MORANGIS - The team CetSI Morangis has taken the French team title in three cushion for the second time in a row. In the finale of championship, played for its home crowd, the Parisians, with Eddy Merckx and Eddy Leppens as leading players, defeated the team of Albert. CetSi Morangis remained unbeaten in all its matches: in the semifinals Laxou was defeated 8-0.
Thanks to the victory of Jean Reverchon over Cédric Melnytschenko before the break 50-42 in 53 innings and Richard Bitalis against Kurt Ceulemans 50-46 in 40, CetSi already led 4-0 at the break. Peter Ceulemans and Dion Nelin had the almost impossible task to level the match, like they did in the semifinal against Andernos.
Eddy Leppens, best player of the season in the French league, however, played a superb match against Dion Nelin and won 50-27 in 23/22 innings. The match between Eddy Merckx and Peter Ceulemans therefor could be stopped on a score 47-25 in 26 in favor of Merckx.
Eddy Merckx finished his season in France with the best match (50 points in 10, 5.000 average), the best run, 22 and a winning percentage of 75 percent over eight matches with an overall average of 1.984.
Eddy Leppens took as the number two of his team a hundred percent score with eight wins in eight matches. The Belgian recorded 2.380 in his last two matches and 2.030 general. Richard Bitalis ended with 1.373, Jean Reverchon with 1.170 overall.
The Albert team celebrated its biggest success in history. They beat Andernos in the semifinals with 1.560 average against Andernos 1.440. Peter Ceulemans took 50 percent over the whole season and averaged 1.429, Dion Nelin recorded 66 percent and 1.716, Kurt Ceulemans 37% and 1.332 and Cédric Melnytschenko 62% and 1.145. Albert lost only one match in eight in the entire season: the final against Morangis.
Regarding the statistics, Roland Forthomme, Andernos, took 68% and 1.820. Filippos Kasidokostas 33% in three matches and 1.426, Jérôme Barbeillon was the best team player with a 87% score (1.432) and Francis Connesson took 75% and 1.115.
Laxou, without its top players Blomdahl and Horn, finished fourth in the championship. Blomdahl took 1.621 over the season, Martin Horn a 83 percent score and 1.654. Pierre Soumagne won half of his matches and made 1.175, Matthieu Franck 25% and 0.875.
CetSI Morangis took his second consecutive title by a superb 1.543 team average.
The second time French champion CetSi Morangis with Jean Reverchon, Richard Bitalis, Eddy Leppens and Eddy Merckx
The French podium with CetSi Morangis, Albert, Andernos and Laxou