After getting trounced in Canada venom came to Michigan vowing to do well. Many critics agreed that after their abysmal performance the previous month Venom wasn’t even a contender and wouldn't even make it to the top 4. Bringing with them a full arsenal of 6 players including Steve Mulhern, Greg Gontaryk, Andy Jenks, Derren Daly, Josh Schwartz, and John Mulhern. They started off with a mercy against Kentucky 15-5 and then went on to beat Illinois 12-4.

They then played their toughest game of the day which was Crew black where they still pulled off the win 7-5. This put them 3-0 in their pool and would advance them to the quarter finals to play GLASA. Being that this was a group of high schoolers they decided to bench starter John Mulhern. Even in doing so they pulled off a 9-1 victory which would take them to Sunday morning’s semi finals where they would play Crew Red. Venom took an early 3-0 lead but crew red would not be dismayed as they caught up. After catching up they traded goals. However it would be Venom who would come out on top at the half 5-3. At the start of the 2nd half 2 consecutive penalties thrown by John Mulhern would tie the game up 5-5. From this point on it was goal after goal as both teams went back and forth. However in the end Venom would come out the victor 8-7.

This would advance them to the finals where they would play the Ontario All blacks who had torched them 5-1 a months previous. After grueling first half Venom lead Ontario 2-1. At the start of the 2nd half on the first throw Ontario scored on Josh to tie it up. But then on the very next shot John Mulhern scored to take the lead again. This would be the theme of the 2nd half as it showed that every time Ontario scored Venom would retort with a goal of their own on the very next shot. Finally with about 1:30 left in the game Ontario scored to take the lead 5-4. With little hope left Venom kept fighting as they didn’t want to lose to All Black twice in a row. With 40 seconds left on the clock John Mulhern put it in the net to tie it up 5-5. However no more goals would be scored in regulation as we moved to overtime. Venom won the toss and elected to throw. Now in overtime the first team to score wins. John tried on two unsuccessful attempts to put the ball in the net but failed. After his brother Steven took a turn John asked for the ball back and did what he had set out to do. With a swift throw he willed that ball into the net to give Venom the victory and the gold medal!

This was a tremendous win for Venom as they were playing for Darryl Green who, as Josh Schwartz said afterwards, “Darryl would’ve been proud of us. Venom vs. All Black was one of his favorites and he loved the close games.” Venom stays undefeated on US soil for now and takes the first of 3 tournamts by storm. Next stop…NEW JERSEY

I am delighted to announce that the Audio Network will begin this year’s “road to Beijing 2008” with our first live broadcast of the season this weekend, The 24th Annual USABA Midwest Regional Goalball Tournament, coming from the WMU Student Resource Center in Kalamazoo Michigan.

The tournament, known also as the John Bakos Memorial Tournament, features fifteen of the finest men’s and women’s goalball teams in the USA, playing not only for championship glory, but for qualification for the US National Tournament in Utah later this year, and of course, hoping to catch the selector’s eye for the US national teams bound for the Paralympics in Beijing in September.

We will be bringing you live action from start to finish, courtesy (as usual) of our friends at the accessibleworld.org

We will be online live from 9am EST (2pm GMT, 6am Pacific) on Saturday March 1st, with the whole day’s round robin action, and then we will be back on Sunday from around about the same time, right through to the crowning of the champions in the early afternoon.

The actual schedule has yet to be finalized at the time of writing, but you can keep in touch, and find out how to listen live by going to the following address…

http://sports.pressakey.net/k2008

You will be able to listen to the entire event, live, and free of course, by pressing number 1 from this page, or clicking on the visual link below the audio player. This will take you to the accessible world auditorium. Whilst in the auditorium, during the event, you will hear the commentary, and also be able to text chat with others listening in. When you enter the room, it asks for your name and a password – you do not have to put a password in, just add your name and leave the password blank.

If you have not used the auditorium before, you must first download a small plugin on your computer. This is available on the page when you press number 1 on your keyboard. It is a small, unobtrusive little program that makes the whole thing work. You only have to go through this operation once. If you have any problems, send an e-mail to us by pressing number 2 on your keyboard.

The team lineups have been announced, and also this page, during the event, will include a full schedule of games, including results and reports on the games, keeping you right up to date with all that is happening.

Women’s teams competing –

Colorado, Kentucky, New Jersey, GLASA, Illinois, WMU, Kalamazoo

Men’s teams competing –

Kentucky, PABA Venom, GLASA, Illinois, Ontario, WMU Red, WMU Black, NE Florida

Please pass this on to as many people as possible!

See you in Kalamazoo!

Bill