Sports Monday highlights with James Adderley
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
Week 12 of the PLB Football Season saw league leading and defending champions, Belmopan Bandits play host Saturday night to FC Belize who came into the Isidoro Beaton Stadium looking for the full three points in an effort to keep their playoff hopes alive. FC looks to strike first when John King launches this left foot from long distance that bounces off the crossbar. Belmopan’s response comes from Victor Morales who tracks down this ball inside the 18th to fire this on the run shot that sails over the goal. It’s more offense from the Bandits when Ian Gaynair prowls forward to find Deon McCauley with this center which produces an attempt that is kept out by the near upright. At the half, we caught up with the new head coach of the Belize National Male Team, Ian Mork, who is on his second tour of duty in the Jewel and will lead our team into the Gold Cup at the USA come July.
Ian Mork, Head Coach, F.F.B. National Male Team
Ian Mork
“The plan is to advance in the Gold Cup and ideally we beat the U.S. I am competitive just like all the players and the executive and we want to win every time we play. But we have to be realistic about our level and where we are at and ideally we could advance and get to the next round of the Gold Cup. From what I’ve seen so far, I think the potential is great. We have to be realistic. I think the U.S. has players playing in Rome, they have a lot of talent; a lot of top international players. Until Belize starts to beat teams in Central America consistently, then we can think about beating the U.S. as well. But I do think that it is possible and Belize needs to start think about playing the U.S. every year or so because if we want to be a top team in CONCACAF, we are going to be playing the U.S. more than just one time; we are going to be playing them all the time. So I am trying to look a little bit more at the long time than just this one time game.”
But it’s back to the business at hand and it’s early 2nd half action when Deon McCauley makes this run at goal only to be denied by the FC keeper, Gelnford Chimilio. At the 65th minute, this defensive error by FC Belize gives the ever deadly Deon McCauley this chance at goal and he makes them pay the maximum price as the Bandits take a 1-zip lead. FC Belize goes to the set piece for the equalizer. Norman Nunez touches to Christobal Gilharry who is not too far off target. Belmopan then looks to double the lead off this header from Deon McCauley but this time the goalkeeper Chimilio takes care of business. Meanwhile, this is another mistake by the FC Belize defense but again Chimilio is able to shut McCauley down. At the other end, Woodrow West literally has to use his head to deny John King on this attempt. In the meantime, McCauley continues to look for his 2nd goal of the match and this set piece he launches is only contained by the crossbar. Belmopan bandits hold on to the 1-zip big win.
In other action around the league, Police United blanked Verdes 1-zip, the B.D.F. bombed San Felipe Barcelona 6-nothing, while Placencia edged San Ignacio 3-2. Thus going into week 13, Belmopan leads with 29 pts, the B.D.F. show 23, police picks up 3 pts from the Verdes win, 3 pts from the back match with San Felipe Barcelona and 3pts from the successful protest against Placencia Assassins thus jumping to 3rd place with 19 pts; FC Belize has 17, San Ignacio and Verdes are tied at 13 apiece while Barcelona and Placencia Assassins are tied at the bottom with 11 points each.
This weekend’s schedule finds Verdes FC hosting San Felipe at the Marshalleck Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday, Placencia Assassins play host to Belmopan, the B.D.F. will face Police United at the Norman Broaster Stadium—both matches start at 3:30 p.m.—while at Belize City, FC Belize takes on San Ignacio at 4 p.m.
In billiards news, Element of the Element Bar beat Seaside heights of Punta Gorda to take the Ben Bounahra 9-ball tournament presented by Mirab over the weekend. Perro Sand of Corozal took 3rd place and Manuel Policeman Ramos emerged with MVP honors.
In cycling news, the 4th Weekend Warriors Cross Country Cycle Classic which ran for 80 miles from La Loma Luz in Cayo to M&M Engineering on the Phillip Goldson Highway turned out to be a duel between Preston Martinez and Phillip Burns. It was the M&M Engineering rider, Preston Martinez, who took the big win 3hours 59 minutes 10 seconds, while Phillip Burns of Cayo Rentals settled for 2nd. Sean Howard of Cayo Rentals takes 3rd place forcing Mark Gentle into 4th and Colin Melina into 3rd. in the B-Class which ran for 60 miles, Santino Castillo took the ride in 3 hours 3 minutes 18 seconds with his teammate Jim Scott finishing 2nd while Nehru Gilharry of Truckers Posse rounds out the top 3. In the C-Class, Anwar Barrow of Medina’s House of Jewelry prevailed in the 50 mile ride with Sean Duncan taking the runner up spot.
Finally in cricket news, action in the Harrison Parks cricket competition on Saturday saw Jermain Smith strike for 54 runs, as Brilliant beat Berland 184 to 156 runs. Lloyd Cassasola recorded 56 runs for Berland in that loss. Excellence got 47 runs from Brandon Broaster in their 187 to 158 triumph over Sunrise. Kene Broaster struck for 3 wickets in the win. Jairi Chilu batted in 35 runs and Edison Parks moved down 3 wickets in the loss. In other action, Western Eagles easily trampled Easy Does It 58 to 54 with 7 wickets to spare. Police handled St. Paul 167 to 59 and Wicked Eleven got the win over Uprising 190 to 125.
Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
