James Adderley has all the weekend sports on football, cycling and canoe race
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
The 2 finalists for the Belikin Cup emerged over the weekend and the 2 game finals begin this Sunday. First let us check whose still in the race for the 2014 PBL Tournament title. Saturday night inside the Carl Ramos Stadium, a struggling Belize Defense Force found itself in the unenviable position of needing to win by a four goal margin against the Belmopan Bandits after a 3 – zip flogging at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium last weekend. Even with the home field advantage the odds didn’t look good for the B.D.F. going in. Nevertheless the military comes out displaying commitment to the campaign and are pressing for an early goal when Sane Flores gets this chance to do some damage but flops inside the box and the effort to deceive is not well received for which he gets a yellow card from Referee Henry. A minute later it’s Phillip Lewis with this look at goal only to be denied by a good defensive stop from Dalton Eiley. At the other end Ian Gaynair finds super striker Deon McCauley whose header raises over the crossbar. The military then pulls out a long range bomb courtesy of Paul Nunez – Woodrow West is beaten but is saved by the horizontal bar which is the goalkeeper best friend. The rebound reaches Tarrel Flores whose left foot splice just inches outside the far corner. It’s Dennis Serano with this good look at the goal to open the scoreboard for the Bandits but he fails to deliver into an empty net. Folks we’re in the 41st minute when Denmark Casey picks out Deon McCauley whose right away volley is a thing of beauty – more importantly it gives Belmopan a 1 – zip lead to take to the locker room and now the B.D.F. must score 5 to win. Good celebration guys. We’re in the 2nd half when Harrison Tasher puts this hurt on Deon McCauley and gets away with it. The defense is really on now so Stephen Martinez gets Dennis Serano up to speed with crunch time. Khalid Velasquez then welcomes Ian Gaynair to the ignorant party – for which he receives a yellow ticket. Referee Henry please protect the players as McCauley gets gushed to the grounds by Tasher with 2 hands and there is no call. 
A few minutes later Dennis Serano takes it out on Ambrose Thomas. Abraham Chavez decides to retaliate on Deon McCauley and while the referee intervenes, there is no call. When Jeremy Gentle directs this set piece to Erwin Bird Flores the header goes away. Meanwhile people Jeremy Gentle is corner kick allows Harrison Tasher to pull off a wicked bicycle kick but fails to hit the target. Folks you make the call, Dennis Serano looks to steal this ball from Shane Flores but gets taken down – Flores punches the pill past Woodrow West and it counts. Nevertheless the B.D.F. goes down in an aggregate of 5 to 1 and Belmopan Bandits makes it to the finals. Also making it to the finals is FC Belize who came from a goal down to force overtime play on a controversial penalty scored by Jarrel Davis that forced the Verdes players to confront Referee Victor Williams. Fifteen minutes into overtime Michael Hernandez scored the goal that gave FC Belize the 2 – 1 win and a pass to the finals. Thus game 1 between FC Belize and Belmopan Bandits comes to the MCC Grounds 4 PM this Sunday. In other football news the Belize City Secondary School football playoffs gets underway today at the MCC Grounds with Wesley College facing Excelsior High School in the finale open, while SJC battles Wesley College in the male nightcap. Tomorrow Tuesday Gwen Liz comes out against SCA and ACC takes aim at Gwen Liz male team.
In cycling news here’s the field sprint in yesterdays forty mile Weekend Warrior Category B race when its Jim Scott on the pace when he is overtaken by Santino’s who holds on for top honors in 1 hour 44 minutes 40 seconds, Andrew Ordonez of Digicell 4G finish 2nd while Santino teammate Jim Scott settles for 3rd. IN the meantime Wilbert Jones of Megabytes took the Category with 1 hour 38 minutes 7 seconds while Windell Williams of Smart 2nd and Stephen Bissett of B.N.E. third. At the C Class it was Erikson Lamb of Bigblade 1st, Louis Usher of FT Williams 2nd and Nelson Zyden took home 3rd place.
Finally folks 12 canoes line up for Saturdays Up Stream race from Haulover Bridge to Burrell Boom. And immediately into the race it becomes painfully obvious that paddling up stream ain’t no easy feat. Nevertheless at Manatee Lookout the Belize Bank Bulldogs took the station prize as was expected of the defending champion. On the way to the finish line we couldn’t but notice this howler monkey foraging for loot – you know the maximum speed for this particular race was some 5 miles an hour. With the tape in sight Belize Bank makes its move – Westrac challenges immediately with a tough response. Now watch the defending champion crush that effort with this slick move of cornering Westrac on the river bank as they streak to the finish line in 2 hours 34 minutes 14 seconds to take top honors. Westrac has to settle 2nd, Joseph Taylor Steelers finished 3rd Wateva Boyz 4th and Western Home Supplies rounds out the top 5. The next race on the calendar comes up on the 8th February 9 AM and it travels from Hawksworth Bridge to Dream Valley Resort. Before we go, here’s reminding you that the National elite Basketball League opens on Friday February 7th at the Big Birds Isle with Belize City No Limit facing San Pedro Tiger Sharks. Yes basketball is back.
Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
