“Jawmeighan” takes cycling race

Good evening, I’m James Adderley and it’s that time to take another ride on Sports Monday. The final weekend of the Regent Cup Playoffs was suppose to be a showcase for the two teams advancing to the championship series, so let’s check in with Kulture Yabra to see if the Belize City team would keep up its end of the bargain at the M.C.C. Grounds yesterday against Juventus of Orange Walk.

In the role of visitors, Juventus goes for the quick lead off this Eden Rawley spotkick, but his brother Elroy Rawley, who starts in place of Shane Moody in the Yabra goal, says not this time bro–dig it!

A few minutes later Juventus comes right back with this individual effort from Elroy Kuylen, but he fails to hit the target.

It’s certainly not all Juventus at this juncture, but only the O.W. team seem to be shooting at goal, and indeed Kareem Flowers could have done much better with this left foot. In fact, here’s Yabra’s first real attempt at scoring when Esteban Perez floats to John Trapp whose header inches over an empty goal.

At the other end Orlando Ramirez beats his man and gets an open look, but Elroy shows he ain’t no walkover either. But here comes a bright spot on a dull Yabra offensive team and Deon Flowers might have earned himself a penalty only referee Jones disagrees.

Downfield, Deon Flowers takes another crack at the scoreboard, but Darren Hinds intervenes. Meanwhile, watch Eden Rawley get another shot at Elroy, this time right on top the eighteen, but its crashes against the near post and at intermission we have a scoreless ballgame.

Folks, we’re only a minute and a half in when the entire Yabra defence collapses allowing Kareem Haylock to brutalise the net with a wicked left foot as Juventus take the 1-zip lead.

We can tell Kevin Rowland with conviction that he really weren’t aware of too much on this individual press, okay.

Yabra’s response comes ten minutes later when Dean Flowers fires from the right side. Darren Hinds can’t handle so Thomas Castro punches the rebound home to force the 1-1 tie.

Now folks, all we can say right here is Elroy Rawley, this one is on you. You had the ball in your hands, but here you give it up to Kareem Haylock who gets his second goal of the day to make it a 2-1 Juventus lead.

So David McCauley gets busy and sets table perfectly for Thomas Castro whose launch just misses the target.

Now folks, how did Juventus not score on this press–both Kevin Rowland and Mr. M.V.P. Elroy Kuylen need a tongue lashing from the coach. In fact, add Kevin Rowland’s name to the coach’s hit list after this miss in front of an open goal with no defence around.

Now its Deon Flowers in search of the Yabra equaliser when Kuylen takes him down–and the referee rules penalty. With Norman “Tilliman” Nunez, Deon Frazier, and Vallan Symms not suited up today for action, Yabra sends for David “Manu” McCauley for the conversion.

Unfortunately for the striker he is rejected by the crossbar as Juventus go on to burn Yabra 2-1. Still, all Yabra loses is some momentum since they’re still head to the finals against Builder’s Hardware Bandits.

Belmopan kept its undefeated status in the post season by crushing Sagitun Saturday night 4-1 to make even the unbelievers believers.

Thus the three game championship series gets off this Saturday at Belmopan. Game two is set for the fourteenth of December at the M.C.C. Grounds, game three if necessary comes up on a date and at a venue to be announced later.

In basketball news, we say nuff respect to the Wesley College female basketball team who completed the sweep on St. Catherine’s Academy in a 23-11 final score Friday night to take the 2003 central division female basketball title to make it two in a row.

The male championship series between Wesley College and St. John’s College comes up this week with games slated for Monday, Wednesday and Friday if necessary. Of course you know there has been an ancient rivalry between these two ancient institutions.

Turning to the cycling scene, we join newly elected president Gerald Garbutt at the start of yesterday’s Alpheus Williams Cycle Classic set to run from Belmopan to the Marion Jones Sporting Complex and with a wave from Mr. Lizama the pelathon is off.

It’s a fifty-mile race on a paved highway so the pelathon stays more or less intact in the early goings. Around mile thirty-one this five-man crew tries to engineer a breakaway, but by the time the race rolls past La Democracia at mile twenty-one, Fred Usher steps up to take that station prize.

At mile fourteen Mr. Elbert Pope steps out of the woodwork to take command of the station prize, taking it away from Mateo Cruz. They say try and try again, so at mile eight Mateo Cruz mounts another charge and this time he steps out to be the big man.

At mile four we find Ariel Rosado looking to run alone, but for now he’ll have to settle for that station price only. It’s a three-man race at mile one, but Juan Gonzales gets up off his bike to take that roadie.

However, when race enters the Marion Jones Sporting Complex we’ve still got the main pelathon intact. Now here’s the big finish–this five has zoomed to the lead. Ernest Meighan has the lead, he looks at Fresh Fred Usher and seems to ask, “hey, whose your daddy?” Jawmeighan struts his stuff big time to take the W in the elite category. Fresh Fred has to settle for second, and Barney Brown pulls up third.

At the masters class Ray Cattouse took top honours, James Welch took second, and Robert Mariano third. Wilbert Banks won the junior category beating out George Lovell Junior and Branden Cattouse in that order.

While on the female side Violet Morrison was boss, forcing Fiona Humes Gonzales into second and Marinette into third.

That’s our show for today, we invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all! I’m James Adderley.