From left: Jonny Ress, Samuel Shainfeld, Reece Berelowitz, Jared Kadar and Jordan Koton have been selected for Football NSW’s “Project 22” squad.

AJN STAFF

FIVE young Jewish footballers have been earmarked as potential future Socceroos after being selected in a developmental squad.

Jonny Ress (under-9s), Reece Berelowitz and Samuel Shainfeld (under-10s), Jared Kadar (under-11s) and Jordan Koton (under-12s) caught the selectors’ eyes among 1500 other soccer players at a gruelling open selection, which began in September at the Football New South Wales’ (FNSW) headquarters at Valentine Park.

Forty-two playes were selected from each age group covering six regions. The Sydney East region covers Canterbury, Eastern Suburbs and St George.

They were chosen to take part in “Project 22” – a developmental squad with an eye on nurturing the 2022 World Cup generation.

The program is based on Football Federation Australia’s new curriculum for kids aged 9-14 and provides free training for 40 weeks a year.
Read the full story

The Maccabi Masters football team.

DAVID WEINER

THE Maccabi Masters soccer team wrapped up its World Masters Games campaign in disappointing style, losing the semifinal match against Russian side Cosmos 2-0 and then going down 1-0 to Canadian team Lads Calgary United in the play-off for the bronze medal.

Maccabi’s group of veterans had dusted off the boots to return to full-field football for the first time in seven years for the World Masters Games being played in Sydney.

The majority of the side, who are between 46 and 54 years of age, have come through the Maccabi ranks together over the past 40 years.

Earlier in the nine-day tournament, Maccabi tackled opposition from Russia, Ukraine and Canada for two draws and a loss.

In the semifinal Maccabi played a tight and compact defensive game to frustrate the Cosmos and at the break the scores were tied 0-0.
Read the full story

Celebrating a successful season with the Maccabi Junior Soccer Club

AJN STAFF

THE Sydney Cricket Ground played host to the Maccabi Junior Soccer Club’s end-of-season presentation on October 5.

Around 1000 children and their parents sat perched in the Ladies Stand as club president Danny Hochberg took the opportunity to encourage people to continue their important volunteering work with Maccabi.

He said the community needs to consider the important role sport plays in the “retention of our youth within a Jewish framework” when deciding where to invest in Jewish facilities.

The club presented awards for the best team in each age group, while each side awarded MVP and most improved awards to its players.

Read the full story

Playing coach Andrew Freund (left) with Christian Smak … joint winners of North Caulfield Maccabi’s best and fairest award.

AJN STAFF

PLAYING-COACH Andrew Freund and young star Christian Smak were joint winners of North Caulfield Maccabi’s best and fairest gong at the soccer club’s 2009 awards night.

Captain Adam Rischin was close behind, remarkably polling 18 votes at the halfway mark of the season, before the Maccabiah Games and travel commitments kept him out for the rest of the 2009 campaign.

The award for the most goals was also a tie, with Dion Esterman and Justin Scrobogna sharing the honours.

Shot-stopper Alex Gutwirth was the recipient of the coach’s award, while Jonathan Braver took out the award for the most improved player and also got the nod for the reserves best and fairest player.
Read the full story

Hakoah soccer action this season. Photo: Anthony Schildkraut

DAVID WEINER

HAKOAH coach Andrew Prentice does not know if he will be re-signed by the club after his side finished its 2009 campaign in 11th spot in Football NSW’s 16-team State League Second Division.

It was one of the side’s most disappointing seasons in recent memory.

The team faced a 10-game schedule over the final month of the season to try and salvage a top-five spot, but that hurdle proved far too daunting, with some players suggesting the side showed a “lack of passion” as the season faded.

The season was punctuated by Maccabiah football and futsal commitments and bad weather. By the time the fixture backlog was to be caught up, the depleted squad could not cope.

“It’s hard to look back on this season with a great deal of joy, but that’s compared to last season when we only lost three games and played some fantastic football,” head coach Prentice reflected.
Read the full story

North Caulfield Maccabi’s Ariel Lashansky in action. Photo: Daniel Opat

DANIEL OPAT

NORTH Caulfield Maccabi’s up and down soccer season came to a close on September 6 with a 1-0 loss to league champions Berwick City.

