Championship football is a draw; triathlon a hit

Good evening, I?m James Adderley, this is Sports Monday. The RFG Cup Tournament finals kicked off Saturday night inside the Michael Ashcroft Stadium as BOCA F.C. of Mango Creek played host to New Site Erei of Dangriga to kick off this home and away series for the Belize Premier Football League title.

The last time these two teams met was in regular season play on November twelfth at this very stadium when the Dangriga team handled their Mango Creek counterpart in a 1-zip blast. But as we say in the business, this time is money time.

This might have led to a lengthy feeling out process, because it took some fifteen minutes before Norman Nunez smacks this rebound with a right away left that in the end only creates excitement.

At the other end, Marlon Barnica gets this look at goal from outside the eighteenth, but he can?t get the pill to curve. BOCA gets another shot at opening the scoreboard off this spotkick, but Wilmer Garcia negates the opportunity by fouling goalkeeper Woodrow West.

In the meantime, this defensive error by New Site Erei gives Garcia a chance with the header, but the ball misses the target.

As BOCA surges, Julio Valle does everything right to get himself a shot. Unfortunately, the end product is a lousy one.

Meanwhile, New Site regains some momentum on this set piece when Norman Nunez sets Ryan Simpson; the ball somehow finds Harrison Roches, who does not take command of the situation. At the half we have a scoreless ballgame.

Early in second half, this spotkick from Henri Jimenez almost beats Woodrow West, but the New Site Erei keeper recovers.

Now folks, Julio Valle gets this look at goal from point-blank range but can?t convert in two tries. So Valle tries to make amends with this individual effort, but it?s not to be.

Nevertheless, Valley remains unfazed and on this set from Isaias Reyes, he unleashes this floater to the far corner, only to be denied by the leaping Woodrow West.

BOCA keeps the pressure on with this spotkick from Victor Morales, but even in the downpour, Woodrow West holds his ground.

Wilmer Garcia then fires this low cruise missile off a set piece, and again West is best.

People, the best save of the match comes when Victor Morales aims for the far corner of West?s goal with this nice instep as West continues to display his talent.

Immediately, New Site Erei comes back when Frazer sets up Lennox Castillo, whose right foot offering sails outside the sticks.

It?s getting late and BOCA needs the home win, so Walter Jimenez fires this left foot that races across the goal mouth and then the stadium experiences a blackout. Some people say, set up. When action resumed neither team does enough to deserve the big W, so they settle for a scoreless draw.

Ryan Simpson, New Site Erei
?It was an evenly fought game to me. I thought BOCA played good, I thought my team played good. We missed some opportunities; BOCA missed some opportunities, so we call it fifty-fifty.?

Question
?Would you consider this a win for you going into Carl Ramos next week.?

Ryan Simpson, New Site Erei
?Yes, I would definitely consider it a win for us, because this is their home turf. Their fans were with them, we brought our fans too, but in Griga the fans are unbelievable and they give us strength.?

Question
?What can we expect from Ryan Simpson and New Site Erei football club going into Carl Ramos against BOCA next Sunday??

Ryan Simpson, New Site Erei
?You have to expect just like you saw tonight, a hard fought game and we will definitely tune up our team so that we can get the edge over BOCA and win this championship.?

Question
?Ryan, what was wrong with this team tonight, why you couldn?t get a goal??

Ryan Simpson, New Site Erei
?Well, I didn?t see nothing really wrong with the team. BOCA played spectacular to me, it was a beautiful game by BOCA; they came, they defended, we got some opportunities. So I wouldn?t say it was something wrong with the team, I just think that BOCA defended well.?

Game two of this home and away series for the 2006 B.P.F.L. title now moves to Dangriga this Sunday January twenty-ninth. Two men enter, one man leaves and he leaves with the 2005-2006 B.P.F.L. semi-pro football title.

Now let?s head to Sandlighter?s Promenade here in Belize City where the first annual B.T.B. Relay Triathlon is being staged yesterday.

We must give credit to the Speaker of the House Madam Elizabeth Zabaneh who has vacated her seat of power today to bike fifteen miles for the Zabaneh Girls team.

There are fifteen teams competing today as we go to the start, which features a point four mile swim… And they?re off.

At the end, Jim Scott of Southern Assault holds off Amy Johnson of Kyck Ass to win in fourteen minutes one second. Scott tags his rider for the fifteen mile ride on bike, Giovanni Choto?you know him?while Amy Johnson tags Audrey Spenser.

Melany McField of Formula One then edges Kenneth Butler for third place in the swim; she tags Hubert Johnson and Butler hooks up with Marinette Flowers.

Giovanni Choto is the first to complete the bike ride, so he sends Elizabeth along on the three mile run. Hubert Johnson appears next and he gets his partner, Ian Gray, on the move. And then Roger Tojer and Warren Coye roll in to allow Jamie User to take off.

Folks, by the time the three-mile run is completed, Ian Gray has stepped up and wins in unchallenged fashion and it?s enough to give Formula One the big W in an overall time of one hour fifteen minutes, two seconds.

Elizabeth Zabaneh [not Speaker of the House] was able to hold on for second place as Southern Assault takes second place. Luke Martinez did a big time job to keep off the runnist Louis Haulze, who you see here coming in. He had to settle for fourth, but he had started ninth in the running part of this particular event. Nevertheless, it?s Sagitun with third place.

Two females we want to congratulate are Jamie Usher running here for Just 4 Fun and Kathleen Tillett of Heart and Soul. Hey ladies, you?re both inspirational to the Belizean woman of today.

We also want to big up Louis Haulze, who keeps improving every time out.

Melany McField, Team Formula 1, Triathlon Winner
?Well I just got a little lost, because the buoys, there was a change in the course that I didn?t really realise, so I went off a little bit and just got tired. Next time I?m gonna train and I?ll be a bit faster.?

Hubert Johnson, Team Formula 1, Triathlon Winner
?Actually what happen is that there was a strong wind blowing against us, so I didn?t want to chance going too hard out early, so I just pace myself comfortably so I?d have enough strength and power coming back.?

James Adderley
?And by finishing second, you gave your team the opportunity.?

Hubert Johnson
?Yes, because I already knew that Scott, their team would have to have a female and I was confident that Ian would do his part.?

James Adderley
?Did you feel challenged today by the fast start of your opponent, Elizabeth Zabaneh, in the final three-mile run??

Ian Gray, Team Formula 1, Triathlon Winner
?No. I didn?t underestimate it because I?ve never seen her run before, but you never underestimate anyone in sports, so I just pace myself and ran basically some five minutes miles for the first two miles.?

James Adderley
?Where did you overtake??

Ian Gray, Team Formula 1, Triathlon Winner
?Baron Bliss grave.?

Jim Scott, Southern Assault, Second Place
?I think in these shorter events like this, the best way to make up time is in the water and on the road; so running and swimming. The fifteen-mile ride, the average rider difference between some of the better riders I think isn?t going to be great, but of course we went for the best and Giovanni became part of our team and he was actually able to make up time on the next team. But I think having a strong swim and a strong runner is strategic for these kinds of events.?

Turning to the cycling scene, we want to inform you that the FM 200 Mountain Bike Race is scheduled for February nineteenth. You want to keep that in mind. We also remind you that the big M and M Tour of Belize gets off on February fourth and extends to the twelfth. You won?t want to miss it.

However, that?s it for now. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I?m James Adderley.