Stephano Mastro Named Tournament MVP in Tampa Area’s Top Player Showcase Event The 2014 Tampa Team Tournament was decided by a 7-2 score, with West Tampa defeating an upstart group from South Tampa. But the day didn’t start out that way as the North East team, coached by Dave Disciorio and Josh Genson, jumped all over South Tampa 10-2 in the day’s opening contest.  North East attackman Nate Bleckley (Wharton) was responsible for most of the damage getting help from Wesley Chapel’s Zach Lemons on a beautiful behind the back finish which was one of the two highlight goals of the day.

North East Tampa continued it’s early day domination with a 4-0 second half run to erase a 3-0 deficit to defeat West Tampa 4-3 in the second game of the day.  This overtime match saw great offensive flashes from Stephano Mastro (Jesuit-Mount Saint Mary’s) as well as Hunter Revord (Jesuit).  NE Tampa goalie James Davison (Wharton) pitched a perfect second half and Daniel Sussingham (Lakeland) buried the game winner just 1:38 into the overtime period. South Tampa’s early day woes continued in a 6-3 loss to West Tampa to close out the morning session.  Again Mastro was dominate in this game, while South saw some life from Roanoke bound Julian Taylor (Plant) with some help from Mason Beady (Plant) and youngster Mathew Geary (Plant). The second round of games saw a shift in power from North East to West as the Brian Lemon led West team defeated NE Tampa 6-4.  The noticeable absents of attackers Bleckley and Lemons to injuries, was evident in the lower point total for the NE squad.  West was paced in the goal by an outstanding day from goalie Choo Kornitzer who, despite being a right hander for his career, has made the switch to play left handed just this past week.  Still the North East was in the game all the way, thanks in large part to the dominate face off performance of Matty Bleckley (Wharton).  Also producing in volume for the North East was midfielder Mark Munzo (Wharton), JD DiSciorio (IMG) and Daniel Sussingham.  The second highlight goal of the day was a diving backhanded effort by North East’s Ian Peesley (Tampa Prep).  But it was not enough to solve the puzzle of Hunter Penn (Jesuit), Nick Mastro (Jesuit) and Seth Cashen (Jesuit), the stingy defense of the West team. Matty Bleckely continued his face off dominance against the South team in the second game of the afternoon session.  Bleckley along with long stick midfielders Robert Seguin (Drant) and Christian Avalos (Newsome) kept the possession arrow in the NE team’s favor through the contest.  The NE team got scoring from Sussingham, Seth Feldman (Lakeland) and Noah Paffenroth (Steinbrenner) on the way to a 5-3 win over the South team. The final game of pool play had old rivals West Tampa and South Tampa in the most highly contested game of the day.  This thriller went down to the wire with the South team, led by Taylor, Jackson Misner (Plant), Mason Beady (Plant), and John Barlow (Plant) tying the game with just under two minutes remaining.  The confidence of the South Team, a product of the cool and confident hand of Coach John Shaw and Mark Misner, was just starting to show its stuff when Stephano Mastro ended the game early in overtime. At the end of pool play, the West earned the #1 seed due to a head to head +1 goal differential over the North East team, both at 3-1 on the day.  North East took the #2 seed and the South team the #3 seed at 0-4 on the day, setting up the semifinal match between North East and South. With the top two scorers out for North East, South received a much needed jump start by the return of face off midfielder Enrique Marnotes (Plant) into the line-up.  This defensive chess match went to the South, as the defensive unit of Bennett Taylor (Plant), Grant Preston (Plant), Kevin Buchannan (Gulf Coast), and Brendan Oriaga (Steinbrenner) shut down the NE offense.  Goalies Jack Schiffino and TJ Donoghue combined to allow only one goal in the game as the South advanced to the championship game with a 3-1 win. The championship game was a very close affair for most of the first half.  Mastro led the scoring for the West with help from Revord and a big goal by Jake Lemon (Jesuit) out of a time out.  This chess match was won by West coaches Brian Lemon and D. Toins-Banks as Shaw and staff looked to exploit the West’s two man offense with a zone.  Lemon dialed up exactly the right combination of passes, leading to a left handed door step finish by Jake Lemon to open the lead to 3-0 at the half.  South goalie Jack Schiffino stole the show for a four minute span in the first half when he made a flurry of five saves, all from point blank range, keeping the game within reach. The West and Mastro opened up the game in the second half with scoring plays off two man action.  Getting into the action was John Carroll bound Payton Elliot (Jesuit), Brock Mondor, Griffin Rain, and William Bunn (all Jesuit), putting the game out of reach as the West won 7-2. Mt. St. Mary’s bound Stephano Mastro with his masterpiece performance was named the Most Valuable Player for the tournament.   All-tournament team: A – Stephano Mastro – West (Jesuit) (MVP) A – Nate Bleckely – North East (Wharton) A – Jackson Misner – South (Plant) M – JD DiSiorio – North East (IMG) M – Julian Taylor – South (Plant) M – Hunter Revord – West (Jesuit) FO – Matty Bleckely – North East (Wharton) LSM – Christian Avalos – North East (Newsome) D – Grant Preston – South (Plant) D – Nick Mastro – West (Jesuit) D – Jack James – North East (Newsome) G – Choo Kornitzer – West (Tampa Catholic)   2014 T3 Results   North East           10 South                     2   North East             4 OT West                       3   West                       6 South                     3   West                       6 North East             4   North East             5 South                     3   West                       6 OT South                     5   SEMIFINALS South                     3 North East             1   CHAMPIONSHIP GAME West                       7 South 2