LIMPAG: HOW A FOOTBALL CALENDAR CAN HELP ABOITIZ CUP

Published in Sun Star Newspaper on June 18, 2012 Monday issue
by Mike Limpag, Sports Editor & Columnist, Fair Play

THERE was a time in Cebu football, when the Aboitiz Cup was the only thing that mattered and all the rest played second fiddle.

That is no longer true as it has become one of the casualties of the clash of schedules of organizers in Cebu football and teams, forced to choose between a festival and the Aboitiz Cup, prefer to join the two-day tourneys instead of Cebu’s longest running football tournament.

Worse, some teams compromise the quality of their games by joining two events in a day, which led to Paref-Springdale getting banned by the old CFA board for three years. (That of course, is another story).

One of the plans of the new board--the one whose recognition is being put on hold by a mysterious complainant in the PFF—is to bring back the prestige of the tournament and there’s a simple way of doing that.

A football calendar where the Aboitiz Cup is the centerpiece event and the rest of the footie festivals are scheduled around it.

The rest of the regular annual football tournaments—the Cebu City Olympics, the Milo Olympics, the Cesafi, Sinulog and Thirsty Cups—have regular schedules that can be easily inputted in such calendar. And if there’s a clash, it’s a matter of adjusting the dates.

There should be no pissing contests where one organizer dares a team, “just choose which one you will join” because that’s what got us here in the first place.

There’s another plan, this one coming from the Aboitizes themselves, that I hope will be revived by the new board.

Back in 2010 and in 2009, before the start of the tournament, the organizers met sports editors for help on marketing their tournament. They also wanted their website promoted--they wanted players to tweet, post news in their Facebook accounts, link fotos and the whole nine yards.

Social media, of course, was what helped make the Azkals big and organizers of the Aboitiz Cup were smart enough to recognize such power before the Azkals became mainstream.

In 2010, I told them that the website would have been a huge help in 2009 if only there were regular updates. But they said they already addressed such problem, spending hundreds of thousands of pesos for a system--including hardware--that would allow field officials to just input the data after a game and voila, you have updates.

Sadly, that too, didn’t happen and that’s something that I hope would change this year. The website, sans data, is a waste of cyberspace.

So, how does one get the data and how many men do you need to get such data for a huge event like the Aboitiz Cup that lasts for months?

I know the perfect guy to ask and unless he’s busy supporting his son’s budding cycling career, I hope former president Jonathan Maximo can give the new board tips in gathering data. He did it then, that means it can be done again.

CONTEST. There’s also another idea I threw at Maxi a few years back and it could help spur interest for Cebu football in the social media—get the school papers involved. By the time the Aboitiz Cup gets rolling, the school papers will be busy with their first edition and getting them to write about their school matches would be easy since it’s part of their job.

Students these days, they post everything they do—and don’t do—online, so a few posts about their school’s Aboitiz Cup campaign could lead to a few copycats and so on.

There could even be a contest for the student writers and photojournalists and what’s the one prize that could spur them to do their best—an all-expense trip, and a media pass, for the next Azkals home game?

(www.cebufootball.blogspot.com)

SUNSPORT-PABOL WINS

SUNSPORT-PABOL BLANKS MELBORNE IN ABOITIZ U-16
courtesy of The Freeman Newspaper (http://www.philstar.com/)
April 17, 2007 Tuesday issue
by Marigold P. Lebumfacil, Correspondent

Sunsport-PaBol clobbered Melborne United FC 2-0, in Aboitiz CebuFA Girls-16 Cup at the San Roque Field in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City

Sunsport-PaBol leaned on the tandem of Bea Maximo and Mara Dado as they took fully control of midfield.

Maximo was able to find a slim chance to make a direct kick from 10 meters to give PaBol its first goal at the eight minute, 1-0

A good defense was shown by Patti Liu and Vanessa Sy, which gave Banban Yu a way to have a tap in goal at the 44th off a cross by Erika Casas from right flank, to make it 2-0.

On the other hand, the battle between Cebu International School (CIS) and host San Roque Football Club (SRFC) resulted to a tie, 1-1.

For more than half an hour, both camps did not make even a single goal as they mounted strong defenses and offenses.

