SDA Youth Soccer Teams Post Three Wins

08:17AM / Tuesday, April 26, 2016Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Some quality Soccer Domain Academy performances were on display throughout Massachusetts with three teams posting wins in Week 3 of the spring travel soccer season last weeknd.

U12 Boys

Five SDA teams travelled away from home to play while one hosted GPS at Berkshire Community College on another amazing spring day in Massachusetts.

The initial game of the day featured the U12 Boys in Easthampton against Western United.

After an even start of the game, Western United took the lead through a good finish from the center midfielder. The ball fell to him on the edge of the box and a looping volley beat the goalkeeper. For the remainder of the half SDA dominated possession and played the majority of the game in their oppositions half, they were very unlucky to go into half-time down, 1-0.

Unfortunately for SDA, Western United added a second early on in the second half, the away team continued to play well after this setback, moving the ball around the field well. Western United started to win more battles as the second half progressed and some of the SDA players started to tire with slight lapses of concentration as a result of this. Western United added a third goal with 10 minutes to go.

U11 Boys

The second game of the day came from Berkshire Community College, where the U11 Boys hosted GPS Massachusetts West. With the teams’ start of the season coming very late, the U11 boys were hoping to get off to the best possible start. The start of the game was very physical with hard but fair tackles from both teams. GPS pressed high but SDA maintained to play positive and proactive possession based soccer, this was very attractive to watch and impressed the spectators. GPS continued to attempt explosive counter attacking soccer but SDA defended resolutely throughout, dealing with GPS’ threats well. SDA went into the break with a comfortable lead.

In the second half SDA dominated the game with the majority of possession in their opponent’s half. GPS struggled to get hold of the ball against a very confident and upbeat home team. The positions of players were rotated throughout the game, however team shape remained consistent. Altogether a very impressive and disciplined performance saw the boys strive to a convincing 6-2 victory to start their season in strong fashion.

U12 Girls

The third game of the day saw the U12 Girls in action for the second time of the season, away from home against FC Boston Scorpions North. A positive, energetic start to the game from both teams made it an impressive spectacle. SDA was very organized and looked hard to break down, however after 12 minutes Boston found a way through the SDA defense and went 1-0 up. After persistent pressure from SDA, the referee awarded a penalty in the 17th minute, the away side hit the post, the ball rolled across the goal line but stayed out. The teams went into half-time with the score 1-0.

The second half saw SDA continue to apply pressure on their opponent, resulting in numerous chances, one hitting the post from a brilliant strike on the edge of the penalty box. In the 49th minute the SDA pressure paid off, a counter attack in the 49th minute with a great run up the left wing and a low cross into the box created an opportunity, the keeper saved the initial shot on the line but it was followed up to make it a 1-1 final.

U13 Girls

The afternoon games kicked off with the U13 Girls in their third game of the season. SDA started very strongly and pushed very early on to obtain a lead. It created some very good chances in the first 10 minutes and could have scored a number of goals early on. SDA put its opponents under consistent pressure and it payed off, with them taking a 1-0 lead midway through the first half. After some good patches from both teams GPS got themselves a goal before half time. The teams went into the break with the score at 1-1.

The second half began with SDA looking to play attractive soccer around GPS however the home team were creating chances and testing the SDA keeper. This pressure paid off with GPS taking a second half lead. At 2-1 down the SDA bench decided they had nothing to lose and changed formation to 3-4-3 in order to put the emphasis on attacking play and creating chances. SDA created chances, meeting part of the objective, however it was caught by one of the GPS attacks and conceded a third to kill the game. GPS went on to seal their home win 3-1.

U15 Girls

The second afternoon game involved the SDA U15 girls who took on FC Boston Bolts away from home. The away side started quickly and positively this weekend finding themselves very much on the front foot, they possessed the ball and looked to play forward at every opportunity. Throughout the first half the midfield linked well with the forwards and as a result SDA started to create chances.

With the game barely 10 minutes old, the visitors broke the Bolts defense, nice link up play with the two strikers created a chance and it was a lovely finish to put the girls 1-0 up. After the goal the girls continued to battle all over the field and create chances to further their lead, a continuing solid performance defensively kept the opponent threats limited, this in turn allowed our forward players the time to increase the pressure on the opposition. With the game still relatively balanced SDA took a huge step towards another fantastic result with a great free kick that found the top corner of the Bolts goal and a 2-0 cushion lead.

SDA continued to attack with intensity in the second half, consistently creating chances, the away team dominated the game from start to finish, valuing possession and creating chances through positive attacking play. A 2-0 win was deserved and another fantastic result continues a good start to the season.

