Select Teams Program

Men's Select Team Program

Head Coach: Jim Antonakas

Telephone: 617-999-8700
Email:

For more information or to register for the try-outs for the Mass Men's Select, please contact Jim Antonakas at the address above.

Undefeated Mass Team wins the 2011 Donnelly Cup National Title

Under the burning sun in Lancaster PA a fired up Men's soccer team from Mass with spectacular performance dominated its opponents and became the 2011 Donnelly Cup Champion.

By showcasing its talent, the Mass Men's National Elite Soccer Team made it clear from the very first whistle of the finals that it would be the team to beat. It was easy to determine that the team did not lack character, composure, and heart.

Mass team invents a new style warm up: Going undefeated to the final, Mass had to face an equally strong and extremely deceiving opponent: Western New York. It was time for the Beantown all-star team to pick up its game to another level. Desperation was added to the team's character. The players were called to perform a new style warm up designed to intimidate its opponent and successfully left WNY watching rather than warming up.

Mixing it up: During the final, the Mass team was demonstrating its ability to play many different formations and in this fashion was able to establish its game plan and forced WNY to keep searching for answers.

Mass team showcasing a pro level soccer: From the 57th to the 60th minute, while the score was 1-0 in the favor of Mass, the WNY players even though they were trying to put Mass under heavy pressure could not gain possession of the ball. Three minutes had passed and WNY finally touched the ball by taking it out of its own net. Score 2-0. The Mass team continue to showcase highly-skilled passing ability and execution. Ten minutes later, in the 70th minute, once again in a similar fashion Mass scored its third goal. WNY scored in the closing minutes.

Final Score: Mass 3, W-NY 1

Region 1 director's comments: Fritz Marth, the USASA Region 1 Director said: "Mass team has played a very high-level game and is the worthy champion.

WNY's coach congratulates Mass coach: Coach Brad from WNY while congratulating coach Tsalagas stated that the Mass team plays just like any professional champion-caliber team would. "I've been in the game a very long time, I have never seen a team warm up the way your team did. You could not respond to their talent and fitness. They must be playing together for a long time, they were very unselfish." To the contrary, the team was just six days old.

Team preparation: Coach Tsalagas, assisted by Nick Pseudoikonomou, made sure the team was prepared fully by building its confidence and by inspired the players to win. A crafty game plan was premeditated the previous night to expose the WNY deceptive tactics. At the final, the players executed from A to Z.

Coach Tsalagas Statement: "Despite what a coach does or says, the players are the ones that need to execute. We felt that we had a great game plan, If the players could implement it, I was very confident it would work. We knew a lot about WNY. They are a very talented squad, a classy team that does not forgive mistakes. Our team was highly motivated and eager to execute. I trusted they will execute a lot better than they could imagine. I was concerned I may had over inspire them going to the final. It was also a very hot weekend, I was not sure if they would maintain their fitness level. They were determined and so hungry to win and that paid off. I am extremely proud of them, they are an incredible team. That's not only my believe, the fact that for the first time in the history of the Donnelly Cup four MVPs were chosen proves that it was a hard decision to be made"

The Four MVPs:
Admilson Miranda, 26
Wuilito Fernandes, 20
Joao Santos, 20
John Dumbuya, 23

Mass Players and coaches express gratitude of appreciation: The Mass Men's Elite Soccer Team and its coaches wish to thank all those who supported the team, believed to our abilities, and cheered us on. To the M.A.S.S. Executive Board, the League members and teams who supported the program: THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND ALL YOUR HARD WORK!

Special thanks: To Donnelly Cup Chairman, Jim Antonakas, for his tireless efforts and to the MASS Vice President, Tony Dubrowski, who knew we would win it all.

Another special thanks to: Region 1 Director, Fritz Marth, for his very nice comments and compliments to the team.

"It is your time to write your own page in the Champions history book. One day your children will know about it. You may be hurt, you may bleed, you may feel exhausted. If you tough it out like a true champion, I assure you at the final whistle you will be the champions and all your pains will miraculously disappear. Players win championship games, not coaches."

Coach Alex Tsalagas

Massachusetts Men's Select Soccer Team Wins 2005 USSF Region 1 Championship

After an everlasting spell, under the hot sun in Binghamton, NY the Mass Select Men's Team wins the USF Regional Championship against NY 3-0.

Head Coach Alex Tsalagas, with assistants Mike Petridis, Jim Antonakas, and Nick Botos, crafted a plan to train Boston-based elite amateur players to perform at the highest possible level which has finally transformed itself into reality.

While Massachusetts has always had success with players being selected for the USASA Men's National Team and the Olympic Team, it has never won a Regional Title in the last fifty years.

During the Memorial Day weekend, while the heat was toasting their feet, 18 Massachusetts players did not stop their journey to victory. "We are leaving Binghamton with the cup coach," said team captain Luigi Mirisola who was selected along with Steve Gould, Fortios "Pele" Katangaza and Chris Charnecky to represent the USASA National Team.

"We chose the 3-5-2 System in order to pack the midfield and force opponents to put the ball at the wings." said coach Tsalagas. The team was ready mentally. Saturday night, captains Luigi Mirisola and Steve Gould a meeting for two hours to talk tactics for the Sunday's game. Effort, consistency, and ball possession were the ingredients structuring a compact Massachusetts squad.

During the final match, NY quickly puts pressure on the ball by trapping the Massachusetts players. Massachusetts holds against the pressure. At the 20th minute, Fortios Pele Katangaza breaks through and blasts the shot from the outside left to the net giving MASS a 1-0 lead. At the 38th minute Mass earns the second goal. Second half starts and NY players are running like wild horses. The Massachusetts defense stays composed and dwarfs all NY's opportunities with everything they can muster (guts, grits, and ghastly pains). At the 80th, Matt Dehnam breaks to the right drops the shoulder and gets to the inside of the 18 yard line where he is taken down. Ali Caba converts. Massachusetts 3 NY 0. Massachusetts has accomplished its mission: USSF REGION I CHAMPIONS.

At the end of the match, Fortios "Pele" Katangaza is selected as the MVP of the tournament. USASA national Coach Kostin states "I still can't believe how you guys played your four games in two days with the same straight, intensity and passion; I can't imagine what inspired you?" Midfielder Chris Sharp, who has suffered severe muscle spasms, responds "The 270,000 families back in Massachusetts, sir!!!"