Not until SRFC's Monica Trebol when she broke the ice with a goal at the 45th.

However, at the 53rd, CIS' Christelle Dychangco retaliated to level the score into 1-1.

CIS STAMPS CLASS IN ABOITIZ DIV B

Courtesy of SUN STAR DAILY NEWSPAPER (www.sunstar.com.ph)
February 5, 2007 Monday issue
By Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

THE Cebu International School stamped its authority over a hapless University of the Philippines FC, 8-1, in the first day of the Aboitiz Division B Men’s Cup at the San Roque Parish grounds.

Packed with former national team mainstays Joshua Fegidero and Oliver Colina and Division A veterans Jesus Singson and Eleazer Toledo, plus a slew of talented young players, the game was CIS’ to lose.

However, the gritty UPFC, led by a determined Tyrone Cabañag at goal, managed to hold off the CIS’ offensive early in the first half.

Attack

Michael Sharpe finally broke the bauble in the 29th as he launched a strike just outside the box.

Despite getting attacks from all flanks, the UP defense manage to hold off another goal and a counterstrike almost netted them an equalizer before Red Miguel scoop up a save in his lone action in the first half in the 44th.

A minute later, Fegidero, who is playing in his first game in Cebu since serving a one-year suspension, finally scored his first goal off his left for a 2-0.

Things got worse for UP in the second half, after Fegidero clashed with Cabañag, forcing the keeper to sit out the rest of the match.

Blast

Andrew Oliveros replaced Cabañag and was immediately tested by Fegidero’s powerful blast, but the replacement managed to block it off.

There was no blocking Toledo in the 63rd as he headed in Colina’s corner for the first of his three goals, while substitute Christian Buhisan banged in a rebound in the 68th for a 4-0 score.

In the first game, Reino Amara banged in the go ahead goal in the 80th for FC Inter Cebu’s 3-2 win over XSem Bros.

Lead

Amora and Reynaldo Vallenis gave Inter Cebu a 2-0 lead in the fifth and 10th, before Sherwin Hortel and Michael Gonzales scored in the 29th and 32nd to level the match.

The two other matches also ended in routs with Cebu Institute of Technology blanking Sykes, 4-0, and Maitland Smith routed Ramos FC, 6-0.

Justin Villa, Marvey Quimque, James Dinawanao and Ramon Alarcon scored for CIT, while Renato Maambong scored twice for Smith. Other scorers were Joselito Pacheco, Renato del Carmen, Ariel Esparcin and Jessie Lugnit.

QUEEN CITY UTD LOGS 2ND WIN IN ABOITIZ MEN'S OPEN

Courtesy of THE FREEMAN NEWSPAPER (www.philstar.com)
November 27, 2006 Monday issue
By Marigold P. Lebumfacil
Manny Villaruel, Sports Editor

The Queen City United dumped San Roque Football Club, 6-1, for their second win to pace the action in the Men's Open of the Aboitiz- CebuFA Football Cup at the San Roque Football field in Subangdaku, Mandaue.

Adrian Caballero made two goals in the 28th and 78th , Ronald Mahilum added one the 23rd minute and Christopher Menchavez in 41st minute to kick off the campaign of Queen City United.

Ramie Colina, for his part, ignited the fire for San Roque as he banged in at the 72nd minute but it turned out to be the only goal as his teammates failed to contribute.

Then, Josephat Sacil and Anthony Moga made back-to-back goals in 81st and 85th minutes, respectively, to seal the game for Queen City. Crazy Horse Football Club, on the other hand, tamed Wild Cebu Football Club, 4-0, with goals coming from Kristopher Relucio (37th), Mitsuo Tsunakiri (50th), Rodolphe Lina (65th) and Albert Nangkil in the 83rd minute.

The third game saw Don Bosco logging their second win at the expense of Magone, 4-0, behind the combined efforts of John Genson (70th), Ramil Lachica (74th), Crisanto Sanchez (82nd) and Iry Genson (84th).

Also, University of San Jose-Recoletos overpowered University of Southern Philippines Foundation, 4-1.

The goal scorers for USJ-R were Dave Intong (46th), Jonathan Tan (51st), Mark Buglosa (60th) and Oscar Ledesma (81st) while Jose Fucoy made the solitary goal for USPS in the 48th minute.

