Texmar Boys take Kraal Road in playoffs action
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and we’re certainly glad to have you onboard for this ride we call Sports Monday.
And people what a ride it was for Kraal Road of Belize City who hosted the number one seed Texmar Boys and Independence in week two of the Belize Bank Super League playoffs yesterday inside the M.C.C. Grounds. In the opening minute Kraal Road looks to shake the net when Raymond Gentle pounces on this defensive miscue but Steven Lopez makes a difficult save. And indeed all Leon Jones needs to do is smack this ball into an empty net and he could have given Kraal Road the opening goal of the match. Instead, he let’s Texmar off the hook. On this press out the other end Carlos Valle gets a good look at goal that seems to convince us that you must be quick but please don’t hurry. Texmar is now operating on all cylinders when Anthony Bernard is asked to make a run for Kraal Road which he does rather successfully. However, when Bernard is called to handle this right foot push from victor Franco he comes up empty as Texmar Boys take a 1-zip lead twenty-two minutes in. In the meantime, Bernard’s goal remains under attack when Jeovani Reyes dials this long distance message that just screams over the horizontal bar. Nevertheless, the ride continues to get shakier for Kraal Road when they fail to get the equalizer on this press and I guess they want their goal gift wrapped today. Some seven minutes into second half, Ashley Torres outruns the Kraal Road defense but his attempt at goal is rather disappointing. Say hello to that wily veteran Norman “Tillyman” Nunez Pipersburgh who shows he still has what it takes when he bends this spot kick at the near post and Bernard cannot clear it for the 2-zip Texmar lead at the fifty-sixth minute. It’s all Texmar now people and if the scoring of this goal was vital to his team, Ashley Torres would have been scapegoated since it’s a goal even George Tillett would have scored. Kraal Road almost gets one back when Mark Grant floats this left foot at goal that forces Steven Lopez to get a much needed finger on it. At the eighty-third meeting Torres finally makes amends when he leaves Bernard on the mat to make it a 3-zip ballgame. Texmar looks for more when Dalton Eiley fires this bomb that is only denied by the crossbar. It’s a beaten Kraal Road team now and we’re into injury time when Torres helps his team again; this time with the assist to Gillmore Palacio who scores into an empty net for the 4-zip Texmar Boys big W. We just want to say people that the young Kraal Road team was beaten by the depth and experience of the defending champion Texmar Boys.
In the other playoff match up over the weekend, Valley Renaissance doubled San Felipe 2-1 at the Carl Ramos. Thus, going into week three Texmar Boys and Valley Renaissance are tied at four points apiece while Kraal Road and San Felipe are tied with one point each. On this Sunday’s schedule Texmar Boys travel to San Felipe Barcelona while Valley Renaissance comes to test Kraal Road at the M.C.C. Grounds.
Turning to the cycling scene, the 2009 Valentine Cycling Classic comes up this Sunday the fifteenth February and here’s the spokesman for the Belize Cycling Association Kwame Scott to fill us in.
Kwame Scott, Spokesperson, Belize Cycling Assn.
“This Sunday, February fifteenth, Belize Telemedia and Love FM in collaboration with the Belize Cycling Association will be presenting the 2009 version of the Valentines Day Cycling Classic. With the absence of the M&M Tour—which there will be no M&M Tour this year—we have re-implemented the official Valentines Day cycling Classic. It starts at the San Ignacio Hotel in Cayo, travels west to the Benque border and heads back to Belize City. The juniors and females will ride from Central Farm to Belize City, one way. Both races begin at nine a.m. sharp, both races finish at Leslie’s Imports.”
In other cycling news, Saturday’s fifty mile association race on the Northern Highway saw Giovanni Leslie of Santino’s take the ride in two hours, five minutes, fifty-four seconds. Tariq Cano took second, Armidez Rivas third, Roger Troyer fourth while Leroy Cassasola rounds out the top five.
Meanwhile, the Santino forty-two mile race was taken by Glen O’Brien of Santino’s in one hour, fifty minutes, thirty-four seconds he beat the nearest contenders by almost a minute. Albert Conorquie took second in uncontested fashion while Vallan Symms impressed the cycling community by sprinting in for third place. Bwai Vallan, yoh big.
On the cricket scene, game one of the three game Belize Rural Cricket championships staged on Saturday saw excellence of Double Head Cabbage extend the series to a decisive game three by shocking Brilliant of Crooked Tree 156-84 on forty-six runs from Kenny Broaster who also mowed down seven wickets. Those are MVP numbers. Game three comes up at Lord’s Bank for the prestigious Harrison Parks trophy this Saturday. If Excellence wins they’ll own the silverware permanently having won three in a row.
In softball news, softball fans and enthusiasts are reminded of the upcoming sixth annual C.L.B. Rogers Memorial Softball Tournament which will be staged on Sunday, February fifteenth, 2009. The tournament will feature teams from Independence, Independence Stappaz, Belmopan City Emeralds, Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy, and host team, Lady Rebels of Belize City. The action starts at eleven o’clock a.m. with a short ceremony and then we get busy for the single elimination tournament. You won’t want to miss it. As always, the CLB Rogers tournament is a biggy in the city.
In other sporting news, the Belize City Council presents Street Games and a Road Race on Albert Street this Sunday, fifteenth February. The action begins at ten a.m. in front of Scotiabank. It’s an all day family bash that will feature four top local artists. Yeah guys, bring out the children.
Now let’s to Capital City, Belmopan, where Saturday game three of the Belmopan Basketball championships took center stage as UB Jaguars tried to force a game three after losing 72-63 Thursday night to the mighty San Pedro Tigersharks. So Stephen Williams gets going early, going all the way for two points form the tip off to show that UB is serious. It’s more UB when center Lindbergh Graham offers up this floater that banks off the glass for two. However, the Tigersharks do wake up; Doug Rendland wants three, he gets three. At the other end, Tyrone Castillo dishes to Winston Pratt who gets two. At the end of the first half, UB Jaguars have jumped to 44-40 to lead.
In early third quarter Kirk Burgess gives the Tigersharks three points the old fashion way. Of course, Stephen Williams remains on fire for the university going over Burgess for two points. Down by eight, Burgess comes up with this turn around that cuts into the deficit. For a moment here it looks like Winston Pratt wants to slam it but UB will take the two points. At the end of three it’s a 64-58 Jaguars lead. This shot by Ryan Zuniga makes it a twelve point lead for the University with some seven minutes remaining. But here comes San Pedro, Kirk Burgess spots up for three and drains it. Keith “Mr. Superman” Acosta then comes up with this big time put back as the Tigersharks inch closer. It’s another put back for Acosta as he brings his team to within two points with three minutes forty-eight seconds to go and Acosta pumped up. With a minute twenty-five to go, Kelvin Gillette gives San Pedro the fire lead with this big time three pointer and then Burgess comes up with this crucial steal to go all the way for two points. Give it up for San Pedro Tigersharks who grab the 83-81 big W to claim this year’s Belmopan title and we say congratulations.
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.
