Beach Bums crowned Hayward champions

The weather finally cooperated last Thursday night at the Island’s community center. Top seed Beach Bums took the field against the second-best Sato Real Estate team to see who would be crowned the Hayward Cup champions.

At the end of the night, the Sato family would celebrate the winning of the final game of the season with Josh Sato playing for Sato Real Estate, the family company headed by the matriarch, Barbara Sato, and oldest brother, Jason Sato.

On the opposite side of the field, Jason Sato played for his wife’s company, Beach Bums.

Josh Sato is no stranger to the Hayward Cup game, leading his team to win the championship in the spring season of 2017, becoming just the third team to win the cup.

The love of the game and the friendly but fierce competition found at The Center is what the Satos love about adult soccer on the Island, and especially at The Center. Paul “Ace” Hayward shared that sentiment.

The Hayward Cup became the official prize for the co-ed adult soccer recreational league at The Center after years of action on the pitch. The championship was officially named to honor a long-time league player and Island friend to many of the players still hitting the soccer field every Thursday night.

Starting in spring 2016, after Hayward lost his battle to cancer, The Center has celebrated his life and contribution to the game at least twice a year with the playing of the cup game.

In this season’s cup, the Sato brothers played alongside old friends and new faces to the league. Veterans like Lyn Clarke, now 80 years old, scuffled on the field against Kevin Roman, a young veteran player.

Despite being one of the best goalies this season, longtime league player Steve Oelfke could not make the win happen for his Sato Real Estate squad. Both Oelfke and Jason Sato, keeper for Beach Bums, had seven recorded saves in the game.

Scoring talent on each team put points on the statistics for Sarah Liggins, Josh Sato and Hakan Toka, with single goals for Sato Real Estate. Teammate Connor Bystrom, the hotfoot for his team this season, had two points to his name in the game.

Scoring for the win, Beach Bums had two players each with a single goal in the game: Kevin Roman and Andrew Sullivan. Connor Haughey, Associate Director at The Center, scored two points and was noted to have two assists. Yuri Pereira put two points on the scoreboard for the Beach Bums squad.

Amy Ivin, always a top pick in the draft, crushed two goals, helping her team win the Hayward Cup.

With the win, the Beach Bums team became the ninth recipient of the Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup. There has never been a repeat winner since the inception of the Cup. Which sponsor will be the first to capture the cup twice?