QUEEN CITY, CRAZY HORSE TROUNCE FOES IN ABOITIZ CUP

Courtesy of SUN STAR DAILY NEWSPAPER (www.sunstar.com.ph)
November 27, 2006 Monday issue
By Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

FAVORITES Queen City United and Crazy Horse FC tallied their second wins in similar fashion after the second round of the Aboitiz Premier League at the San Roque Parish football field.

Crazy Horse, which outlasted the University of Southern Philippines-Foundation 3-2 last week, trounced Wild Cebu Fashion, 4-0, while Queen City United routed San Roque FC A, 6-1.

Former University of San Jose-Recoletos Kim Relucio slipped into his familiar role as a striker to put Crazy Horse FC up 1-0 in the 37th.

Left unchecked inside the box, Relucio simply tapped in the cross pass from Edelio Ybañez for a 1-0 lead in the half.

Defensive role

In the second half, Relucio slipped back to his defensive role but there was no shortage of firepower on the offensive end as Mitsuo Tsunakiri blasted in a 25-yarder for a 2-0 lead in the 50th before Rodolphe Lina made it 3-0 in the 65th.

In the 70th, Albert Nangkil drove from left flank and slipped past the midfield and the defense to bang in Crazy Horse’s final count.

On the other hand, the comebacking former Carmen National School booter Ronald Mahilum slotted in Queen City’s first goal in the 23rd before Adrian Caballero and Christopher Menchavez made it 3-0 in the 28th and 41st.

Worse half

Ramie Colina put the home team on the score sheet with his 72nd minute strike but things got worse after that. Caballero added his second in the 78th, while Josaphat Sacil and Anthony Moga scored two minutes apart in the final five minutes of play.

Meanwhile the Don Bosco Almuni FC survived a tough first half before burying Magone, 4-0, in the third game.

After a close game, Don Bosco needed only 14 minutes to bury four goals.

John Henson slipped in the first in the 70th, and Ramil Lachica added another four minutes later. In the 82nd Crisanto Sanchez made it 3-0 and Ivy Genson found the back of the net in the 84th.

CEBUFA DENIES HIROSHI REQUEST

CEBUFA DENIES HIROSHI FC'S REQUEST TO RETAIN DIV. A SLOT IN ABOITIZ FOOTBALL
Courtesy of SUNSTAR DAILY NEWSPAPER (www.sunstar.com.ph)
November 21, 2006 Tuesday issue
By Marian C. Baring, Staff Writer

CEBU Football Association (CebuFA) denied Hiroshi Football Club’s request to play in the premiere Division A of the Aboitiz Men’s Open Football League next year.

The Men’s Open defending champion Hiroshi FC, also the former top seed in Division A, skipped this year’s tournament because of lack of players, forcing the team to automatically relinquish the top spot and allowing last year’s runner-up, Crazy Horse , to climb atop the rankings.

The Hiroshi FC management wrote a letter of request to CebuFA asking for a slot in Division A next year instead of being demoted to Division B.

But CebuFA president Jonathan Maximo said that to be fair, the committee has decided to deny Hiroshi’s request.

Maximo said if Hiroshi decides to compete next year, the team will have to go through the usual process like the other teams and will need to climb its way up again back into Division A.

“The committee decided on this because there are other teams that were relegated (to the lower division) because they became either inactive or failed to comply with the number of players,” Maximo said.

Meanwhile, the Men’s Open division received an overwhelming response this year after drawing out the participation of thirteen new teams.

Maximo said the number exceeded his expectation of only seven teams for Division B this year.

“These are mostly teams playing in weekend tournaments. CebuFA is able to entice these groups to join us because of the festivals that we have introduced,” Maximo said.

The development, however, entails several problems and the foremost of all is with regards to the scheduling of the games, particularly as to how to finish the tournament on time. (MCB)

MAXIMIZE FOOTBALL TO THE MAX? MEET MAXI

Published in SUN STAR DAILY NEWSPAPER (www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu)Sunday October 1, 2006 issue
by John Pages, Columnist - Matchpoint

FOOTBALL sent me to school,” says Jonathan “Maxi” Maximo.

