Football, table tennis and cycling in weekend sports
Good evening I’m James Adderley rolling into the world with this segment of Sports Monday.
The Belize Bank Super League kicked off its playoff round with the divisional elimination this weekend as Kraal Road, leader of the South Zone, hosted the number four seed from this division, Cayo South United. Despite dominating Cayo South during regular season play, Kraal Road knows this is a band new setting, so they try t grab the lead in the opening minutes off this set piece that sees Raymond Gentle deal to Jason who should have done better with this header. On this press Raymond Gentle almost converts with this wicked right foot splice but this shot was always ambitious. At the other end, Cayo South comes to life with this long range bomb from Darrel Reyes that raises over the crossbar. Delroy Andrews then gets this chance to dance his way in this shot that goes straight to the keeper and at the half we’re scoreless.
Folks, we’re four minutes into the resumption of hostilities, Tyrone Muschamp frees up Delroy Andrews who forces the pill past Jeremy Twist for the 1-zip lead. Cayo South looks to respond with this dangerous center from Deon Guzman but Eldon Linares comes out and makes the save he had to make. At the opposite end of the field Raymond Gentle gets this look at goal but apparently he’d rather have a pilot license. We’re in the last minute of regulation play when Delroy Andrews launches this left that seals the win for Kraal Road with the 2-zip final score.
In the other zone match yesterday, Hattieville FC burned San Felipe Barcelona 1-zip and you know only two teams will advance to the four team round. Over in the south one, Texmar United edged Paradise Freedom Fighters 1-zip while the defending champion Valley Renaissance got ambushed by a 1-zip blast at the hands of Placencia Assassin. Looking at this week’s schedule, Kraal Road will conclude its series wit Cayo South at Belmopan Saturday and Hattieville travels to San Felipe Barcelona. Over in the south, Valley Renaissance will try to stay alive at the Carl Ramos against Placencia Assassin and Texmar United will host Paradise Freedom Fighters.
Turning to the BPFL playoffs, Hankook Verdes continued its run at this year’s title with a 1-zip win over FC Belize. These two teams resume hostilities this Sunday at the MCC Grounds. In the meantime, the BDF/San Pedro Dolphins semi-final series kicks off this Wednesday, seven p.m. at Dangriga and is expected to conclude on Sunday twenty-second November at san Pedro.
In Table Tennis news, the four teams to make the association’s knock-out round emerged over the weekend. Team Racqueteers finished with a 7-1 record. No Mercy from San Ignacio is next with a 6-2 showing, Team Ace goes into the playoffs in the third spot despite its record of six wins, two losses while Sugar city squeaked in with five and three finish. The four team knock out round will be staged at the Belize Elementary School Auditorium this Sunday, twenty-second November.
Checking in on the National Primary Schools Volleyball Championships staged at the City Center over the weekend. Christian Academy took the female title from Richard Quinn RC 25-23, 25-18 while in the male finals Bishop OP Martin RC handled Little Flower RC in three – 21-25, 25-22, 16-14. Angela Budna of Toledo emerged as female MVP. Gary Martinez took the male MVP award. We say congratulations.
In cycling we must congratulate the UWI Open Campus and its head Mrs. Jane Bennett for jumping into cycling in a big way. We join the elite twenty-five lap ride on the day of races at the Marine Parade circuit where some thirty-five riders are in the hunt today as they blast off. Very quickly this pack of six riders takes command of the pace. By the time the ride reaches money time it’s down to a two man race as Giovanni Choto, riding for Team Zamir, duels against Byron Pope of Benny’s Megabytes. This is the final turn to the tape and both riders get up off their seats and it’s close but kudos to Byron Pope of Benny’s Megabytes who grabs the biggest prize of the day. Giovanni Choto settles for second. In the sprint for third place, Gregory Lovell crushes his former Santino Teammate, Marlon Castillo, riding for Zamir to take that spot.
Meanwhile, Yan Cattouse of Our Lady of the Way RC took the two laps male primary school class. Miatia Mohamedali of Burrell Boom Methodist won the female Primary School one lap. Christopher Andrews of Ladyville Tech grabbed the male high school five lap while Aidan Palacio of St. Catherine won the female thee laps winner. Shalini Zabaneh of Sagitun took the open female ten lap. Juan Umara of Cayo High School won the junior ten laps and guess what Vallan Symms out sprinted Kennett Butler to take the masters fifteen laps event.
Hey folks, that’s our show for today. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
