James Adderley, sports guru, with the play by play
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and you’re very welcome to this delivery of Sports Monday.
The Caribbean Motor Cup Playoffs moved into high gear over the weekend as the four finalists began the fight to make it into the championship round. Inside the Carl Ramos Stadium, the new home site for Georgetown Ibayani, who hosted Hankook Verdes Saturday night. We’re only seven minutes in when Richard Jimenez hooks up with Jose Monroy who gives the Cayo team a quick 1-zip lead with a wicked right foot that crashes into the net. The visitors look to double the lead when Daniel Jimenez attacks off the left wing, beating three defenders before he offers a weak launch at the conclusion of the run. Georgetown then looks for the equalizer off this spot from outside the eighteen by Darwin Castillo that forces a big time save from Jamie Brooks in the Verdes goal. It’s at the seventeenth minute of this ballgame that Ibayani gets the equalizer, which comes off this corner kick that finds Deon Burgess whose crushing header reaches the back of the net despite a gallant defensive effort from Everal Gabourel at the near post. Verdes then tries to forge ahead off a set piece of their own, but Amin August can’t head the ball between the sticks. At the other end, Deon Burgess looks for his second goal of the match but this right foot swing won’t get the job done against Jamie Brooks. For certain folks, Daniel Jimenez would want this one back because he does everything right until it’s time to hit the target. On this Georgetown offensive push, Darwin Castillo gets this one on one face off with Jamie Brooks, which the Verdes goalkeeper wins rather easily.
We’re some twelve minutes into second half play when Marlon Meza tries to surprise Elias Pelayo in the Ibayani goal but the keeper recovers in time. Verdes continues pushing the pace and this left foot from Juan Maldonado maybe should have been dished to Everal Gabourel. Around the eighty-second minute, Darwin Castillo launches this low cruise missile from long distance. Goalkeeper Brooks mishandles forcing him into a race for the ball with Deon Burgess. The takedown is obvious and referee Williams rules penalty and chases Brooks off the field of play. Darwin Castillo steps up against the substitute keeper, Hugo Reneau, and makes it look easy as he gives Georgetown a 2-1 lead. It would be the game winner as the 2-1 score holds up to the end of play.
In the other semi-final showdown, the Belize Defence Force blanked FC Belize 1-zip at the FFB Field yesterday. This round is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, May sixteenth when Hankook Verdes plays host to Georgetown Ibayani and FC Belize faces the BDF for game two inside the MCC Grounds.
Checking in on the Belize Bank Super League over the weekend, City Boys United blanked Cayo South 2-zip, Nizhee Corozal stopped Santa Elena Synergy in a 2-1 finish, Hattieville FC edged San Felipe Barcelona 2-1 while Placencia Assassin burned Belize United 1-nil. On Saturday, May fifteenth City Boys will host Hattieville and Cayo South gets a visit form San Felipe Barcelona while on Sunday May sixteenth, Nizhee Corozal will be at home against Placencia Assassins and Belize United Travels to Santa Elena.
Turning to the cycling scene, the twenty-first annual Sol Female Cross Country Classic blasts off this Sunday, May sixteenth 2010 at eight-thirty a.m. from Colombus Park in Cayo to Memorial Park here in Belize City, a seventy mile ride. Guatemalan, Paola Salazar of team Sagitun is expected to defend her title and the challengers include, Shalini Zabaneh, Fiona Humes, Anthea Sutherland, Jamie Lee Usher, Janelle Chanona, Jane Usher, Bobby Lee Usher, Gina Lovell, Sheena Castillo and Michelle Cano. Don’t miss this explosion.
In related news, Shalini Zabaneh, finished thirteenth in a time of four minutes, twelve seconds, in the twenty mile individual time trial event at Aguas Calietenes in Mexico.
In other cycling news, Byron Pope of Benny’s Megabytes won the BCA’s Saturday race on the Boom Circuit beating out Santino’s Leroy Cassasola and his teammate George Abraham Jr. Brandon Cattouse of C-Ray pulled up fourth while Christian McNish of Benny’s Megabytes rounds out the top five.
Finally folks, the Inter-Office Volleyball Tournament got off with two matches on Saturday. Defending champion, Belize Telemedia survived a scare from Brodies Milo to grab the come from behind win, 17-25, 25-18, 15-9. In game two, BATSUB beat Atlantic Bank 25-16, 25-22. On Tuesday May eleventh, FirstCaribbean Diamonds takes on Belize Telemedia and BATSUB matches up with Brodies Milo.
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.