Back in college at the University of San Carlos, Maxi was a football varsity star for four years. He wore green, memorized the USC hymn, tied the shoelaces off his spiked shoes, and played right midfield. In college, he didn’t have to reach inside the pocket to pay tuition. He was a full scholar — thanks to his left and right legs.

It is 4:35 last Thursday afternoon and Maxi and I are seated on a round wooden table at Bo’s Coffee in Ayala. He drinks iced coffee, I sip a cup of hot mint tea.

Maxi, 40, the president of the Cebu Football Association (CebuFA), looks quiet and reserved. But when the topic veers towards the game named “F,” as in fun, he straightens his back, leans forward, extends his arms, and speaks.

His story began in Grade 5. A student of Don Bosco, he was exposed to football—like all Bosconians are—at a tender age. By fifth grade, when he tasted the sweat and smelled the joy of kicking a ball into the net, he was hooked. Maxi rocketed out of the classroom door, dashed to the field, hustled, improved his skills, and joined the Don Bosco varsity. In an all-boys school where football rules, the words “I’m varsity” are golden.

“Don Bosco was founded and built by the Italian priests,” Maxi explains. “And we know how much the Italians love football, right?” I nod my head. Didn’t they just win the World Cup?

“In Don Bosco, unlike most schools, our intramurals are held throughout the year,” he adds. “So from 12 to 1 every noontime, we’re off running. It didn’t matter to us if we were sweating when we entered the classroom. What mattered was we played.”

From elementary to high school and on to college, Maxi lived, breathed and wore shin guards after each school bell ring. But when he graduated, life changed. Maxi focused, like we all do, on family—his wife Sheila and their children, Ina, 14; Igi, 11; and Ica, 7. He founded Maximax Systems, and engaged in the sales and services of air-conditioning units.

Family was good. Business was good. Life was good. The football? It was locked inside the cabinet.

But footballers, they say, are footballers for life. Like driving a car, you never forget it. And soon, the love of football tickles you back...

That “soon” was in 2001, when Maxi became president of the Rotary Club of Cebu South. When his term started, he vowed to champion two goals—education and football—and coined a motto: “Football through education. Education through football.”

With the help of a Rotary WCS grant, he approached three public elementary schools— Basak, Labangon, and Punta Princesa — and distributed books to the children. He also did one more thing: introduce football. They donated balls and invited Graeme Mackinnon to speak. The result? “Batang Rotary” was embraced. Very soon, the boys and girls with skinny legs kicked and shot balls that zoomed past goalies.

“You can never forget,” Maxi says, “the smiles on their faces. And since that time, I promised never to leave football.”

Two years later, in 2003, Maxi was elected CebuFA president.

Fast forward to September ’06, football is peerless in this Visayan island. At last week’s 2nd Aboitiz Football Festival, a total of 2,400 players and 216 teams joined—the most ever. You saw cute six-year-olds, brave 43-year-olds, and brackets for 8, 10, 12, 14, and 17 years old. Men’s Open? Women’s Open? Girls high school? Check, check, check. A group for 36-year-olds and older. Soon, a 23-and-under bracket. And very soon, two categories for the children to split the advanced teams from the newcomers—an excellent move.

RP CENTER. Maxi and the CebuFA Board are driven by two goals: One, to spread football not only in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-lapu—but all over the Cebu Province. Two, to dislodge Iloilo and Negros and place Cebu as the center of RP football.

Since Maxi assumed the CebuFA top spot, he’s been all-football. Sometimes, too much football. At the Aboitiz event, he and his team stayed from 6 a.m. until past midnight. Golf at Alta Vista? Goodbye, small white ball. His youngest daughter Ica, only seven, used to enjoy ballet but is now wearing soccer shoes because, as Maxi suspects, “football is all we talk about at the dining table.”

But Maxi’s not complaining. Football’s his passion and there’s so much more to do. He pulls out a two-page handout and shows me the goals of the CebuFA: to introduce Futsal, upgrade the expertise of our coaches, divide the province into eight districts, introduce Sports Medicine...

For with Maxi Maximo, the driver of Cebu football, he steps on the pedal, revs it, kicks the engine into high gear, zooms ahead, and knows only one way to drive this sport: to the max.

