James Adderley with great sport highlights

Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.

We take you out immediately to the Norman Broaster Stadium inside San Ignacio where yesterday the PLB Fixture staged the battle for supremacy in Zone A as frontrunner the Belize Defense Force hosted its biggest rival FC Belize in a bid to remain on top.  The 1^st real threat at goal comes when Cristobal Gilharry of FC Belize moves Byron Usher out of the way to fire this potent right foot shot that Frank Lopez is able to keep out of the goal. FC continues to press for the goal off this set piece that Francisco Briceno deals to Cristobal Gilharry whose shot gets a slight deflection but it’s not enough to get past goalkeeper Lopez. The B.D.F. responds as Marlon Mesa centers into the danger zone looking for Lisbey Castillo only to see goalkeeper, Glenford Chimilio make a timely intervention.

In the meantime, Byron Usher’s pass to Castillo produces a shot that is deflected by Jorge Estrada but it inches outside the sticks. So we go to 2^nd half and it’s the B.D.F. on the move when Byron Usher unleashes this header that bounces off the near upright. We’re some 5 minutes in when Justo Lewis Junior hooks up with Marlon Mesa whose left foot shot rebounds off goalkeeper Chimilio and is headed in only to be ruled offside. Folks, it’s at the minute that John King unleashes this left foot shot that beats a poorly positioned Frank Lopez to give FC Belize the 1-zip lead. 5 minutes later, this header from off the leftside by Byron Usher finds Lisbey Castillo and the striker ties the ballgame at 1 apiece. John King then looks for the FC lead with this left foot shot that Frank Lopez should have handles instead he fumbles the ball to Michael Hernandez who makes him pay as FC Belize takes the 2 – 1 lead. Folks the B.D.F. now throws bodies forward in search of the equalizer and how they fail to score here is simply mind boggling. At the other end, Michael Hernandez gets this opportunity to double the goal tally but this time Lopez gets the better of him. Nevertheless, FC Belize goes on to post the 2 – 1 big Win and now leader of the pack in Zone A with 10 points.

In other football news, the Smart Mundialito is set to kick off on September 29^th. It’s limited to players 6 to 13 years of age and registration must be done by September 22^nd.

Turning to the softball scene, Mirage Lady Rebels entered Game IV of the Belize City Softball Championships Friday evening at Roger’s Stadium with a 2^nd opportunity to dethrone the defending champion Belize Telemedia. We go in this matchup in the bottom of the 1^st inning with the Lady rebels up 3 to 0 on 4 hits. Today Lanesha Jones is on top of her game as she strikes out Elaine Humes. Lanesha continued her mastery in the 4^th and got good defensive play from her team to turn this double play off the bunt from Lydia Cacho. Nevertheless, Mary Flowers helps her cause by hitting Lanesha to bring home Norecia Frazier for the 1^st Telemedia run of the day. In the top of the 5^th, Mary Flowers has the base loaded but manages to get out of the inning on a forced out at the plate. Lanesha Jones a runner at 3^rd due to a pass ball and then Lydia Cacho is hit by the defensive throw from the catcher but would remain in the game. Off this bunt, Cacho would reach 2^nd base after again being hit by the throw to first. Power slugger, Norecia Frazier comes to bat and promptly gets Cacho to 3^rd base. It’s this long fly from Barbara Cadle that brings home Cacho to tie the ballgame at 3 apiece. In the 6^th, Mary Flowers benefits off this nice double play that keeps Telemedia in the hunt. However, with 2 on in the 6^th, Flowers gets tagged by Ashanti Anderson. Elaine Humes fumbles the ball as one run scores and then there’s an errant throw home that allows another run to come home. Lanesha Jones and Mirage Lady Rebels go on to post the 5-3 big W to win the series in a 4 – 1 showing and are now the new Belize City Female Softball Champions. We say congratulations.

Turning to the cycling scene, we say congratulations to Oscar Quiroz, the Junior Cross Country Champion who won silver in the Individual Time trial at the Junior Caribbean Championships in the Junior Category while Zahir Figueroa also struck for silver in the Youth Category. In the meantime, we have been reliably informed that the election of officers for the Belize Cycling Association is tentatively set for December 13^th, 2012. Finally folks, Junior rider, Giovanni Lovell, set the cycling community ablaze by winning the 15 lap open category in the C-Ray Cycling Criterium yesterday; forcing Quinton Hamilton into 2^nd, while Brandon Cattouse came from behind to win the sprint for 3^rd. Raymond Hyde won the Weekend Warriors A-Category; Derek Wlcot prevailed at the B-level, while Kent Gladden emerged # 1 in the WW-Class ride. At under 12-level, 9 year old Derek Chavarria took top honor. And under 15, Ricky Williams took the Win.

Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.