Cebaldo Cowo is still Mountain Bike Cross Country Champ

Good evening I’m James Adderley and here’s your weekly portion of Sports Monday. The R.F.G. Insurance Cup Tournament which features 12 teams in 2 divisions of 6 kicked off yesterday with all teams seeing action.

Here in Belize City the annual B.P.F.L. Football Competition saw F.C. Belize play host to Tex Mar Boys from Mango Creek inside the M.C.C. Grounds.

Folks, we’re only 9 minutes in when Shannon Flowers floats this spot kick into the danger zone; Mark Zuniga gets to it first and the header gives F.C. Belize a quick 1-zip lead.

Stunned, Tex Mar tries to respond in kind off a set piece but Wilmer Garcia’s punch is off by a few centimetres.

It’s another break for Tex Mar Boys when Marcos Souto fires the right foot from off the left side only to see a high riser.

Talk about testing the keeper, this is exactly what Tyrone Muschamp does with this spot kick but this time Stephen Lopez shines like a star and we have a 1-zip F.C. Belize lead at intermission.

In 2nd half the host team tries to double the lead when Cristobal Gilharry floats perfectly to Mark Leslie but again Stephen Lopez intervenes successfully.

At the other end Gary Young fires this left foot with bad intentions and maybe Gary should have concentrated more on the target.

For Tex Mar, the end comes when Thomas Castro centres to Shannon Flowers who comes up with the easy tap for the 2-zip F.C. Belize big win.

In other action on opening day in the R.F.G. Tournament, Wagiya blanked Toledo United 2-zip; Hankook Verdes United bombed the Belmopan Bandits 4-nil.

In Group B SP Costa Del Sol Nairi’s was held to a 1-1 draw by Alpha Glitters of Orange Walk; Suga Boy Juventus jolted Lake I 2-zip; while Santels and Revolutionary Conquerors settled for a 2-2 stalemate.

Looking ahead, on Saturday Tex Mar will host Hankook Verdes United and Wagiya travels to Belmopan Bandits, while on Sunday Toledo United will be at home against F.C. Belize.

Over in Group B it’s all Sunday matches that will begin at 4 p.m. Santels will be hosted by Alpha Glitters in Orange Walk; Suga Boys Juventus travels to Revolutionary Conquerors at Dangriga, while Lake I will be inside the M.C.C. Grounds against SP Costa Del Sol Nairi’s.

In basketball news, action Friday in the WIN Belize/Senior League Female Tournament saw Maria Chang Eagles douse Advance Flames 56 to 46 and on Sunday the Flames rebounded to consume Gwen Liz Stars 51 to 19.

On the male side, Lake I Boyz edged Reggae Boyz 94 to 92; Acros Whirlpool stopped S.J.C. Wildcats 92 to 82; U.B. Jaguars gobbled up Ebony Lake 80 to 59 and Acros Whirlpool beat Lake I Boyz 80 to 72.

2 male matches are scheduled for this Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. at the Civic: Reggae Boys take on Ebony Lake and Lake I Boyz will face the winless S.J.C. Wildcats.

Turning to the cycling scene, here is Shalini Zabaneh rolling unchallenged to the tape winning yesterday’s 42 mile Female Valentine Classic in 2 hours, 17 minutes, 7 seconds, beating her nearest contender by 3 1/2 minutes.

Now here’s the sprint for 2nd place and it’s Marinette Flowers beating Gina Lovell and Shantia Morrison, in that order, while Sheena Castillo, a Masters rider, rounds out the top 5.

On the male side of the Valentine’s equation here is Giovanni Leslie getting dressed to take top honours in this 58 mile run, beating his nearest contender by 18 seconds.

Today it’s all Santino’s as the golden one, Ernest Meighan, rolls in uncontested for 2nd place.

Gregory Lovell, the speedster, then out sprints M & M Tour winner Marlon Castillo for 3rd place, while Mateo Cruz rounds out the top 5. Good show to the Santino’s Team.

Now here’s the finish to the Mountain Bike Cross Country which finished at Croc Land on the Northern highway yesterday. And it’s Cebaldo “Rhino Man” Cowo who grabs 1st place without even sprinting people.

Edward Payne, also known as Dan Zelaya, rides in to take 2nd place, however, he obstructs a top 5 sweep by Team Impossible Is Nothing; Paul Trapp pulls up 3rd; Andrew “Papa” Brown takes 4th, while Kirk Trapp rounds the top 5, and if it wasn’t for Dan Zelaya it would have all been Team Impossible Is Nothing.

In Billiard news, the Belize Billiards Federation presents a 2 day 9 ball competition at the Multi Complex Building inside Orange walk on the 3rd and 4th march beginning at 11 a.m. 8 teams are making a bid for some $5,200 in prize money and there are a whole bunch of trophies to be issued at the end of this particular competition. We say enjoy Belize.

That’s it for now. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Addreley.