(john@brightacademy.edu.ph)

QUEEN CITY UTD DOWNS SAN CARLOS

Courtesy of CEBU DAILY NEWSPAPER (www.inquirer.net)
July 17, 2006 Monday issue
By Jonas Panerio, Correspondent
Rick Gabuya, Sports Editor

Solon waxes hot, scores four goals for Queen City

Queen City United Football Club took off to a sizzling start as it drubbed sister team University of San Carlos (USC) Football Club, 6-1, in the opening game of the Aboitiz Cebu Football Association Women's Open Cup on Sunday at the San Roque Football Field in Mandaue City.

Queen City forward Marlou Solon made mincemeat of USC's defense as she scored four goals in a spectacular display of ball control and precision striking.

Solon started off early, scoring the game's first goal at the 4th minute.

She then added two stellar strikes in the 19th and 23rd minutes of the game before assisting midfielder Jan Salac for Queen City's fourth goal of the game in the 36th minute for an insurmountable 4-0 lead.

Solon scored the last of her goals in the waning moments of the first half as she bobbed and weaved past USC's defenders to score from the right wing.

Queen City finished off the rout with a goal by defender Cristina Fuentes at the 67th minute, after the latter intercepted a pass by USC's goalkeeper and then struck it in to make the tally, 6-0.

USC's lone goal came in the 86th minute off a penalty kick conversion made by Rose Barinan.

ALL SET FOR ABOITIZ CUP FOOTBALL

Courtesy of CEBU DAILY NEWSPAPER (www.inquirer.net)
July 12, 2006 Wednesday issue
By Jonas Panerio, Correspondent
Rick Gabuya, Sports Editor

22 events expected in 10th season of tournament

The Cebu Football Association (CFA) and the Aboitiz Group Foundation (AGFI) are raring to set the local football scene on fire as the 10th season of the prestigious Aboitiz Cup unfolds this Sunday at the San Roque football field.

With the World Cup fever still raging, the 10th season of the Aboitiz Cup promises to be bigger and better with 22 proposed events waiting on the list of the football calendar.

“This is a series of football tournaments that will cater to players, both young and old,” said CFA president Jonathan Maximo at the press launch on Tuesday at the AV room of the Aboitiz Corporate Center in Banilad.

Maximo was joined by Jackie Lotzof, Dave Sharpe, PILMICO president Antonio Moraza, Cebu International School superintendent Mark Bretherton and AGFI representative Sonny Carpio.

The Women's Open Cup kicks off the event, with five teams vying for the chance to represent Cebu in the PFF National Women's Open Tournament slated August in Dumaguete City.

Queen City United will start its title defense this weekend against sister team USC in the 1 p.m. opener followed by the Mulbachs FC-San Roque FC tiff at 3 p.m.

Much like last season, the Aboitiz Cup will have two types of tournaments.

The Cup type will still be played every weekend, while the Aboitiz Football Festival starts on September 23 at the Cebu City Sports Center.

A total of 110 teams are expected to compete in the festival, with teams competing in 13 different tournaments based on the players' respective age-groups.

The Cup type on the other hand, doubles as training grounds for Cebu’s future out-of-town delegations.

A total of 233 local teams, totaling 2,523 players, are expected to vie in the 22 events of the Aboitiz Cup, surpassing the 141 teams which took part in the 12 events last year.

Moraza emphasized the role sports play in the development of the youth.

“Sixty percent of the AGF's funds mainly go to the education of underprivileged children. Education, however, is not only academic. There can be no development without competition,” said Moraza. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio

BRIGHT PLAYS HIROSHI TODAY

Courtesy of SUN STAR DAILY NEWSPAPER (www.sunstar.com.ph)
February 14, 2006 Saturday issue
By Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

As the month of love begins, action heats up in the Red Ribbon Boys Under-16 tournament in San Roque, while four teams vie for the top spot in the final day of the Aboitiz Division B this weekend.

Today, Bright Academy debuts against the dangerous Hiroshi FC in the first Red Ribbon match at 12:30 p.m., before FC Inter Cebu goes for its first win against Blessed John XXIII Seminary in the next match.

