Highlights of Weekend Sporting Events with James Adderley
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
The PLB Belikin Cup opened the 2013 season with 3 matches nationwide in the 7 team semi-pro football competition. We caught up with Saturday night’s showdown inside the Isidoro Beaton Stadium as defending champions; Police United hosted the Belize Defense Force in a rematch of last year’s finals. Folks we’re in the 1st minute of play when Andres Makin Junior fires this set piece at goal and it tangles in the net; however, Referee Henry rules that the B.D.F. keeper, Jaime Brooks was impeded by Stephen Martinez in his attempt at the save…thus negating the Police goal. At the 14th minute, Amin August Jr. and Cristobal Gilharry misplayed this ball at midfield. Shane Flores pics it up and deals to John King whose left foot launch opens the scoreboard to give B.D.F. the 1-zip lead. In the meantime, it could have been a 2-nil lead for the B.D.F. on this play spearheaded by Paul Nunez, but Jaime Brooks goes a wonderful job to keep the ball out of his goal. Nevertheless, on this press by the B.D.F., Brooks gets help from Bernard Linares who digs this header from Stephen Martinez out of the goal to keep the 1-zip deficit intact. However, Brooks fails his team by not handling this center from Ambrose Thomas….Stephen Martinez is the first to reach the loose ball and his strike in heavy traffic makes it a 2-nil B.D.F. lead at the 44th minute.
Just before the half expires, Evan Mariano deliberately hands this ball in an effort to score for which he draws a yellow card—his 2nd of the match and he is red-carded off the field. Folks it’s not until the 83rd minute that the Police finally pulls on back. Danny Jimenez bends this ball around the 3 man wall—Harrison “Kafu” Roches gets a touch on; Williams Johnson digs it out only to see Clifton West streak in with a right foot bomb to make it a 2-1 score. Pumped up, the Police look for more when Danny Jimenez centers to Roches whose deader is corralled by goalkeeper, Johnson. It’s an extra time that the B.D.F. deals the big Win when Leonard Valdez beats Jamie Brooks with this nice push as the military records the 3-1 big W. Looking ahead to Week II, 2 matches are scheduled for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Belmopan bandits will host San Ignacio United inside the Isidoro Beaton Stadium and at the Carl Ramos in Dangriga, the B.D.F. will get a visit from Verdes. On Sunday at 3:30 p.m., Paradise Freedom Fighters play host to FC Belize at the Toledo Union Field.
In softball news, the national female tournament was staged at Roger’s Stadium over the weekend featuring 6 teams. So we go to money time with Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy needing to beat B.T.L. to get into the finals. So they pull out the licking stick to post the 7-5 big win over B.T.L….handing them their 1st defeat under the double elimination format. We’re in the top of the 1st in the final showdown with B.T.L. and Roaring Creek having lost 1 apiece when Kenisha Sutherland strikes out Karlee Bradley to come away unscathed. In the bottom of the 1st, Leandra Guy faces Mary Flowers with Lydia Cacho at 2nd base and Flowers smacks the 1st pitch for a long single that gets Cacho home as B.T.L. take the 1-zip lead. In the bottom of the 5th inning, Lydia Cacho faces Leandra Guy with 2 on. Cacho hits to 1st base and it should be a routine out but Greta Davis misses the tag, the throw to 2nd base is then botched by Karlee Bradley, Martha Rhys scores from 3rd base; Christine Jacobs scores all the way from 2nd base and Lydia Cacho is forced out.
And at the end of 5, B.T.L. leads 3-zip. In the top of the 6th, Shadalee comes up for Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy with bases loaded and she gets a hit to bring Greta Davis home, but Karalee Bradley is out at 3rd which gets B.T.L. out of the inning with only 1 run conceded. Kenisha Sutherland comes up to face Leandra Guy in the bottom of the 6th and helps her cause by getting Kylue McFadzen to 3rd. up steps Elaine Humes into the batter’s box who singles to bring McFadzen home for the 4-1 lead. Christie Jacobs then comes up with this long fly which is caught but it’s good enough to get Kenisha Sutherland home for the 5-1 lead. The bases are loaded for B.T.L. when Erlene Belisle gets this walk. Mary Flowers steps up and again she delivers this time its’s 2 rbi’s as Martha Rhys scores and is followed by Lydia Cacho who beats the tag out home. Telemedia now boasts a 7-1 lead. Barbara Cadle’s hit then makes it an 8-1 score as Erlene Baptist scores from 3rd. the scoreboard reads 8 to 1 and the victory goes to B.T.L. who again we say congratulations.
Turning to the cycling scene, the BCA’s Test race #4 was staged on the Boom Hattieville Circuit yesterday and David Henderson on Benny’s Megabytes Elites took the 72 mile ride in 3 hours 12 mins 15 seconds to edge out U-23 rider Joel Borland. Another U-23 rider, Allen Castillo of Benny’s, beat out his teammate, Byron Pope for 3rd place while Jairo Campos of Telemedia rounds out the top 5. In the female category, Shalini Zabaneh of SAgitun continues her dominance edging out Kirah Eiley by 2 minutes 5 seconds to take top honors. On Saturday, it was Delawn Abraham winning the Junior 20 miles individual time trial event.
Finanly in basketball news, the BDBA knockout round saw B.T.L. crush Ready Call 77 to 51. Courts handled Heritage Bank 63 to 59 and Belize Bank rolled over Central Health 65-57.
Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
