James Adderley has sports

Good evening, I’m James Adderley and you’re right on time for a fresh portion of Sports Monday. Week V of the B.F.L. playoffs would decide who makes it to the championship round. So we head to the People’s Stadium where defending champion Juventus finds itself faced with a very focussed La Victoria of Corozal, the only team to have defeated the champ in this playoff round.

It’s a slow and tentative start because of the pressure situation so it’s some thirteen minutes in when Oliver Hendricks tries to make things happen for La Victoria. Corozal remains in the offensive when Hendricks hits his right foot that almost ships by Charlie Slusher. After the 26th minute, Pedro Barrahona picks up a loose ball inside the eighteen; he beats one and fires a missile that gives La Victoria a 1-zip lead. Juventus tries to respond but the header by Christopher Hendricks won’t beat Delmar Sutherland in the La Victoria goal for a 1-zip first half Corozal lead.

Still folks it’s early second half when Christopher Hendricks outruns the Corozal defense and pushes the ball in the meanest corner of the goal to tie the ballgame at 1 apiece. With new life, Juventus takes control and should have taken the lead here but Dean Flowers fails from point blank range. A minute later it’s another Juventus miss when Donnie Tun can’t catch up with Marcelino’s pass. Dean Flowers gets a shot at redemption but it seems he’s not singing that song today.

Fans it seems the no goal disease is spreading rapidly on the Juventus ball club which would explain how Christopher Hendricks misses on an opportunity provided by Hall’s header. Maybe the left side will work for Juventus but again Dean Flowers squanders a golden opportunity. Even “lady luck” abandons Juventus when Ruperto Vicente blows an indirect spotkick just to the left of the 18. Esteban Hall fires a spotkick into the net. At first Ruperto calls goal until he remembers that the ball didn’t touch anyone on the way to the net to negate the score. Of course the celebration is premature. But it’s back to Dean Flowers and again he simply can’t find the target from point blank range, people.

In overtime a header by Christopher Hendricks almost pushes Juventus over the hump but there’s no cigar; its save by Delmar Sutherland is even more spectacular. Now at the other end Oliver Hendicks dances past one man on the left wing, centers for Joe West and a header inside an empty net gives the 2 points for La Victoria. Big “W” for La Victoria.

Meanwhile in other football match-up Belmopan Bandits shocked Sagitun of Mango Creek out at capital city yesterday with a 1-zip blast on a goal by Donald Harris. And that win by Belmopan might have sunk the Sagitun ship.

At the end of week V Juventus leads with 9 points still, Corozal shows 8 points, Sagitun is stalled at 5 and Belmopan now has 3. This Sunday Orange Walk will host Sagitun at the People’s Stadium. Belmopan travels to the Ricalde Stadium for a shot at La Victoria. But of course for Sagitun and Belmopan it might be all over.

Turning to the cycling scene lets turn to the National Stadium for yesterday’s finish in the Valentine’s Cycling Classic which saw 51 riders make a bid. The eight cyclists to enter the National Stadium are hard on a pelathon. It’s moneytime around the corner, Quinton Hamilton pulls the trigger. Ernest Meighan responds; he is followed by Andrew Smiling, a veteran. Give it up for “Jaw Meighan” who beats Andrew Smiling to win his third Valentine title in a row and hey that must be love.

Elliot Hubbard of Bermuda came in third, Quinton Hamilton dropped to fourth, Darwin Torres fifth, Bobby Lee sixth while Elbert Pope rounds out the top eight.

We invite you to join us again same place, same time. Jah over all. I’m James Adderley.