Champion of Champions competition plays in Benque Viejo
Good evening, I’m James Adderley punching out this week’s portion of Sports Monday.
Fanfare, amusement and entertainment provided an atmosphere of excitement and party as the Benque Fiesta roared to life over the weekend out west. Even the prevailing rains couldn’t dampen the session at La Isla de Benque Viejo and it certainly had a big time impact on the All Star Champions football showdown that anchored this year’s festivities. Standing in the corner and hailing from the Belize Premier Football League, led by Omario Perdomo, is the 2008 Regents Cup Champions Hankook Verdes of Cayo. And in the other corner hailing from the Super League of Belize, led by Michael Blease, is the first ever champion of this football league, Texmar Boys f Mango Creek. At stake today is a five thousand dollar prize money for the Big W but even more important than that is the bragging rights to be earned by the two competing semi-pro soccer leagues of this nation.
The team from the south looks to draw first blood in the opening minute when they launch this header that beats Jamie Brooks and forces Everal Gabourel to literally dig it out of the goal. Verdes’ response comes on the very next play when Richard Jimenez centers to his brother Landi who scores but is ruled to be the offside by referee Williams. On this set piece Landi Jimenez decides to go direct at goal but its straight to goalkeeper Stephen Lopez who gets help to make the clearance. Folks, today Landi Jimenez appears to be in a zone and this left foot off the spot kick again creates tension for the southern team. We’ll slow this play down for you folks at home to see that Francisco Seuto, the Brazilian, has this point blank looks at goal but just blows it. At the other end, Marvin Leslie runs on to this ball to unleash a screamer at goal only to see Jaime Brooks come up with a humungous save. Again, Texmar goes to the set piece and we must say Wilmer Garcia does an excellent job of attacking the goal from long distance. At the half we have a scoreless ballgame. In second half action this attempt at clearance by Everal Trapp almost converts into the dreaded auto-goal but it doesn’t. At the other end Daniel Jimenez cracks this right foot at goal. Stephen Lopez handles the situation. We’re some thirty-five minutes into the second half when this defensive misplay allows Landi Jimenez to put a foot on the ball and Verdes leads 1-zip. It’s getting late so Texmar sends for Guilmore Palacio whose left foot offering looks for the equalizer. Some five minutes away from the whistle, Jamie Brooks should have handled this header. The rebound eventually reaches Guilmore Palacio and just like that we have a tied ballgame. Just before the regulation whistle arrives Ashley Torres gets this chance to steal the win for the South but the pill inches outside the sticks. So we go to overtime. Two minutes into overtime Humberto Requena pats this ball towards the goal and boom Verdes is up 2-1. Verdes gets pumped up and wants more so Daniel Jimenez fires this shot at goal that bounces off the near post. In the meantime, Bernard Linarez beats the keeper to this ball only to see his attempt at the equalizer for the south denied by the upright. Things get worse fort he southerners when Daniel Jimenez is cut down inside the eighteen by Brent Whyte and referee Williams rules penalty. Landi Jimenez makes the conversion look easy as he pushes Verdes’ lead to 3-1. Of course, Texmar is not about to quit and immediately fires back when Ashley Torres’ header crashes into the net cutting the deficit to one. Alas it was as close as the southern guys would get. And here is the Verdes representative receiving the five thousand dollar cheque from Benque Viejo Mayor Marconi Sosa. People, the winner takes all including the beautiful trophy you see on your screen right here. More importantly folks, this jubilant Hankook Verdes team thinks they’re the best in the nation and they have the best league and well … maybe they are. Chalk one up for Maito Perdomo and the B.P.F.L.
In other football news, the back match in the Female Football Competition on Saturday saw Sugar City Girls eliminate Pomona Hidden Treasures 4-zip to make the four team playoffs. Thus, the post season kicks off this Saturday with Millennium hosting Delille Pumas of Dangriga at the M.C.C. Grounds while at the Esperanza, Gentle Touch comes out against Sugar City Girls. We also want to tell you in football news people, that the Belize Premier Football League comes out to play this weekend. It’s the opening weekend for the Belize Premier Football League. What we do know is that F.C. Belize will be hosting Juventus at the M.C.C. Grounds on Saturday. As soon as we get a look at the remainder of the schedule, we’ll certainly pass it on to you but football is back people. So stay tuned.
Checking the softball scene, Truckers Posse mashed Belize Bank 9-4; this is all weekend games. Belize Electricity jolted Central Bank 2-zip, K.H.M.H. took out the police 13-3, Telemedia burned Club 313 14-3, Brothers Habet rolled over Maria Chang Lady Rebels 7-1 and the Belize City Council edged Brodies/MOE 9-8. On tonight’s schedule Telemedia takes on Brodies/MOE and the Belize City Council takes aim at Belize Bank.
In volleyball news, here are the results from play over the weekend which concluded regular season play. B.H. Paint Stars knocked off Lady Jaguars 27-25, 25-13, 25-16. Team 313 beat up on the police 15-25, 23-25, 15-13. And S.Q. Dragons jolted Jaguars 25-17, 25-21, 25-15. Thus people, the playoffs kicks off on Tuesday, all teams inside the playoffs have been set so you can understand on Tuesday S.Q. Stars will battle Baby Jaguars to kick things off. That’s at seven p.m. inside the Civic Center. At eight p.m. Kauss comes out to play against FirstCaribbean Diamonds.
In cycling news, the five stage preparatory race set by M&M Tour concluded over the weekend and we want to say congratulations to John Newport of Benny’s Megabytes who took top honours followed by Glen O’Brien of Santino’s, Ray Cattouse of C-Ray finished third, Juan Gonzalez of Santino’s fourth while Sherman Thomas of Western Spirits rounds out the top five. We say congratulations to Sherman Thomas who won the king of the mountain award with forty-nine points while big Mike Lewis is the sprint master from this preparatory tour in the M&M Tour calendar. He garnered all of eighteen points to take the top position for the sprints.
In closing folks, we certainly want to say congratulations to the Belize Warriors Football Team who beat U.S.A. Lincoln for the Los Angeles City Municipal championship title at the Mar Vista Park inside L.A. Hey, life is real and wherever you are and you are a Belizean, you’re still a Belizean.
That’s it for now though. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