U14 Boys

Week 3 of the NEP saw the U14 Boys travel to the Boston Bolts for an evening game. The game started with both teams playing some great attractive soccer, the ball movement was of a good standard and SDA knew they had another test against good opponents. SDA took control of the game early on and got a goal in reward with expert link up play and a composed finish. The visitors continued to create chances and could have found themselves 3-0 up early on, however a quick attack from the Bolts broke down the away defense making it 1-1 at the half.

Going into the second half both teams knew they had a tough task on their hands to overcome their opponents. SDA defended strongly and attacked with confidence and precision. The away team didn’t look like conceding again and with a commanding and vocal goalkeeper the SDA defense had to deal with reduced pressure. After many more attacks without the end product, the breakthrough came late in the half some great play from the left was well followed in by the forward, SDA took a well-deserved lead. The away side didn’t sit on their one goal lead and continued to be positive looking to stretch their advantage, The boys eventually got their reward with a well worked third goal and a much deserved win.

SDA looks forward to another week of progression and development throughout all age group and hope for another action packed Sunday on May 1.

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Pittsfield 2024 Business Wrap-Up: New Life and Closures

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
08:50AM / Sunday, January 05, 2025

Mayor Peter Marchetti gets ice cream cones from the reopened King Cone on Fenn Street.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In 2024, the city's business landscape saw some shakeups, with restaurant openings and closures and some new ventures.

King Kone, a soft-serve staple, was purchased by the nonprofit Roots & Dreams and Mustard Seeds to be run as a workers' co-op. At the end of the 2023 season, the Barbarotta family closed the shop's order and pickup windows for the last time as they prepared to sell.

The ice cream shop had a soft opening in August, offering frozen treats on a "pay what you will" basis while employees perfected the craft.

In 2023, Roots and Dreams was allocated $179,000 to purchase the soft-serve ice cream shop at 133 Fenn St. and convert it into a worker cooperative. It owns a series of storefronts ranging from 117 to 129 Fenn St.

This model provides workers with a flat wage, revenue shares, and the opportunity to buy into the business.

The same month, Chili's Bar and Grill closed abruptly in Berkshire Crossing after six years in business.

There were moving trucks outside the location instead of preparations for the lunch rush. It was first reported by PCTV on its Facebook page and a call to the restaurant was answered by an employee who said the eatery had no plans to reopen.

In September, Director of Northeast Operations Allen Anderson told the licensing board that a new business is being sought to carry out its lease that extends to 2029.

The former Crossroads Cafe saw new life in 2024 as Bei Tempi, which is Italian for "good times." Owners Elizabeth and Richard Zucco wanted to bring back food while preserving the establishment's long-held popularity for live music.

In 2023, the Licensing Board approved a change of stock interest for Crossroads Cafe and an application from Zuke's Soups and Variety LLC, doing business as Bei Tempi, for the transfer of license, pledge of inventory, and pledge of license from C.T. Colvin Inc. doing business as Crossroads Cafe.

Bei Tempi was granted an entertainment license in June.

North Street saw a new breakfast and lunch spot when Marie's North Street Eatery and Gallery opened in the former Maria's European Delights.

Maria's European Delights closed at the end of 2022 after 15 years in business. Maria Sekowski's late husband Krzysztof "Kris" opened the store in Great Barrington in 2007, and, in 2013, it was moved to Pittsfield. The Eastern European deli was known for the smell of homemade soup, stuffed cabbage, kielbasa, and impromptu musical numbers.

New owner Neil Davis, a veteran entrepreneur, has kept an office in the historic Shipton building for about 10 years and Marie was a formal administrative assistant before they went into business together. He also owns a shredding business in California and has other startup ventures.

When Maria's closed, he saw an opportunity in the space and a way to connect with the community and purchased the business in February of 2023.

The restaurant space within Hotel on North also saw new life when the owners of RJ's Restaurant on First Street opened Rare 297 Steakhouse in the spot.

The space had been formerly occupied by Berkshire Palate, a farm-to-table eatery, which opened its second location in the Hotel on North in 2021. Around the same time, its owners opened 413 Bistro in the previously shuttered restaurant attached to the Holiday Inn on Main Street in North Adams.

Unfortunately, not all city eateries made it to 2025.

In December, President of the General Electric Athletic Golf Course Board of Directors Steve Cobb reported that the Tavern at The A is again looking for a new operator with a hopeful opening in the spring.

Attorney Bill Martin said there is a "really bad relationship" with the holder of The A's liquor license — with owners struggling to even get in contact. A few years ago, the former tenants went out of business and now, he said the GEAA is facing a worse situation with the latest tenants.

He said there are unpaid vendors, amounting to "tens of thousands of dollars worth of obligations that we're probably going to have to clear in connection with an application" for a liquor license transfer.

According to The A's Facebook, the restaurant appears to have been closed since late summer.

Pittsfield also saw a new plant shop and liquor store/Latin market.

Early in 2024, the Plant Connector of North Adams announced it would open a second location next to Thistle and Mirth following a pop-up on North Street over the holiday season.

Owners Emilee Yawn and Bonnie Marks opened the original location on historic Eagle Street in North Adams in 2020. Within two years, the shop outgrew the Eagle Street storefront and moved to a larger location on Main Street.

They offer classes and workshops, residential and commercial plant care, and sell various plants and related merchandise. They also offer personal and cleaning products that are green, sustainable, and refillable.

In June, Franky's Liquor Store Latin Market & More, located at 1220 North St., opened in the former K & K Discount Liquors & Variety. The building had been vacant for four years.

It features authentic Latin food from several countries, including Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.?

The owner Frank Goncalves would drive by the building every day and see the rough condition it was in. He made it into an opportunity to make the area look better and more welcoming.

Prior to the opening of the market, the Hispanic, South American, and Central American communities had to drive an hour or longer to get authentic Latin food, Goncalves said.

Independent Connections officially unveiled its Massachusetts branch on Fenn Street in March with a ribbon cutting. The IT solutions company's specializations include consulting, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.

"We're focused on serving local businesses with state-of-the-art technology while providing superior customer service," CEO Christa Proper said. "And Indy's presence in Pittsfield will help keep jobs here, and continue to attract talent to this area."

The building, formerly occupied by Alliance Appliance for more than 40 years, underwent a makeover after it was purchased by the company last year. Proper explained that it was an "employee collaboration," with staff members assisting in ripping out carpet, cutting bushes, cleaning windows, and painting.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren meets with local entrepreneurs Destiny Saunders, Jocelyn Guelce, Desean Scales and Ludwig Jean-Louis, who all received support through the Berkshire Black Economic Council.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren was in the city in July to talk small business opportunities and met with four local entrepreneurs who have received assistance, advice and promotion through the council's programs.

The Berkshire Black Economic Council's work to support and attract new small businesses to the gateway city got boost with $455,000 secured by Warren in 2023's appropriations package.

"I'm here to celebrate partnership because I really do believe that we have the pieces right, every part of it then starts to work better," Warren said. "And of course, I'm also here to celebrate being able to put nearly half a million dollars into funding this effort, and the work that is being done here to make sure that small businesses, that Black-owned small businesses, are not at a competitive disadvantage."

Nissan of Pittsfield saw a change of ownership at the end of 2024 as "Bella Nissan of Pittsfield" after a problematic past. New owners Javier Columbie and Benjamin Farber want to turn the dealership around after it was investigated for failing to pay off the loans on trade-ins, among other complaints.

Jonathan Butler was recognized for a decade of leadership at 1Berkshire's annual meeting, held at Barrington Stage.

When Butler joined the organization in 2014, he was executive director of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce. He then navigated the 2016 merging of the chamber, Berkshire Economic Development Corp., Berkshire Business Bureau, and Berkshire Creative into the 1Berkshire that is known today.

While serving the entire county, 1Berkshire has had its strongest impact in Pittsfield, where it is headquartered. The organization has sold its property at 66 Allen St. after 12 years and will move to the second floor of Crawford Square on North Street.

A few businesses with locations in Pittsfield announced closures in 2024.

In September, Annie Selke on Peck's Road announced that it would close its doors and lay off 47 people before the end of the year.

Designer and entrepreneur Annie Selke started with a bedding and sleep items business in 1994 as Pine Cone Hill. The largely wholesale home decor operation added Potluck Studios dinnerware in 2002 and Dash & Albert Rugs in 2003.

She invested nearly $4 million into the former Interprint mill on Peck's Road that dates to the 1860s and moved in 2007. The company was purchased by Rugs USA in 2023.

In the fall, signs appeared on Staples' front window in Berkshire Crossing indicating that it would close on Dec. 13. Then Big Lots announced in December that it would liquidate its assets after a purchase agreement with a competitor fell through.

"We all have worked extremely hard and have taken every step to complete a going concern sale," Bruce Thorn, Big Lots' president and CEO, said in the announcement.

"While we remain hopeful that we can close an alternative going concern transaction, in order to protect the value of the Big Lots estate, we have made the difficult decision to begin the GOB process."

The closeout retailer moved into the former Price Rite Marketplace on Dalton Avenue in 2021. The grocery had been in what was originally the Big N for 14 years before closing eight months after a million-dollar remodel. Big Lots had previously been in the Allendale Shopping Center.

Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September. It operated nearly 1,400 stores nationwide but began closing more than 300 by August with plans for another 250 by January. The Pittsfield location had not been among the early closures.

Advanced Auto Parts, with three locations in the Berkshires, is also closing 500 stores and 200 independently owned locations by about June. The North Adams store has had a "going out of business" for weeks and one of the Pittsfield stores is also slated for closure.