James Adderley analyzes the weekend sports activities
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and you’re right on time for this portion and Sports Monday.
Kraal road of Belize City went into week twelve of the Belize Bank Super League with a four point lead in the standings of the north zone, already assured of moving on to the eight team playoffs. How did they fare against the visiting Placencia Assassin yesterday inside the M.C.C. Grounds? The Assassin wasted no time in the one looking to strike early and could have, had not Leomer Garcia fall victim to indecision on this press that should have produced a goal. At the other end, the Placencia team dodges a bullet when this attempt to clear by Hubert Neal is deflected toward the goal forcing Stephen Lopez into a crucial save. Moments later this long pass somehow penetrates the Placencia defense to Leon Jones whose shot at goal is rejected by Lopez. It’s Leon Jones again on the attack as he works his way into this good look at goal only to miss the target. Folks, I don’t know what John Glen was thinking here but he certainly squanders a golden opportunity from point blank range. However, this goal scoring problem is not restricted to one team because on this press Leon Jones should have put Kraal Road onto the scoreboard. At the half we’ve got a scoreless ballgame.
We’re in second half play when Raymond Gentle raises this spot kick to Whitfield Patnett but the header sails high. A few minutes later Patnett centers this ball into the danger zone, the goalkeeper makes the initial stop, nevertheless the rebound reaches Tyrone Muschamp whose launch comes up with power but obviously lacks direction. In the meantime, the Placencia defense fails to clear this ball, which allows Patnett to launch the shot. It crashes against the crossbar and bounces to Tyrone Muschamp who makes amends with this header that gives Kraal Road a 1-zip lead sixty-one minutes in. The Assassins try to respond immediately with this long distance left foot bounces from Marvin Leslie that inches outside the sticks. It’s Placencia pushing the action sp Leomer Garcia fires this half volley to the near post but he can’t get it past Stanley Reneau. On this press, Placencia looks for the tie from Garnie White whose grass head burner misses the target badly. We’ve got to say this turn around by John Kong Jr. is potent but again not deadly. It’s another miss for Placencia when this corner kick allows Travis Eiley to pass this head at goal to no avail. Kraal Road hangs on to the 1-zip big W to finish regular season atop the standings in the north zone with twenty-three points.
In other action around the league, Hattieville FC and Santa Elena Synergy battled to a four all stalemate at Cayo. Folks, three games were not concluded over the weekend; San Felipe Barcelona versus Texmar, Valley Renaissance against San Pedro and Cayo South faces Paradise Freedom Fighters. These three matches will complete regular season play and should be staged during this week so stay tuned.
Turning to the BPFL, week nine saw Hankook Verdes blank FC Belize 1-zip, while the B.D.F. marched over Wagiya 2-1. In week ten, the B.D.F. faces Wagiya on Saturday and Hankook Verdes comes to the M.C.C. Grounds on Sunday to face FC Belize.
In cricket news, Game two of the Champion of Champions series between Excellence of Double Head, the champion of the National Cricket Association and Sunrise of Lords Bank the champ of the Belize District Association was staged yesterday at Lords Bank and Excellence batted first and could only muster eighty-nine runs all out thanks to an impressive performance by Dean Perez who took seven wickets and then came out to lead his team with sixteen runs. In their turn at bat, Sunrise totaled ninety runs with three wickets to tie the series at one apiece. And here is the man of the match award being presented to Dean Perez by Justice Denys Barrow.
Dean Perez, Sunrise Cricket Team
“Dah wah serious practice. We do a very heavy practice this week because di game that play I neva play and I come here with very blood eena mi eyes afta Double Head. And I thank all di rest ah mi player dehn fi whatever we do and next week it will be di same way.”
Alburn Rivero, Executive, B.D.C.A.
“I want to thank God and I really tip my hat off to the other team. They played their part well, but what we did was to go back to the drawing board and we looked at what we did wrong in Double Head and put it in this game and came out on top because we studied what we need to do. We did what we need to do and that made us prevail. Next week, it will be a big game. Both of us have won one already. My team, I guarantee a victory. It will be a big match and I invite everyone to come out and to see a very well played game next week. We from Sunrise will guarantee the victory.”
So all roads lead to Burrell Boom this Saturday for Belizean Cricket at its finest.
In Table Tennis, action in the competition at the Belize Elementary Auditorium saw team Jones handle Team Rivero Penta 5-3, No Mercy stopped Suga City 5-3, Rivero Penta edged No Mercy 5-4 and Team ACE downed Suga City 5-2. Team ACE currently leads in the standings with six wins, one loss, Team Racqueteers shows five and one while Suga City and Team Jones are tied with identical records of five wins and three losses.
On the cycling scene, this is one time we’re sorry we don’t have any pictures. Nevertheless, break out the champagne anyway. From a field of twenty-eight riders and a distance of forty-four miles, Kenneth Butler outsprinted Phillip Dawson to claim Saturday’s Catt four and five Masters Race. Leroy Cassasola finished third and Collet Maheia and Glen O’Brien were tied for fourth place.
Hey folks, that’s our show for today. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
