides training for blind and visually impaired athletes for competition in nine sports. USABA members range from blind children developing sports skills to elite athletes who train for competitions such as the Paralympic Games, which continually draws more than 4,000 disabled athletes.