Football, softball and horseracing on Sports Mon.
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday. Week two of the B.P.F.L.’s semi-pro football season took the defending champions, Benny’s Kulture Yabra of Belize City north to the People’s Stadium in search of its first season win. At the very least, it was not going to be an easy win against the red hot Juventus ball club of Orange Walk, especially without the services of team leader Norman “Tilliman” Nunez who is completing his two-game suspension.
The host team wastes very little time in going offensive when Oliver Hendricks hooks up with the Brazilian Roberto Da Silva, but Stanley Reneau successfully intervenes.
Yabra’s first attempt at goal finds Dion Jones firing this low-cruise missile that bounces off Geovanny Rodriguez, but Emory Nunez really butchers the rebound.
Some twenty-eighth minutes in Allan Flowers finds Christopher Hendricks and his diving header crashed into the net to give Juventus a 1-zip first half lead.
Yabra looks to reply off this spotkick from David Trapp, but Al Thurton can’t catch-up with the pill. It’s Yabra again attacking off this spotkick from David Trapp, but the deflection by the O.W. defence takes it some crucial inches outside the sticks.
We’re some three minutes away from intermission when this stumble by Wilhelm White gives possession of the ball to Christopher Hendricks in the danger zone–Stanley Reneau makes the initial save, but the header from Robert Burns gives a Juventus a 2-zip lead to take into the locker-room.
In second half, Oliver Hendricks immediately tries to make it a 3-zip lead with this powerful left foot launch that tangles in the side netting.
Meanwhile folks, Emory Nunez finds himself unattended on this centre into the penalty box and again he fails to put Yabra on the scoreboard.
At the other end, Christopher Hendricks displays his great speed that puts him in a one-on-one situation against Stanley Reneau, but he misses the target.
Now keep your eyes on Deon Frazier inside the eighteen as he gets trampled by Orlando Ramirez, and the referee rules penalty.
Yabra sends for Emory Nunez and he atones for his earlier misses by putting his team on the scoreboard with this penalty conversion.
Neither team could find the back of the net after that as Juventus wins its second in a row while Yabra falls to one draw one win in two outings.
In other action around the Regent Insurance Cup league, the San Pedro Seahawks barbecued the Calcutta Bulls 3-zip; Hankook Verdes and Sagitun struggled to a 1-1 tie, while Griga United and Builder’s Hardware Bandits of Belmopan settled for a scoreless stalemate.
In B League playoff action, A.F.C. United hurt Kremandala 1-zip, while Creative Tiles and Rural All Stars battled to a 2-2 regulation tie, only to see the Rural Stars win 4-3 on penalty kicks.
In softball news, team C.T.C. edged B.T.L., the defending female champion 3-2 to win Sunday’s marathon.
On Saturday, it was defending male champion Rookies beating Dantos 8-7 to win that marathon package.
Regular season now gets underway this Friday at Roger’s Stadium with B.T.L. facing C.T.C. in the female opener. In the male nightcap, Rookies will go up against Advance.
The Cayo Softball Association also staged its marathon on Sunday, but the finals are to be concluded at a later date with Camalote Duurly’s Crystal facing Esperanza Wolverines for the female marathon title, while Hope Creek Falcons will battle Esperanza Regal Devils for the male edition.
And in horseracing news, yesterday’s card at Burrell Boom saw Mandingo of Gillette Stables beat Justice of Palas Joseph/Marsh Stables by a length and a half in the race of the day. And in the thoroughbred six-furlong sprint, Tesoro of Bradley’s Stables grabbed the big W forcing Pacesetter of Duncas Stables into second and Answer the Call of Hoare Stables into third.
In closing, we want to wish our National Cricket Team well as they travel to Panama for the Senior Affiliates Championship of the Americas, which will run from the twenty-second of March to the twenty-seventh of March. Represent us well.
That’s it for now, we invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all! I’m James Adderley.
The tapes didn’t arrive in time to make it into Sports Monday, but we thought you’d like to see highlights of two events held this weekend. The first was the Spanish Lookout hockey match on Saturday night, which saw the Mustangs defeat the Eagles 1-nil. The only goal was scored by Peter Wolfe in the third period.
And while Women’s Week only happens once a year, from the turnout of ninety-seven women for the bike race held on Saturday morning, it seems some Belizean women would welcome more frequent cycling competition. Four teams participated in the event: the Loyal Ladies, Courts, the Omeyes, and Anglican Cathedral College. Ten individual riders also took part in the rally through Belize City. Seven station prizes were awarded and the Loyal Ladies took the honour of biggest team with thirty-two riders.
