James Adderley with the latest sports
Good Evening I am James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
It was as if Mother Nature conspired against the Caribbean Motors Cup finals inside MCC grounds, yesterday as it soaked the city all day, cancelling Channel Five’s live airing and forcing most fans to stay indoors. What had been anticipated a grand and glorious event was unfortunately reduced to the bare basics. Nevertheless, the BPFL was adamant that the show would go on regardless of the prevailing conditions and its impact on the pitch. So with the big whistle, we’re underway in game two of the championship series between the challenger Georgetown Ibayani and the defending champion, The Belize Defence force who came in with a 2-1 from game one at Dangriga. Immediately Ibayani looks to do something about that, when Alexander Peters fires this trick shot on the run that made Woodraw West do some work inside his goal. However, the military up lies with their centre from Orlando Jimenez, that Lisbey Castillo could not quite power with his head. He beat goalkeeper Elias Pelayo to the ball, finds Kareem Haylock, who centre to Gilbert Swaso but the header fails to find the target. Georgetown comes right back with this set piece triggered by Bernard Linarez that takes a deflection ,which almost beats Woodrow West ,who recovers in time. It’s more Ibayani when Darwin Castillo unleashes this wicked right foot that beats West, but is kept out by the far upright. Now watch this play people, Orlando Jimenez has possession, gives way to Kareem Haylock, who is beaten to the ball by goalkeeper, Elias Pelayo. Jimenez recovers, beats Pelayo and then grounds the ball into a goal keeperless goal as the Belize Defence Force grab a 1-0 lead at the forty-third minute of the ballgame. The B.D.F.’s march to a second straight BPFL title seems to be going according to plan, now with a 3-1 aggregate lead.
So we go to second half and this right away half volley from Orlando Jimenez just screams over the crossbar as the BDF looks to close out the show. David Trapp then mounts this individual effort to unleash this low goose missile that inches outside the far upright. Now, watch to the right of your screen as Kenroy Arthurs displays impressive offensive skills to fire off this wicked left foot shot only to see West dig it out. It’s more Georgetown, when Deon Burgess dances through the Military Defence to take a goal, but again Woodrow West handles the situation. In the meantime this header from Tyrone Pandy provides a big problem for Pelayo but the bounce travels on the wrong wide of the near upright. At the other end, Kenroy Arthurs gets this look at goal for Georgetown and indeed he should have done better with this chance. When Orlando Jimenez hooks up with Dennis Serano, fresh from off the bench, the strikers bombs Pelayo with the left foot to give his team a 2-0 lead; and there seems to be an early celebration by the military on the touchline. When the long whistle sounds, the Belize Defence Force has picked up the two nil victory to capture its second BPFL title in a row and we say congratulations. Let’s quickly go to the awards ceremony, Bernard Linarez of Georgetown Ibayani takes home the best midfield award. Kent Gabourel of San Pedro Sea Dogs received the Best Defence Award. Woodrow West of the BDF was voted as Best Goalkeeper. Coach of the year honours went to Palmiro Salas. Orlando Jimenez captures the MVP title for the playoffs, while his brother, Daniel Jimenez of Hankook Verdes, emerges MVP for the regular season; he had the most goals and was voted Best Forward. So Georgetown Ibayani gets the runner up trophy and of course the big one goes to the Belize Defence force and again we say congratulations.
Turning to other football news, here are the results from the weekends of playing the Belize Bank Super League. San Felipe Barcelona bombed Belize United FC 5-1. Hattieville FC hurt Nizhee Corozal in a one zip affair. Santa Elena Synergy sunk City boys Untied 2-1 and Placencia Assassins crushed Cayo South five to nothing. Looking ahead to week nine in the Super league, on Saturday Santa Elena will visit san Felipe Barcelona ,that’s at the People’s Stadium. On Sunday, Hattieville will host Belize United, Nizhee Corozal will travel to Cayo South United and City Boys will get a visit from Placencia Assassin.
Checking the Belize Female Football League on Saturday at Dangriga, Pumas and Millennium battle to a 3-3 stale mate, while Gentle Touch edged Placencia Pearls at Esperanza, 3-2. Meanwhile, Hopkins Millennium boys burned Benguche 3-2 to capture the Stann Creek District Membership title 2010, while Southside rolled over Leslie Commercial3-1, to grab third place. We say good slow to the Mayor’s Cup and yeah let’s do it again next year.
In Table Tennis News, the 2010 Elite Veterans championship was won by Hector Lopez, who beat Davis Huang for that particular title. Hollis Parham took third place by getting past Samuel Sukhnandan, we say congratulations to the top four finishers. Finally folks, now that we’ve cleared both our sporting and legal hurdles as far as basketball goes, the National Basketball Team of Belize will participate in Central Basket inside the Dominican Republic. The ten best teams from Central America and the Caribbean will be vying for the top two spots from two groups of five each, which means four will go on. Belize will be playing Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Cuba, and Puerto Rico in that order. Puerto Rico is the only team in this group that is superior on paper so we should make it to the Tournament of the Americas, so stay tuned.
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.