Decimated by injury and missing players who made the trip to Israel for the Maccabiah Games in July, the club was in serious danger of losing its spot in State League 3 mid-season.

But to North Caulfield’s credit, the makeshift side fought hard to finish in ninth with six wins, 10 losses and six draws.

The outcome of the match shaped the race for promotion, and a good crowd turned out at Caulfield Park for the clash.

With David Kleitman out injured, Ariel Lashansky played left back for the first time in his career and held down the position with distinction.

Read the full story

North Caulfield Maccabi’s Henry Kazaryan (left) keeps his eye on the ball. Photo: Daniel Opat

NORTH Caulfield Maccabi has virtually secured its place in Victorian State League 3 after another resounding victory against bottom side Boroondara Eagles.

The 3-0 win catapulted the side to equal seventh on the table, all but securing the side’s spot in State League 3 for next season. Player/coach Andrew Freund and Dion Esterman were brilliant for North Caulfield, which rocketed to victory after a dominant second half that produced goals from Justin Scrobogna and Esterman.

Joshua Braver completed the rout midway through the second half. Itwas a physical affair in the opening stages and North Caulfield was pressing early, with near misses to Christian Smak – in the side for suspended Jarryd Briscoe – Jason Tasker and Andrew Freund, whose brilliant free kick went agonisingly close.

Esterman was causing problems for Boroondara with his runs down the right wing, and it was one such run that set up the side’s first goal. Esterman was awarded a free kick, which Freund delivered perfectly into the box and on to the head of Scrobogna, who nodded home past the Boroondara keeper.

Read the full story

Australia’s Benji Robertson in action in the match against USA in the Maccabiah Games. Photo: Peter Haskin

DANIEL GARB IN HAIFA

THE dream run of Australia’s men’s open football (soccer) team has come to an end, beaten 3-1 by Argentina in the quarter finals. The South Americans were always going to be a difficult obstacle to overcome, but it was the Aussies who shocked them after 10 minutes when Adam Rischin scored the opening goal.

However, a poor end to the first half allowed the Argentine team to score three times before the main break, virtually ending the contest.

“In every other game we’ve scored right at the death, maybe it was scoring early for once that hurt us,” joked coach Andrew Prentice.

“I’m proud of the boys, they had a great tournament, but today we didn’t play to the best of our ability.”

“We’ve defended so well until now, but today we let in some soft goals against a side who I think we can match.”

Read the full story

Photo: AJN file

DANIEL GARB

A LATE goal from substitute Adam Rischin has sent Australia through to the next round of the football tournament after defeating Peru 2-1 in Haifa in the Maccabiah Games. It was the late show again from the Aussie boys who dominated the opposition but had to wait until injury time for the second match in a row to secure all three points.

Captain Ryan Bloch says the nervous ending to both games has taken its toll.

“I’m 34 now and I think I’m going to have a heart attack if it carries on like this,” he said. “But what an accomplishment for a squad of 15 players who only came together a week before the tournament to get through to the next round.”
Read the full story

JUNIOR FOOTBALL

Under-9: Beaumaris 6.7 (44) b Comets 4.6 (30) (Goals: Lincoln 3, Michelson) (Best: Michelson , S Bass, Lincoln, Wise, Cohen, Gold); East Malvern 11.9 (75) b Jets 4.4 (28) (Goals: Rosenwax 2, Efron 1, Krongold 1. Best: B Braverman, G Braverman, Issko, Krongold, Rosenwax, Tepper); Ormond 13.10 (88) b Stars 3.1 (19) (Goals: Hymans 3 Best: Duieb, Garson, C Gross, Grunfeld, Hymans, Star).

Under-10: Ormond 7.6 (48) b Ajax 2.2 (14) Goals: Samuels, Williams (Best: Berlinski, Koch, Kramersh, Marks, Shapir, Zulman).

Under-11: East Malvern 12.7 (79) b Comets 6.11(47) (Goals: J Cohen 2, Blumberg, Fisher, Hymans, Krain. Best: Moshinsky, Kornhauser, Fisher, Faraday, Nadelman, Krain; Jets 8.9 (57) (Goals: Benge 3, Williams 2, Davis , Krakauer, J Lipszyc. (Best: Benge, Beville, D Cohen, Krakauer, Mills, Williams) b St Bedes Mentone 1.7 (13).

Read the full story