The American WunderKid Does It Again on Hollywood Beach (FL)

As the saying goes ‘winning is contagious’ – apparently this rubbed off on Joao Tavares as he and Jonathan Silva win Week 5 on Hollywood Beach {FL}.
The rules for Week 5, on the 2022 Pro Footvolley Tour, presented by Genius Sports, were that A-Levels had to compete with a ‘B-level’ athlete.  This broadened the pool of potential suitors for the Championship.  Tavares and Silva proved to be too much for the competition.

When A-levels play with B’s (as they are called on the Tour) – they are met with severe resistance often by two B’s that have something to prove.  This was the case on Week 5.  Both Bernardo Avila and Julio Vera aren’t athletes that will vie for a regular season title that often; however, under the mix format where a B can handicap an elite side this team looked like it would go deep into the tournament.  Playing very well on Saturday, Avila/Vera looked to continue that way Sunday.  They lost their first match and were eliminated early.  Another all-B team in Gabriel Sodre, with Thomas Franze (collegiate soccer player at William Carey University) proved that early defeats only gave them additional touches on the ball.  The two reached the final on Sunday after looking anything but contenders on Saturday.  What a difference a day makes!

Another all-B squad that showed promise was former Team USA Captain Sergio Menezes with veteran Rogerio Texeira.  With a loss to eventual Champs Silva/Tavares, this older squad looked like they’d make a deep run as well.  Both played with consistency and promise.  Once again, Franze/Sodre would ruin another team’s hope for glory.

Franze/Sodre – total dark-horses – reached the final before losing to Silva/Tavares.  In fact, after a scare in the Semi-Finals versus Lobato/Montemor, Silva and Tavares made it look easy in the Championship Match as the duo played to the crowd with jaw-dropping shark attacks and fancy shots.

‘We did what was expected.  We won.  That’s it; but we did it our way and with style.’
– Jonathan Silva on Week 5 Championship Win

‘If Thomas and Gabriel win, I would have quit footvolley forever.  I mean come on now … how many teams can they upset in the tournament?’
– Bernardo Avila on Sunday

‘From being on Campus [in Mississippi] to reaching a Pro Footvolley Tour Championship Match – man that is surreal!’  Gabriel is a beast as a partner!’
– Thomas Franze after the Championship Match