James Adderley with the latest in sports news
Good evening, I’m James Adderley. This is Sports Monday.
We begin with yesterday’s showdown in the Caribbean Motors Cup tournament at the M.C.C. Grounds where the defending champions, the Belize Defence Force, hosted Georgetown Ibayani in a tale of teams streaking in different directions. We’re fifteen minutes in when Kenroy Authors of Ibayani eats this elbow from Gilbert Swaso who finds Orlando Jimenez and the left foot swing gives B.D.F. a 1-zip lead. A word to Georgetown, only the referee’s whistle can stop play. The visitors try to reply off this spot kick launched by number fourteen, Bernard Linarez, that bends for him but does not have the pace to get past Woodrow West. At the other end, Evan Mariano goes offensive with this individual effort that culminates with a blast off the near upright. Some thirty-two minutes in, Kenroy Authors finds Darwin Castillo who gets off this wicked right foot shot which embarrasses Woodrow West and we have a tied ballgame at one apiece. Clifton West then fires this long distance left foot bouncer to break the tie but Elias Pelayo, in the visitors’ goal, reaches in time to take care of the situation. In the meantime, the B.D.F. defense still does not adjust to the skills of Darwin Castillo who makes them pay with this move that gives Georgetown Ibayani a 2-1 lead at the thirty-ninth minute.
In second half play David Trapp fires this corner kick into the danger zone but Jimenez and Nunez seem to get in each other’s way. Nevertheless, it’s Ibayani who gets the first real chance at goal after intermission when this center reaches the goal mouth, Bernard Linarez keeps it alive but the header by Alexander Peters skims over the target. Talk about giving up your body for the team, Clifton does just that when Jimenez beats him which brings about a dangerous clash with goalkeeper Elias Pelayo who adds a back foot kick to the fallen player. The referee issues another yellow card to Pelayo who has to leave but more importantly he awards a penalty kick. Vallan Symms steps up and the replacement keeper simply has no chance at the save as the B.D.F. ties the score at 2-apiece seventy-two minutes in. meanwhile, the military gets this look at goal to move ahead late in the ballgame but Albert Swaso unleashes a high riser and the 2-2 score holds up.
In other action around the league, BRC Blaze got its first season win by shelling Shanaiah Corozal 2-1 at Belmopan. Out at the island San Pedro Seadogs held Hankook Verdes to a scoreless stalemate while at the Toledo Union Field Paradise Freedom Fighters burned F.C. Belize 1-zip. Round twelve will be staged on Wednesday April fourteenth with all matches scheduled for seven-thirty p.m. F.C. Belize travels to BRC Blaze, Georgetown Ibayani will host Paradise Freedom Fighters, San Pedro Seadogs head to Shanaiah Corozal and Hankook Verdes will be inside the Norman Broaster stadium against the B.D.F.
In other football news, the Belize Bank Super League launched its 2010 season over the weekend with four matches. Saturday at the M.C.C. City Boys United and Santa Elena Synergy struggled to a 1-1 tie. On Sunday at San Felipe Barcelona beat Belize United 2-1 at Hattieville. Hattieville F.C. blanked Nizhee Corozal 2-zip and at Belmopan Placencia Assassin got a penalty to edge Cayo South 1-nil. This week’s schedule gets off on Saturday with Belize United hosting Hattieville F.C. and then on Sunday San Felipe Barcelona travels to Santa Elena, City Boys journey to the Placencia Assassins while Shanaiah Corozal will host Cayo South.
Checking football play in the Stann Creek District Mayors Cup, action over the weekend saw Benguche F.C. beat Valley Stars 1-nil, Southside F.C. and Triple N United battled to a scoreless draw, Hope Creek Pumas crushed Youth for the Future 3-1 and Griga line jolted Valley Pride 3-zip. Looking ahead on Friday, Harlem battles Hope Creek and Valley Pride sees action against Georgetown while on Sunday X42 takes aim at Leslie’s Commercial and Southside will face Griga Line.
In news from the Central American Games at Panama, the host country defeated Belize in Female Volleyball play on Saturday 25-12, 25-13, 25-20 in straight sets. Belize’s sole karate athlete fell to Nicaragua 2-1. In female softball play, Belize blanked Nicaragua 5-zip as Francine Hoare gets the W and Jolene Davis hit a homerun. However, out team lost to Panama 10-7 and in male softball, Belize beat Costa Rica 17-13 but lost to Panama 7-zip. On Sunday, the males lost 10-nil to Honduras and 8-7 to El Salvador. This means they must beat Nicaragua later this week to make the four team playoffs. On the female side on Sunday, Belize bombed El Salvador 5-zip as Francine Hoare records the W and then trounced the host team Panama 11-4 with Tanisha Jones and a grand slam homerun from Lisa Jones. A win today against El Salvador put Belize in the four team playoffs as the number one seed.
So now let’s head to the City Center for the senior showdown in the Ballin’ 4 Life Tournament where Belmopan Bandits took on Brothers’ Habet Berger Boys yesterday. It’s Kirk Burgess jumping around against Elsworth Itza and we’re underway. Jay Chavarria opens the scoring with the three point play that gets the Bandits off to a good start. Of course, Berger Boys have a slasher of their own in the person of Greg Rudon who goes glass for two. He would put up a two doubles of a team high twenty-three points and eleven rebounds. Now watch Elsworth Itza with the offensive rebound and the put back. He too would record a two double with the game high thirteen boards and sixteen points. However, Jay Chavarria is hot tonight and he sports up from the corner for three of his twenty points tonight. Kirk Burgess also wants three and gets three. Burgess would shoot thirty-seven percent from the field for sixteen points. As at the end of first quarter, the Bandits show a 27-16 lead. It’s more of a game in the second quarter. Bandits Captain Aubrey Lopez sinks this three pointer. He would shoot fifty-eight point eight percent from the field for a game high thirty-three points at the half the Bandits have extended the lead by seventeen points. We fast forward to the beginning of the fourth quarter with Berger Boys facing a twenty-one point deficit so Itza spots up three and he gets it. Delhart Dominguez gets into the action as he gets two of his seventeen points between two defenders. Give the assist to Greg Rudon who dishes to Dominguez who strikes for three. Greg Rudon then comes up with the steal and sinks the tre as the fourth quarter rally continues. The lead is down to ten with five minutes to go when Itza finds Lenton Noralez with the long pass and the deuce is automatic. Unfortunately, the Habet team forgets about defense so Burgess deals to Aubrey Lopez unguarded under the basket for the easy bucket. It’s another easy deuce when Burgess picks up his fifth assist with this pass to Dorian Jones. Berger Boys go on to post the 94-84 big W.
In the junior open yesterday, Belize Bank Bulldogs bombed Youth Hostel 96-36 led by twenty-five points from Matthew Young. Meanwhile folks, Friday night’s senior ticket produced a shocker as formerly undefeated UB Black Jaguars got bitten by the San Pedro Tiger Sharks who now sport an international rooster that reminds one of the glory days of semi-pro basketball. The Sharks took them out in a 92-72 blowout that has shaken up the league.
Turning to the cricket scene, action in the Smart Harrison Parks competition saw the defending national champion Excellence has now posted a perfect 8 and 0 record at this juncture.
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.
