Football, volleyball, table tennis and cycling in weekend sports

Good evening I’m James Adderly and this is sports. Since it’s mandated that Belize must present a U-17 football team in UNCAF’s 2013 female competition, Belize has been paired with Guatemala for 1^st round play. In the away match we lost 8-nil so expectations were somewhat low for game 2 inside F.F.B. Stadium yesterday. In the opening minutes Brittney Drysdale does a nice job in goal when Madelyn Ventura fires this right foot in an attempt to open the scoreboard. However on this attack off the set piece Drysdale has no chance at the save when Andrea Rabanales comes up with a left touch for the 1-zip lead. Four minutes later its goal number 2 when poor defense by team Belize allows Anika Claps to control this loose ball for the 2-nil score. Drysdale is then replaced by Abigail Ramos in goal in an effort to boost up the defense. In the meantime Gisel Baeza shows nice power on this shot at goal but will have to work on precision. Now watch this wonderful pass from the captain Sabrina Eiley that fires up Baeza who really should have put this one into the net and obviously she knows it. We’ve got to give credit to Natalie Schaps in goal for Guatemala when she gives her body for the team and comes out unfazed. And at the half it is a 2-nil ballgame. Belize is still in the ascendency at the re-start when Gisel Baeza works her magic to unleash this right foot but again is denied by Schaps. It’s Baeza again looking for the goal only this time she is impeded from behind by Maria Barillas. Some 10 minutes into intermission Jennifer Barrias fires this shot from outside the 18. Ramos should have handled it but didn’t as the visitors go up 3-nil. Make it 4-nil when Aisha Solorzano fires this low cruise missile from inside the 18. Again Guatemala scores from the set piece when Maria Contreras places this spot check that tangles into the net for a 5-zip showing. Belize would go on to suffer a 7-zip loss – losing the series in a 15-nil score. Belize thus exits in the first round but we do see signs of something we can build on.

In cycling news, Capital City Cycling presented a race from Belmopan to La Democracia which swings back to Caves Branch Bridge on the Hummingbird Highway and then returned to Belmopan to conclude the 60 mile ride. Junior rider Giovanni Lovell of B.T.L. escaped in the hills and never looked back to claim the W forcing Jose Choto of Belikin into 2^nd and Allen Castillo of Benys Megabytes pulled up 3^rd forcing Angel Tzil into 4^th and Erwin Middleton into 5^th. Shalini Zabaneh of Sagitun took top honors in the female class while at the junior level Zahir Figueroa of BECOL Uprising took 2^nd and Phillip Mencias of Capital Jewel Cycling Team pulled up 3^rd, 41 riders participated.

Turning to the Table Tennis scene Tyrone Tun took the A Division title in the 2013 RF&G Tournament staged over the weekend by beating Zhi Chen in the finale. Carlos Cui took 3^rd. In B Division action, Billy Musa Jr. passed Yasser Musa to take that title as Fabio Carballo took 3^rd. In the C Division it was Bryton Codd, Toni Lui and Jason Lin going 1,2,3 in that order while Pete Matus took the Women Division with Samira Pott 2^nd and Nikki Chang 3^rd.

In Volleyball News, the annual competition got off with a bang at the B.E.S. Auditorium yesterday and the defending female champion Lady Jaguars left no doubt who is the boss after beating Moen Stars in 4 set 22-25, 26-24, 18-25, 28-26. The male defending champion Rebels also opened on the positive side running over Jaguars in 5 sets 22-25, 26-24, 18-25, 25-23 and 15-9.

Meanwhile defending Interoffice Champion B.T.L. rolled past Scotia Bank 20-25, 25-21 and 15-9. Hey guys the roosters would have made it a better report.

Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.