Marlon Castillo wins weekend race in clean sweep
James Adderley
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and you’re certainly most welcome to this edition of Sports Monday. With the RFG Cup Tournament currently on hold as a result of National Team activities, we visited the Super League which presented Forever Strong Kraal Road at the M.C.C. Grounds yesterday against Benque D.C. United.
The city team looks for the lead immediately off this sixth minute spot kick that Norman Tilliman Nunez unleashes to create some excitement. It’s more Kraal Road when Nunez smacks this pill into the danger zone only to see Whitfield Patnett blow the header.
In the meantime, folks all we can tell Albert Eiley of Benque D.C. is, this one, he should have scored. A few minutes later Francis Aldana gets this look to put Benque onto the scoreboard. He opts to rattle the side netting instead. At the half, we do have a scoreless ballgame.
A minute into the re-start, Julio Ayala gives Kraal Road a penalty kick by taking down number fourteen inside the eighteen. Eden “Yellowman” Rowley steps up for the conversion for Kraal Road and guess what, “Yellowman” completely misses the target.
So it’s still a scoreless ballgame when Lorenzo Diaz sends in this corner kick that allows Whitfield Patnett to launch this vicious header, forcing goalkeeper William Luna to come up with a huge save. Kraal Road again goes to the set piece for offence and this low cruise missile from Norman “Tilliman” Nunez is only foiled by another fine save from Luna.
Late in the ballgame with tensions rising, ugliness step on to center-stage. Rowley reacts to being taken down by hitting Julio Ayala – you know that’s a no-no. And things almost explode into even more of an anti-football display, but somehow the officials seem to restore order.
But watch what happens when the referee pulls out the red card – he gets mobbed. A feeling of insecurity creeps in on the officiating crew, obviously and they’ve decided to run for cover. But wait there’s a change of heart at midfield. And so the drama ends and the ballgame continues.
We’re into injury time when Norman “Tilliman” Nunez fires from the spot where Rowley was fouled and this time Jack Dawson catches up with the pill. It’s the game winner as Kraal Road picks up the 1-zip big W. And a word of advice to the Super League of Belize, you must establish security at your matches and you must have a working disciplinary committee. Football fans come to see football.
In other results from the Super League, Texmar continued to roll with a 3-zip bashing of Barrio Fino. Alpha Barcelona edged the Belmopan Bandits 4-3, and the Estrella F.C. blanked Roots F.C. 3-nil.
Texmar continues lead the league with twenty-four points. Estrellas F.C. has eighteen, Kraal Road fifteen, Barrio Fino thirteen, Benque D.C. United ten, Belmopan nine, Alpha Barcelona nine, Roots F.C. five points, and Adventurers are in the cellar with a mere three points.
In other football news, the RFG Cup resumes action this weekend with four big ballgames. On Saturday Ibayani of Georgetown takes on Santels, while on Sunday Juventos will host Wagiya. The B.D.F. marches south to Revolutionary Conquerors, while F.C. Belize will be at home against the San Pedro Dolphins.
In cycling news, we’re in beautiful Dangriga for the start of this hundred and four miles of racing called the Peini Cycling Classic featuring unbelievable prizes. And as you can see, the bad boys are all out to grab this five thousand dollar first prize money at the tape in Punta Gorda. The seventy or so riders, including the formally suspended Santino team, now begin arduous this journey.
Lisandro Velasquez steps out at mile one to win the first station prize for Santino and he might have just set the trend for his team as Santino went on to grab all eleven station prizes being offered and that’s big.
We’re now on the Southern Highway and at this moment there’s a whole lot of jockeying for position as we take you inside the pelathon. Some fifteen miles from the finish, Marlon Castillo decides to run. And run he does as he enters Punta Gorda alone while reaching into his bag for a can of Red Bull. How big is that? Marlon wins in four hours thirty minutes.
Now here’s the sprint for second, Greg Lovell, the fastest man in Belize, attacks from the outside, Mateo Cruz hangs on to him, and it’s a top three sweep for Santino’s as Greg Lovell takes second and Mateo Cruz third. Gabriel Hernandez, he takes fourth, he rides for M&M; while Shane Vasquez of Western Sprits rounds out the top five. I guess I’ll have to say, it seems the suspension worked well for team Santino.
On the ladies, side Alicia Thompson took the ride in four hours, two minutes, nineteen seconds, forcing team mate Shante Morrison in second and Marinet Flowers into third.
Tariq Cano took the junior class in three hours, eleven minutes, nineteen seconds. Hernan Ochaeta took second, and Daniel Choto third. We say congratulations to race organizer, John Nembhard.
Hey folks, that’s our show for today. We certainly invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
