F.C. Belize vs. B.D.F. ends in draw in playoff action
Good evening I’m James Adderley with yet another delivery of Sports Monday. Week two of the B.P.F.L. playoffs brought the two Belize City teams to the M.C.C. Grounds yesterday with both F.C. Belize and the Belize Defence Force coming off wins on the opening schedule of the double round robin format featuring four ballclubs. We start off in unusual fashion as Albert Thurton makes history by becoming the first semi-pro player to earn a yellow card even before the ballgame officially begins, much to the chagrin of the F.C. Belize component. Still the first highlight of the package comes from F.C. Belize when Jeromy James lays this right foot on the bola with power only to see it slice wide. For the B.D.F. this right foot punch from Jerome Serano makes the reel in our effort to show some balance. However, there’s no doubt about this effort from Jeromy James, had not the veteran Charlie Slusher intervened F.C. Belize would have taken a 1-zip lead into the break. Things do improve in second half as the B.D.F.’s Deon McCauley works his magic against Vallan Symms to launch this offering that misses the target. It’s more B.D.F. this time from off the corner kick and this acrobatic volley from Deon Flowers is a beauty but so is the save by Elroy Rawley who gets crucial assistance from Vallan Symms. We’re sity-three minutes into the ballgame when Ewan Mariano’s attempted shot binds the Brazilian Marco Santo and the B.D.F. marches to 1-zip lead. F.C. Belize immediately tries to reply off this set piece and Eian Gaynair just misses the equalizer by inches. At the other end the B.D.F. might have doubled their lead right here but it is plain to see Nigel Franklin tramples the keeper to knock the ball loose. Now it’s a desperate F.C. Belize pulling out all the stops and we must give Charlie Slusher his props for sure hands. Of course, in the final minute of extended time the referee charges the B.D.F. the maximum price for this hand ball inside the eighteen. F.C. Belize sends for Vallan Symms and Charlie Slusher is beaten by a ball he could have gotten and he doesn’t believe it people, but it’s real. F.C. Belize and the Belize Defence Force settle for a 1-1 tie.
In other match up on the ticket Wagiya got whipped 1-zip at home in Dangriga by Hankook Verdes on an eighty-seventh minute goal by Daniel Jimenez. Looking ahead to week three of the RFG Cup playoffs, Hankook Verdes with 3 points will host F.C. Belize who show 4 at this moment. Winless and pointless Wagiya will host the B.D.F. who comes in with 4 points.
In Super League of Belize news, regular season play concluded on Saturday at the M.C.C. Grounds with Kraal Road blanking Estrellas 4-zip. Thus the standings look like this: Texmar Boys finished the season with a league high 36 points, Kraal Road shows 31, Benque D.C. United 29, Estrellas F.C. 27, Alpha Barcelona 25, Belmopan Bandits 16, Barrio Fino 14 and Adventures finished in the cellar with 6 points. The top four teams have made the post season which begins this Saturday first March with Texmar facing Estrellas at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium and Kraal Road, Forever Strong Kraal Road will host Benque D.C. United inside the M.C.C. Grounds.
Turning to the cycling scene, we go to the start of the fifty-eight mile Valentine Cycle Classic for elites featuring some forty-two riders and here they are at Armenia taking off. We check in on the even at the bridge at mile thirty-nine on the Western Highway to find a seven-man lead in control of things. At La Democracia the lead seven remain solid and seem to be working in concert and could go all the way. However, by the time we fast forward to the finish line it’s Marlon Castillo of Santino’s taking the race in unchallenged fashion with a time of two hours, twenty-five minutes flat. Brandon Cattouse of C-Ray then easily glides past Jeffrey Zelaya of Benny’s Megabytes to take second, Byron Pope pulls up fourth and while Ernest Meighan, he rounds out the top five. In the junior class Geon Hanson of INDECO took top honours. Edward Reyes of Smart O.W. United pulled up second and Herman Ochaeta rounds out the top three. On the ladies side Alicia Thompson was boss, followed by Anthea Sutherland—both of Telemedia Swoosh—while Jamie Lee Usher of Sagitun pulled up third.
In softball news Lady Rebels clobbered Roaring Creek 12-9 and then made easy work of Belmopan in the finals of the C&B Rogers Stadium Tournament yesterday inside Roger’s Stadium to grab the 2008 edition of this tournament that is dedicated to the memory of the honourable Charles Lindbergh Rogers, a former minister inside this country. Mrs. Bridgett Fuller of Belmopan City Emeralds won the home run derby while pitcher Carla Humes of Lady Rebels walked away with the M.V.P. trophy.
Finally folks, the Poor and Famous Culture Club sponsored an under sixteen football competition here in the city and we do wanna say congratulations to the winner Iguana Paradise and the runner up Jerusalem. The Poor and Famous youth programme is a non-profit organisation headed by Larry Sutherland who is appealing to the community for support. Hey Belizeans, help yourselves okay. That’s it for now though. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
