James Adderley has weekend sports
Good evening, I’m James Adderley with this week’s portion of Sports Monday. After an undefeated run in the semi-final round of the Belize Bank Super league post season, Valley Renaissance of Stann Creek was confident enough to give away home field advantage. So they headed to the Michael Ashcroft Stadium Saturday night for game one of the three game football championship series with Texmar Boys of Independence. Was it a good gamble? We’ll soon find out. The first real threat at goal in this ballgame comes from the home team Texmar Boys when Wilmer Garcia turns on this ball forcing Woodrow West into a diving save. At the other end, Harrison Tasher creates much excitement for Griga fans on this effort only to cause bitter disappointment with an errant push that is easily cleared. Tasher did make unintentional contact with goalkeeper Marcel Garbutt which was ignored by the man with the whistle. Mercifully, Garbutt would return to action. We’re at the thirty-sixth minute of action when Arnold Torres picks out Carlos Valle and his right foot volley gives Texmar a 1-zip lead.
Folks, after intermission Valley Renaissance attacks off the set piece. Ruben Ortiz triggers into the danger zone, Harrison Tasher keep sit alive to Byron Perez who fires. Tasher redirects the shot and we have a 1-1 ballgame just like that. Three minutes later Harrison Tasher lets loose this screamer from long distance that crashes into the net and Valley Renaissance now boasts a 2-1 lead. Meanwhile folks, Marcel Garbutt creates problems for himself when he misplays this routine highball Allen McLaughlin tries to capitalize but Garbutt gives up his body to make the save. In a bid for the equalizer Wilmer Garcia tries to go behind Woodrow West who recovers in time to make the stop. At the eighty-second minute Robert Muschamp sets table for Ashley Torres and the vicious left foot ties the ballgame at two apiece. It’s now a pumped up Texmar Boys so Arnold Torres goes for the win with this floater that Woodrow West pushes over the crossbar. In the waning moments of regulation play, Torres centers to Victor Franco, fresh off the bench, whose first touch certainly lets him down. It’s a must win ballgame so we go to overtime and Jason Kelly mounts this move that almost gives the valley the lead but somehow the hardworking Marcel Garbutt comes up with the pill. Texmar Boys almost take the lead when poor defensive play by the valley gives Gilmore Palacio this look at goal that is handled by West. Folks, fourteen minutes into overtime this corner kick finds Ashley Torres, his weak header somehow beats Woodrow West to make it 3-2 and the valley would never recover as Texmar Boys take game one at Independence. I guess so much for giving away home field advantage in a championship series. Game two goes to the Carl Ramos Stadium this Sunday and Valley Renaissance must win to extend the series. Twenty-five thousand dollars is at stake.
In cycling news, Darnell Barrow won Saturday’s fifty mile race presented by the Belize Cycling Association in a blistering four man sprint that saw him edge Santino teammate Gregory Lovell, Brandon Cattouse of C-Ray and Byron Pope of Benny’s Megabytes in that order. They were all timed at two hours, six minutes forty-five seconds. A minute later Glen O’Brien rolled in to round out the top five.
On the billiards scene, Advance Advertising crushed challengers of Punta Gorda to take the Open Nine Ball Billiard Tournament presented at Belmopan by the Belize Billiards Sports Federation. Jr. Pool Club of Orange Walk finishes third and we must give young Naim Rosado of Jr. Pool Club kudos for emerging with MVP honours while special mention must be also made of another youth, Jevon Parham of Challengers from PG.
Turning to the National High School Softball Tournament staged at Roger’s Stadium over the weekend where four male teams and four female teams battled for the title in their respective divisions. Orange Walk Technical High School arrived at the male finals to face the pre-tournament favourite Independence High School. For the team from the north, things got off to a rocky start in the very first inning when Kevin Tillett walks this batter on this wild pitch that allows two runs to come in. it’s another run for Independence when Tillett serves up this hit that is smashed to the outfield and it should have been caught; obviously it wasn’t. Talk about poor defense; the pitcher and the catcher do what they’ve sufficed to do but the short stop babbles the ball. Dale Williams comes in to score from third base on this error. Justin Linares then smacks this growler to the outfield and again horrible defense by O.W. allows Edwin Hurado to bring in one more run. On defense Independence High also displays superiority. Pitcher Lloyd Coe would not allow a runner to reach base in his opening inning. Here he molds down Jevon Ico. Kenet Perez does hit the ball against Coe but it’s right to the infield for the easy out. And then Ivan Leiva is struck out here, you get the picture. Independence High School pummels Orange Walk Tech 13-zip to claim the male title as Edwin Alvaro walks away with the MVP award.
On the female side, Belmopan Comprehensive outlasted Stann Creek Ecumenical 11-9 to claim the national female title with Jana Trapp emerging MVP. Hey folks, congratulations to one and all.
Nevertheless, that’s it for today. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.