Sault Ste Marie Tazzi FC holds undisputed bragging rights over the Coppa Caruso these days.

The local soccer faithful in Sudbury now simply have to wait for the Lock City crew to get just a little bit older – because that turf belongs to S.C. Italia.

Tazzi made it three consecutive soccer tournament titles in the nickel city on Sunday, stopping the GSSC (Greater Sudbury Soccer Club) U18 Impact 3-1 in the Men’s Open final at the James Jerome Sports Complex.

Mishal Olanrewaju netted the only goal for the Sudbury youth entry that fared extremely well, beating both Croatia Adria and the Sudbury North Stars in round robin play.

Local honours, however, were carried forward by the Over 35 SC Italia gents, the more grizzled vets who followed up their penalty kick victory at the Coppa Giovanni last month in Sault Ste Marie with another gold medal winning PK triumph back home, edging Sault Sparta 1-0 (5-4).

“This is a group that kind of sticks together and when the opportunity presents itself for the guys to come back, we’re more than happy to get the band back together,” said Italia mainstay Cody Cacciotti, one of eight members of the team who was able to attend both tournament victories this summer (along with keeper Scott Cliff, Dave Denoble, Joel Cropp, Devin Desjardins, Andrew Ferreira, Ben Orchard and Stefano Priola).

“The core of this team has played together so much that we are familiar with each other’s tendencies and how certain guys play the game.” That would be key on a team that featured only two players still in their thirties.

That familiarity also proved helpful during the winner take all penalty kicks, with little in the way of egos to be assuaged with a tournament banner on the line. “We have a core group that typically we rely on to take them (the penalty kicks) – unless they don’t feel comfortable,” said Cacciotti.

“That’s kind of a decision we leave up to the guys. We know who the “go to” guys are so if they want it, they get first right of refusal.”

That kind of team dynamic is not always common, even as the gents move from their ultra competitive playing days to something that is perhaps a little more life balanced. “This team is a lot of fun to play with because of the camaraderie and the respect between the group,” said Cacciotti.

“It’s definitely a collective effort.”

The remainder of the SC Over 35 Italia lineup includes Adam Waram, Manny Leonard, Benji Brown, Dave Szczepaniak, Paolo Berardelli, Andrew Porringa, Neil Petrin (Division MVP), Steven Beites, Brandon Draper (Top Scorer) and Scott Nesbitt.

In other divisional play, Owen Sound United blanked the Orillia Lightning 2-0 to take the title in the U16 bracket, the Barrie Spirit upended rival Innisfil Stampeders in the U14 affair and the SC Italia Over 45 squad picked up a 5-3 two game aggregate win over the Sudbury Nickel City Lasers in the battle of the soccer elder statesmen on the weekend.