The 38th Cleveland Challenge Cup of Bocce
June 17th, 2022
By: Luciano DeSensi
Benvenuto! Summer 2022 is here and The 38th Cleveland Challenge Cup of Bocce sponsored by Serpentini Chevrolet is approaching quickly. Registration is officially open for teams to enter the “OPEN” and WOMEN’S divisions. The tournament will host 100+ bocce teams attracting players from areas of Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, Florida, Missouri, California, and Canada, all competing for over $20,000 in prize money and a chance at the CCCoB title. To enter a team in this year’s tournament, please register through the Tourney Machine App. Any questions, please contact Paul DiCicco (Tournament Director) pauld1969@live.com.
The opening ceremonies will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday August 26th, with the national anthem of the U.S.A, Italy, and Canada sung by Giovanni Castiglione of Solon. The bocce tournament will start directly afterward and will run continuously through Sunday night on the Wickliffe Italian-American Club nine covered bocce courts.
Entertainment will run throughout the weekend in the covered pavilion with the main stage sponsored by Khash Saghafi – Liberty Home Mortgage. Friday will have live music by Pieces of Eight featuring The Lakeside Brass. Saturday afternoon will feature cultural activities from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday night will have live music by Collage The Band. Sunday is “Family Day” and will once again feature a variety of entertainment including a LIVE radio broadcast by Carmelina and “Touch of Italy” and activities for children including Magician Rick Smith Jr, an appearance by “Jungle Terry”, and finally DJ Dave. Also, a wide variety of food vendors will provide homemade Italian food and specialty dishes as well as traditional American variety all weekend long.
The 2021 CCCoB ended with a new, first-time open division champion, while the women’s division champion added another title to their legacy. Coda Corp from Lockport/Rome, New York made a showcase of their amazing skills of sharp pointing and precision shooting to go undefeated throughout the tournament and become the first team from New York to win the CCCoB title since Team Rochester NY won in 2008. Paul Lewis Jr. Bill Rosenberg, Mike Saraf and John Villela of Coda Corp will now return to Wickliffe as defending champs looking to win back-2-back titles which would be the first time since ABV Contractors did it in 2015 & 2014. Listed below are last year’s Top 16 teams from the open division.
Coda Corp celebrates their 1st CCCOB title
- 1st: Coda Corp (Lockport/Rome, NY) – CCCOB37 CHAMPION
- 2nd: ABV Contractors (Willoughby/Little Italy, OH)
- 3rd: Seneca Falls Plus (Saratoga, NY)
- 4th: Tripepi Consulting (Wickliffe, OH)
- T-5th: Toccolana Club #24 (Rome, NY)
- T-5th: Waterside 99 (Phoenix, NY)
- T-7th: Resolve Construction (Chesterland, OH)
- T-7th: Rochester (Rochester, NY)
- T-9th: AJ Cement (Chardon, OH)
- T-9th: New Castle (New Castle, PA)
- T-9th: North Country Graphics (Rome, NY)
- T-9th: We Stu Gotz It (Mentor, OH)
- T-13th: Devil’s Trucking (Chesterland, OH)
- T-13th: Nuovi Amici (Lexington, KY)
- T-13th: Ponte #1 (Waterbury, CT)
- T-13th: TRON (Youngstown, OH)
The women’s division was a different story. Bottaglieri’s Lawn Care from Niles, OH won their third straight title, fourth title in the past five tournaments but this championship run was different though. Bottaglieri was on the verge of an early exit after losing their first match to a women’s team from New York but in the next match Bottaglieri was able to find their game and gain momentum which would lead them to dominate and win their next eight matches, capturing their third straight title. Debbie Bottiglieri, Jennifer Hardy, Lee Christman & Tiffany Zarilla will return to Wickliffe leading the women’s division with the most titles at four and will try to add a fifth title in 2022. Listed below are last year’s Top 4 teams from the women’s division.
Bottiglieri Lawn Care celebrates 4th CCCOB title
(Leads Women’s Division in all time titles)
- 1st: Bottaglieri’s Lawn Care (Niles, OH) – CCCOB37 CHAMPION
- 2nd: Bocced (Mayfield, OH)
- 3rd: Resting Bocce Face (Lexington, KY)
- 4th: 7 Hamlets Brewing Company (Westmoreland, NY)
Good luck to all 2022 participants and welcome to all visitors…
THE WICKLIFFE ITALIAN-AMERICAN CLUB is a community-based social/fraternal organization established in 1932 for people of Italian ancestry who live in the city of Wickliffe, Ohio ( a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio). The club actively promotes and recognizes those of Italian descent who have furthered the Italian cultural bond that they they share, and offers educational programs for the children and grandchildren of it’s members, as well as awarding college scholarships each year to those who have demonstrated knowledge and pride in their Italian heritage. The Cleveland Challenge Cup of Bocce Tournament is now in its 37th year and has grown from 16 teams to 96 teams, with attendance hitting over 12.000 once again in 2019. It is still the largest men’s bocce tournament in the Midwest.
Leagues and Tournaments
The Wickliffe Italian American Club hosts a number of on-site leagues, as well as the annual Cleveland Challenge Cup of Bocce, the largest bocce tournament in the Midwest. This is your home for everything bocce, including information on upcoming tournaments in the area.
Click the links below for more information: