Awesome weekend sports highlights with James Adderley
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
Week 9 of the PLB Season brought a monster ticket to the MCC Grounds yesterday as FC Belize looked to rebound after 2 straight losses by playing host to Zone B leader, Placencia Assassins—a team that is a legitimate contender for this inaugural football competition. Under intense pressure from Belize City fans, FC Belize blasts off with a quick start; however, when Avian Crawford deals this pass to John King, the striker makes a mess of it and he knows it. At the other end, Dellon Torres works his way past Matthew Leal to send this beauty into the box. Fortunately for FC, Glenford Chimilio steps off his line to intervene. We’re at the 32nd minute when Thomas Castro displays sound football to set table perfectly for John King and this time he makes amends as FC Belize takes a 1-zip lead.
Placencia looks to respond immediately off this set piece triggered by the captain, Dalton Eiley which finds Rollin Burgess whose header raises over the horizontal bar. So we go to 2nd half and again Placencia goes to the set piece—this time it’s Ashley Torres who launches this grass head burner that forces Glenford Chimilio into a heroic save. The visitors continue to seek the equalizer off the set piece and this floater from Elias Donaire provides a nice opportunity to toe the ballgame until Glenford Chimilio comes out of his goal and punches it out of danger. Thomas Castro then gets this look at goal only to be failed by the left foot launch. On this press, when Avian Crawford picks out Castro in front of the goal; we can only say Thomas Castro has become a bit gun shy.
Meanwhile folks, Matthew Leal already with a yellow card kicks Ashley Torres on the knee—he gets a 2nd yellow card for which he is promptly marched off the field. Before play could resume, Gilbert Rivas and Cristobal Gilharry get into a shoving match and after consulting with his assistant, the referee runs both of them out of town. Nevertheless, FC Belize goes on to pick up the 1-zip win.
In other results from around the league, the Bandits were held to a scoreless draw by RG City Boys at Belmopan. San Pedro used the home field advantage to scorch San Ignacio 1-zip; Paradise Freedom Fighters shelled Barcelona 4-3 at San Felipe; Verdes get a 4-1 on the road big Win over Juventus and the B.D.F. punish the Police in a 3-1 final. Still the Bandits lead Zone A with 20 pts; both FC and B.D.F. show 17 pts a piece; Juventus has 9, San Pedro 7 and Barcelona finds itself in the cellar with 5 pts. In Zone B, Verdes and Placencia both show 19 points but Verdes has the better goal differential. Police has 18 points; RG City Boys has 11 pts, Freedom Fighters 10 and San Ignacio is at the bottom with a mere 2 pts.
Turning to women’s football, play in the Belize District Competition yesterday saw Hattieville bomb Caye Caulker Island Stars 4-1 while Caye Caulker Girls edged Ladyville Belize Bank Jaguars 1-zip. Sundays ticket finds Caye Caulker Girls hosting Hattieville and in the nightcap Millennium goes to work against Island Stars.
Meanwhile folks, the Smart Mundialito continues to excite the Belizean Youth and talking about excitement; this goal by Tyrique Ciego lifts United Rangers to 1-zip win over City Boys. In the matchup between St. John’s Vianney and Ladyville Japan, both teams held their ground as the ballgame ended in a scoreless draw. In other results, Young Stars got a freebie by a Ladyville Jaguars default; Brown Bombers beat 3rd World in a 1-nil affair and Hattieville got over Jane usher by that same score.
In basketball news, the BDBA Firms Tournament matched the Airport with the Belize Bank Friday night at Bird’s Isle. We’re in the opening quarter when Kelvin Gillette deals to Vince Lamb who sinks the triple. He would finish 23 pts after going 5 for 9 from beyond the arc and 4 for 4 from the free throw line. For the bank, Chris McGann was the big man as he goes bank for 2 of his team high 19 pts to go along with 8 rebounds. Myron Flowers hooks up with Lamb on this trip down court and Vince sinks another three from the opposite side and at the end of the 1st, Airport leads 22-12. In the 2nd, Airport extends the lead; Paul Swasey wants 3; Paul Swasey gets 3. He would tie Vince Lamb for the game high of 23 points while pulling down 8 rebounds. This nice move by Swasey gets him 2 more game points.
Off this missed shot from Lamb, the big man Lloyd Talbert grabs the board for the put back. At the other end, McGann gets his put back off the miss from Devon Williams. Hey guys, Bol is for real as he demonstrates on Elmer Herrera. Another big performer for the Bank is Dominique Guzman who sinks this free throw line—he would finish with 15 points. Still folks, the Bank was obviously over matched as Airport records the 82 to 52 victory to take its record to 6 and 0.
In other results from the weekend, Central Bank rolled over Smart 66 to 27; Port of Belize stopped BWSL 43 to 40; Bowen & Bowen beat B.E.L. 59 to 41; B.T.L. defeated Atlantic bank 63 to 61; Truckers tamed Tiger Sharks 60 to 59 and Tuff E Nuff got over Cellular World 75 to 71.
Finally folks, Warren Coye of Horizon won yesterday’s 11 mile time trial presented by the Weekend Warriors with a time of 23 minutes 44 seconds forcing Ernest Thurton of Santino’s into 2nd with his time of 24 minutes 9 seconds; while David Pollard of BCB?FT Williams was timed at 24 minutes 17 seconds to finish 3rd. Amir Gonzalez won the B Class ride in 25 minutes 35 seconds and Jerome Moir the C Class in 28 minutes 6 seconds.
Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
Someone needs to check on these referees. They are spoiling the wonderful game of football. In Belize only certain teams and certain players get the ref’s protection. its always a battle for the teams from down south when it plays a City team. Or any other team for that matter. Have to beat the team and the officials. Check on them Mr. Vicente.