Football, basketball & softball in weekend sports
Good evening I’m James Adderley and you’re locked into this week’s issue of Sports Monday.
With the F.C. Belize protests relegated to the rejection heap by a hostility convened protest committee last week, the Regent Cup kicked off its 2008 championship series yesterday inside the Carl Ramos stadium with Llagulei of Dangriga hosting a surging Nizhee Corozal football club in game one of the two game jaunt. We’re in the opening minutes of this ballgame when Sergio Villanueva of Corozal gets this one on one look at goal only to see Kevin Dawson snuff out his attempt. Three minutes later Julio Valle gets this look he should have converted for the north but he doesn’t. The home team finally comes alive when Allan Flores fires this spot kick that screams over the crossbar. At the other end Antonio Castillo launches this floater that forces Dawson to take to the air; he does enough to take care of the situation. Give Elroy Kuylen his props for this magnificent sport kick but give goalkeeper Benito Moreira nuff respect for his rapid response right here and at the half we have a scoreless ballgame.
Immediately into the second half captain Kareem Haylock of Dangriga, who was at the center of the F.C. Belize protest, gets this look at goal, botches the shot, begs for a penalty; a plea ignored by the man in the middle. Folks, disaster strikes the home team when Elroy Kuylen goes for the defense instead of the ball. He eventually gets a red card out of this incident reducing the Griga team to ten men strong. El matador, Julio Valle, then tries to capitalize off this nice pass with a vicious left foot that rises over the sticks. In the meantime, both Glen Martinez and Kareem Haylock get a chance each to crank it up for Llagulei on this play; both fall short of the mark. It’s Dangriga again on the attack, this time from off the corner kick. Gilbert Swaso can’t get enough on the header to make it count. At the other end Sergio Villanueva fires this floater at goal but it does sail over the crossbar. We’re ninety-four minutes in when the give-and-go between Aaron McLaughlin and Gilbert Swaso ends up with McLaughlin smacking the pill in to the net as Llagulei takes a 1-zip big W in extra time. Llagulei of Dangriga now heads this Sunday, December seventh, for game two which begins at three p.m. and you certainly won’t want to miss it.
Turning to the Super League of Soccer, weekend results show that Texmar Boys bombed Lucky Strike 6-zip, Kraal Road handled Valley Renaissance in a 2-nil final, Lake-Collet Survivors and Barrio Fino battled to a 1-1 draw and San Felipe edged Cayo South 3-2. Incidentally folks, Western Rebel has been suspended by the league and no points will be recorded off this team. Thus, the new standings show Texmar leading with thirty-three points, San Felipe Barcelona is next twenty-six, Kraal Road twenty-one, Cayo South seventeen, both Valle Renaissance and Lake-Collet Survivors show sixteen points a piece, Barrio Fino fifteen, Lucky Strike nine and Tsunami in the cellar with seven points.
In basketball news, Maxi-basketball play yesterday saw Classic Purex mash up B.W.S. Bulls 73-57, O.W. Running Rebels outlasted Belmopan in double overtime 57-54, Old Technical Rebels ran over Maria Chang 42-36, and defending champion Alberts handled Old Cemetery 60-57. Sundays schedule at the City Center will find O.W. Rebels facing Old Technical Rebels, Belmopan goes up against Maria Chang in a battle of winless ball clubs, Classic Purex clashes with Old Cemetery and undefeated Alberts takes on B.W.S. Bulls.
In other basketball news, U.B. swept the ATLIB National Tournament by beating Ecumenical Jr. College 32-29 in the male finals and then doubled by beating Ecumenical Jr. College again 26-14 to take the female title and we say congratulations.
In softball news, we caught up with the visiting Illinois State College Team as it took on the National Team of Belize at Rogers Stadium yesterday. We’re in the fourth inning with a runner on third when Amber Smith of the U.S. hits pitcher, Lanisha Jones hard to bring in the first run of the ballgame. Belize ties the score when Sharette Vernon hits to the infield the catcher can’t hang to the throw, Shadalie Ho scores. However, Jolene Davis is cut down at the plate. Megan Warren then serves up this ball to Greta Davis who crushes it to the outfield bringing home Sharette Vrenon for the 2-1 Belize lead. In the second inning Becca Batikas gets this big hit that allows Kara Wilson to score all the way from first as Belize hangs on to a 3-2 lead. Katie Mathis then comes out in the fourth inning with this power swing causing a collision of the outfielder of Belize. Kaprice Williams scores and Mathis comes all the way around to make it a two run swing and we have a 4-4 score going to the bottom of the fourth. In the top of the fifth Jones serves up this hit to Jessie Bukie that brings home the speedy Kara Nelson. Casey Garill comes up with a triple that brings home two more runs. Illinois goes on to post the 11-4 big W.
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.
