Yabra tops Dolphins at M.C.C.

Good evening, I’m James Adderly and you’re right on time for this fresh serving of Sports Monday. With the resumption of the BTL football playoffs, the city fans were wondering if Kulture Yabra still had the good vibes flowing. So we went to the M.C.C. Grounds to find out as Poppa Brown’s team hosted the San Pedro Dolphins.

In the opening moments, Edon Rawley gets a gift off this John Trapp miscue, but he proceeds to issue a pardon to the Dolphins. At the other end Oliver Hendricks gets busy for the Dolphins with this launch, but it’s nothing Willie Bo can’t handle. Edon Rawley then gets his chance to impress the scoreboard, but his offering sails to high heavens.

No folks, this is not a dust storm – this is the reality of the M.C.C. Grounds today. The Dolphins make a bid to draw first blood when Calvo Usher fires from inside the 18, but it has not the power to bother Willie Bo Bernard. It’s another moment fraught with danger for the Yabra goalkeeper, when Oliver Hendricks centers into the danger zone, but Willie Bo recovers and at the half we’ve got a scoreless ballgame.

After intermission, Yabra brings in Emory Nunez in search of more offense and it pays off nine minutes later when this left foot shot tangles into the net behind Delmar Sutherland to the delight of the city fans. San Pedro tries to respond immediately as Rene Montero centers in front of the goal. Willie Bo hands it out, Gentle heads it back, but it’s his teammate Landi Pinelo, who heads it out of the goal.

Downfield, Emory Nunez has a shot for his 2nd goal of the match, but this time the left foot launch misses the target. Edon Rawley then gets his turn to score but can’t get any power on the punch. Kulture Yabra should have converted off this Norman Nunez center, but McCauley’s shot was stopped, Hall’s attempt is blocked and the Dolphins escape from harm.

When the long whistle blows, it brings a 1-nil win for Yabra, who with 8 points grab a share of the lead in the playoff standings.

David McCauley

“Well definitely James, I know that my team has the capability of stepping up the pace. We needed to do that 2nd half, so we just stepped up the pace and get and goal and we got a win toady.”

James Adderly

“We saw certainly a change in character and a change in personality in the 2nd half. Was something said during intermission to bring that about?”

David McCauley

“Well all we did was analyze our errors and capitalize on thinking, that’s all we did.”

Grigamandala remained undefeated and kept pace yesterday at Dangriga with a 3-zip jolt that shocked Sagitun of Independence. Up north, Real Verdes got its first playoff win by torching La Victoria 2-1 at the Ricalde Stadium.

In volleyball news, the Belize Volleyball Association Division II finals was staged Saturday at the Civic Center and we join the female match between defending champions BH Paints Little Stars and the challenger, Lady Scorpions with the score tied at one set apiece.

Sarah Modin gets the Stars going early with this serve that Melissa Velasquez simply can’t handle. Sherlene Johnson then mashes the pill through the heart of the Scorpions defense to tie the score at 4 apiece. This time Johnson misses the target and we’re all tied at 5 apiece and it would be for the very last time in the match.

Johnson makes amends with this monster mash that proves too powerful for the Lady Scorpions. Meanwhile the Scorpions begin to unravel – miscuing on this serve from Johnson. They’re totally out of the flow on this point as BH Paints Little Stars take the decisive game three 15-08 to repeat as female champs.

In the male finals, its defending champions Scorpions being challenged by Corozal and Avid Arnold break the 4-4 tie in the 1st set with this smash. Corozal comes right back with this bomb from Alvin Leslie and you know this is going to be a tight one. This nice extended rally really demonstrates the intensity of competition between these two teams, but Martin Gongora ends it with this blast.

With the score showing Scorpions with a 24-21 lead, Zack Sajia brings Corozal closer with this smash. Corozal ties it at 24 apiece on this serve that creates confusion in the Scorpions defense. This is the point that gives Scorpions the 24-26 big W in the first set and it does break the spirit of the Corozal team, who rolled over in the 2nd set 25-18.

Trophies were presented immediately after the matches and we congratulate the Belize Volleyball Association for a well-run season and a good show.