James Adderley with the weekly sporting package

Good evening, I’m James Adderley and we thank you for joining this issue of Sports Monday. Round fourteen of the Caribbean Motor Cup Tournament brought the two front runners into a head on clash at the M.C.C. grounds yesterday as F.C. Belize hosted the Belize Defence Force in a battle for the lead in the standings. The Military wasted no time in getting into its offence when David Trapp levels this bullet at the F.C. keeper Elden Linares who takes care of business. No doubt the B.D.F. continues to look pretty dangerous as this left foot bounces from Kareem Haylock befuddles Linares momentarily and is cleared at the very last second. Haylock again attacks off the left wing with this grass head burner but is denied by the F.C. defense. However, off this set piece that goes from Trapp to Haylock and eventually finds Gilbert Swaso and his header gives the B.D.F. a 1-zip lead twenty-five minutes in. F.C. Belize responds with this outside launch from Harrison Tasher that gives Woodrow West some problem. He nevertheless, comes up with the save. At the half the Military holds on to the 1-zip lead.

Folks, five minutes after the resumption of play the B.D.F. goes back to the set piece between Haylock and Trapp. This time Trapp finds Erwin Flores whose header makes it a 2-nil B.D.F. lead just like that. Pumped up now, the Military wants more so Khalil Velasquez fires this long range bomb that forces Linares into making a tough save. On the very next B.D.F. press F.C.’s Linares is called upon to make a necessary stop on this Evan Mariano push and in fact he does. At the other end, F.C. gets a chance to pull one back. Unfortunately, Byron Usher just could not make proper contact with the ball. And yes, we agree with Jeromy James, Harrison Tasher should have given him the ball instead of opting for the shot from such an acute angle. But such is football because off this set piece triggered by Tyrone Pandy of the Military, Linares is beaten but Kareem Haylock fails to guide the pill between the sticks. Indeed this is a nice pass from David Trapp to Dennis Serano but a touch too far enables Linares to intercept. Paul Nunez comes up with the loose ball only to launch it over the crossbar. We’re at the eighty-sixth minute when Evan Mariano is taken down inside the eighteen by Albert Thurton, referee Henry rules penalty. Lisbey Castillo steps up for the Military and finds the near corner to give the B.D.F. the 3-zip big W over its arch rival F.C. Belize.

In other action around the league, BRC Blaze used the home field advantage to shake up San Pedro Seadogs 1-nil. Hankook Verdes held on to a 1-zip W over Georgetown Ibayani and this one is unbelievable people Paradise Freedom Fighters slaughtered Shanaiah Corozal 11-1 in a ninety minute package. Thus coming out of the weekend, the B.D.F. is unmistakable the leader in the standings with twenty-nine points, F.C. Belize is next with twenty-six, Hankook Verdes has twenty-three, Paradise Freedom Fighters twenty-one, San Pedro eighteen, Georgetown sixteen, BRC Blaze seven, and Shanaiah Corozal four. In the meantime, the B.P.F.L. will complete a couple back matches this week: On Wednesday April twenty-eighth at seven-thirty p.m. Paradise Freedom Fighters will host the B.D.F. and Georgetown Ibayani travels to the San Pedro Seadogs. On Saturday May first, Georgetown will host F.C. Belize while on Sunday San Pedro Seadogs travel to Paradise Freedom Fighters, Shanaiah Corozal gets a visit from Hankook Verdes and BRC Blaze will battle the B.D.F. inside the M.C.C. Grounds.

Turning to the Belize Bank Super League Tournament, over the weekend City Boys United handed Nizhee Corozal a 3-1 loss, Placencia Assassin beat San Felipe Barcelona 3-1, Belize United doubled Cayo South 2-1 while Hattieville F.C. was held to a scoreless draw at home by Santa Elena Synergy. Week four’s schedule looks like this: on Saturday first May, Belize United and City Boys Clash at the M.C.C. On Sunday Cayo South will be hosted by Santa Elena Synergy, Hattieville F.C. travels to Placencia Assassin and San Felipe Barcelona battles Nizhee Corozal inside the People’s Stadium.

Now here are the results from week ten in the Stann Creek District Mayor’s Cup Tournament: Leslie Commercial crushed XYZ 3-1, Hopkins Millennium Boys took out Crown Heights 2-1, Valley Pride outlasted Triple “N” United 4-2 and Hope Creek Pumas blanked Benguche F.C. 3-nil.

Checking in on the National Primary School Softball Championship staged at Rogers’ Stadium and the M.C.C. Grounds over the weekend, Crooked Tree Government School took the female title by blanking Independence Primary 8-zip behind Elma Wade who emerged with the female MVP title. We say congratulations. On the male side Burrell Boom Methodist rolled over St. Jude RC 14-nil as Issany Pook got the W and walked away with the male MVP award. We say good show.

In cycling news the ranks of the Weekend Warriors has swollen to some eighty-one riders who suited up for yesterday’s race which ran sixty-five and a half five miles from Loma Luz in Cayo to Leslie’s Imports just outside Belize City. I guess we never realized there are so many recreational riders in the sport today, almost equaling the number signed up for the 2010 Cross Country held on Holy Saturday. The pelathon was compact for most of the way until around mile thirty-six when this three man unit, led by Preston Martinez, Kenneth Butler and Ken Gladden tried to make their breakaway stick. Around mile fifteen the trio was caught by Fitzgerald Joseph, Liam Stewart, Alexander Graniel, Lennox Bowman and George Abraham to make it an eight man lead. Around mile four Preston Martinez decides to go on a solo flight. At the tape Martinez of M&M Engineering easily takes top honors in 03:05:12. Now here’s the eight man sprint for second place. Fitzgerald Joseph on the inside takes it rather easily, Ken Gladden of Princess on the outside pulls up third, Kenneth Butler of Santino’s takes fourth place while Liam Stewart of M&M Engineering rounds out the top five.

In other cycling news, the fifth annual Pablo Marin Cycle Classic comes up on the first of May in an eighty-six mile package that runs from Miami Beach Corozal to the Santa Elena Border, swings back to the U-turn at Caribbean Tires roundabout in Orange Walk and heads to the big finish right back at Miami Beach. It’s an open race so even the Weekend Warriors can sign up. On the female side, the race will travel from Miami Beach to San Pablo and back.

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.