Sporting highlights from Big Creek to Belize City
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and we’re rolling into another fresh version of Sports Monday. Football fever raged at full pitch inside the Michael Ashcroft Stadium Saturday night where Sagitun played host to the Builder’s Hardware Bandits of Belmopan to kick off the three-game B.P.F.L. football championship series.
For whatever reason, Belmopan gave up its home field advantage. It’s the Sagitun fans basking in the exciting extravaganza of game one. The launching of these balloons signal the joy of the southern fans. And now it’s time for the main event as Belmopan in the role of visitors initiate the kick off.
The host team gets off to a fast start as Roberto Muschamp tries to turn on this ball inside the eighteen. At the other end, Julio Valle sets table for Wilmer Garcia, but Garcia misses with the left foot launch.
I guess you’ll agree with me this is a vicious spotkick from Roberto Muschamp, but Charlie Slusher is well positioned at goal.
In the meantime folks, this looks like a goal from our vantage point, but the referee was right on top of the play and he disagrees with us. Obviously he has the whistle.
Still, the Builder’s insist off this corner kick as Julio Valle connects with this centre, but Giovanni Rodriguez stretches and save.
The Bandits get another open look when number twelve Dion Frazier squanders what can only be defined as a golden opportunity. Again, the corner kick provides opportunities for the Bandits offence, but Frazer’s header skips off the near upright and at the half we have a scoreless stalemate.
Immediately into second half Julio Valle times his run perfectly to launch this wicked left foot that puts the Bandits on the scoreboard.
Now keep your eyes on this play. Peter Mariano fires at Charlie Slusher, who mishandles, so Mark “Kello” Leslie ties the ballgame at one apiece. To say the Sagitun fans are ecstatic would be an understatement.
Francis Arzu then looks for the game winner with this potent right foot that inches over the crossbar. At the end of ninety minutes of action we’re still tied at one apiece, which forces overtime play.
No goals came in double overtime, so the decision guess to the penalty spot. Belmopan gets first dibs and David Trapp connects. For the second time in the post season, Hilberto Muschamp fails to executive his penalty as Charlie Slusher saves. Wilmer Garcia gives Belmopan a 2-1 lead.
Bent Burgess steps up and ties it up for Sagitun. John Ismael Trapp then comes up with the first miss for the Builder’s hardware Bandits. Forget the elaborate hairstyle, Peter Mariano gives Sagitun a one-goal lead.
Nelson Lucas gets Belmopan back with this conversion. And now its up to Francis Arzu to give Sagitun the lead and he does. So it’s up to Jair Pereira to force sudden death penalty for Belmopan, but he hits the far upright.
Sagitun takes game one and now game two moves to the Isidoro Beaton Stadium Saturday night.
Hilberto Muschamp, Sagitun
“It’s a very big win. It’s not the way we wanted it to, but we’ll take the win anyway. They had the luck in penalty the first two pervious times and we had the luck here tonight.”
Janelle Chanona
“What’s the game plan for Saturday?”
Hilberto Muschamp
“We need to continue play more aggressive. I don’t see them coming back from this right now, we just need to regroup, myself, I just need to recover, I’m in a lot of pain right now.”
Charlie Slusher, Builder’s Hardware Bandits
“Well I just hope that we’re not too disappointed with this lost, this is a game that we should have won. We didn’t make use of all the opportunities and when we went to the penalty kicks, we didn’t execute and we lost the game. And although we know this game would have been a, this is the finals, Sagitun defended their home filed very well and you got to give them credit also that they wasn’t ready to just let down and die and let us come here and steal one. It’s all about the home court advantage and we hope that going back into Belmopan we could take advantage of being home around our own fans and try to tie up this series.”
Now lets switch gears and head to the Marion Jones Sporting Complex for the finish of the eighty-eight mile B.T.L. Valentines Cycle Classic, which left San Ignacio yesterday morning at 9:99.
This is Amelita Knowles rolling into the venue first in the female division, followed by the chase bunch. We didn’t quite get the spill inside the stadium, but here’s helpers and the ambulance rushing to assist the fallen females.
Amelita Knowles bicycles in to take top honours, forcing Fiona Humes into second. Our best wishes for quick recovery goes out to the two cross country champions, Anamarie Bennett and Marinett Flowers, who were obviously injured in the spill.
And yes girls, you all look good on the podium.
Amelita Knowles, Winner, B.T.L. Valentines Cycle Classic
“There was a spill and I just steady myself and nobody picked up the chase. It was when they almost reached town they started to chase.”
James Adderley
“Amelita you have been in this sport for such a long time…”
Amelita Knowles
“2001.”
James Adderley
“And you finally win one of the big ones. How does Amelita Knowles feel at this point?”
Amelita Knowles
“I feel very good about it, it give me more motivation to keep on going, because cycling is not an easy sport.”
Meanwhile folks, here’s Roque Matus grabbing the title in the non-elite class with this wicked sprint. In the senior ride, Ariel Rosado runs away from the pack at mile thirteen and enters the stadium alone. And now he gets ready to take the W. We say big time congratulations for the big time win Ariel.
Meanwhile, this is supposed to be the sprint for second place, but Earnest Meighan takes it rather easily as Henry Moreira settles for third and the defending champion Quinton Hamilton rolls in for fourth place.
James Adderley
“Was your win a product of teamwork?”
Ariel Rosado, Winner, B.T.L. Valentines Cycle Classic
“Most definitely. This was one of the most perfect examples of teamwork and I can reassuringly say that you probably won’t see this on much other teams. As you all know, Jawmeighan is practically number one on my team and I’m like second in terms of winning, and he told me going into this race that he knew I was in good shape, in better shape than him, so he promised me that he’ll help me out. Coming into Hattieville, we planned that perfectly. He said he was going to attack after Hattieville, I will follow Quinton, and Quinton will catch him. And just as he said happened, is exactly how he planned it. It was a perfect plan and it was perfect team work.”
Hey folks, that’s our show for today we certainly invite you back same time, same place next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