Host San Roque FC goes for a win against the reeling Cebu Inmaculada Concepcion-Mandaue.

In its first game, CIC-M got buried, 7-0, by a rampaging Paref-Springdale, while Hiroshi also blanked Don Bosco Boys Home, 2-0, and Don Bosco Technological Center routed FC Inter Cebu, 7-0. Both Springdale and the two Don Bosco teams sit out today’s round.

In the Best Striker race, DBTC’s Francis Buot and Evanjames Mendoza lead the field with three goals a piece, while 10 others have one goal each.

Meanwhile, in the Aboitiz Division B tomorrow, FC Inter Cebu plays Cebu State College of Science and Technology in the first game before the top four teams in the group battle it out in the final two matches.

Hosts SRFC will face leaders Metropolitan FC, while Queen City United goes up against Wild Cebu Fashion. All four teams have a 4-1 mark and have 12 points and are only separated by goal difference.

San Roque needs a win today as it is fourth in the standings, with 22 goals scored, while Wild Cebu is third with 25 and Queen City second with 28. (ML)

LAST-MINUTE GOAL HANDS TITLE TO UC

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Monday, November 10, 2003 issue

by Patrick C. Costelo, Correspondent

SAVVY playing coach Glen Ramos showed his wards and his foes the heart of a champion when he took UC-Hapee to its third championship in four years with a last-minute slammer yesterday against Crazy Horse in the electrifying finals of the 7th Aboitiz Cup football Men’s division at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Meanwhile, another nail-biting match-up saw University of San Carlos nab third place from newcomer Philippine Air Force (PAF), 4-3, via penalty shootout.

Hapee, which came off a four-game win streak since the eliminations, had a tough time against the agile defense of its foreigner-laden rivals.

After a scoreless first half, the game soon turned intensely physical, which led to some verbal tiffs at the end of the match.

Both sides failed to convert on a few attempts but the seasoned UC-Hapee slowly took control of the final 45 minutes.

UC-Hapee which almost limited Crazy Horse to defense but after a few close shots, still remained scoreless as Crazy Horse had their center forwards marked.

With an extension looming, UC had its last- chance to execute its game plan, taking the last line of defenders mid-court.

Center-forward Redrick Viliran, one of Hapee’s four imports from Dumaguete, who earlier led the team in the semis over PAF, had the ball mid-court off a quick pass. Two defenders closed in on Viliran but Ramos, who manned the midfield was already ahead to receive the pass, and with one touch evaded the last defender and pulled the trigger for the win.

“We were finally able to complete our plan late in the game. We knew we had the chance when we gained more possessions in the second half,” said the 36-year-old Ramos, who was once the youngest starter in the RP Team at 17 back in 1984.

“I’d like to thank Hapee for its continuous support, UC, and our players from Dumaguete, Redrick, Marcos, Oliver and Greg.”

ABOITIZ CUP MEN'S FINALS TODAY

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Sunday, November 09, 2003 issue

by Patrick C. Costelo, Staff Writer

A RE-ENERGIZED University of Cebu-Hapee takes its second shot at the crown in two years today when it faces newcomer Crazy Horse in the championship match of the 7th Aboitiz Cup football Men’s division at the Cebu City Sports Center at 3 p.m.

In the battle for third, perennial semifinalist University of San Carlos and another newcomer, Philippine Air Force, collide at 1 p.m.

UC-Hapee, mentored by playing coach and former RP team booter Glen Ramos, has been raring to take the title after losing to the Kim Relucio-led University of San Jose-Recoletos last year.

After losing its first outing, UC swept the remainder of its games all the way to ripping PAF in the semifinals two weeks ago, 6-1. Striker Redrick Viliran broke the silence with a goal in the 19th and finished with two goals after slamming in a direct goal in the 40th.

Rookie Marco Larrazabal, on the other hand, continued to deliver after similarly finishing with two goals in that semis match-up.

UC-Hapee, like Crazy Horse, is also a new team filled with players straight out of high school including former M. Lhuillier Sports Development Foundation stalwarts Josephat Sacil, Carlos Bolo, Jack Reston and Arnie Pasinabo. The team, however, has had more time to jell compared to Crazy Horse.

But that may matter little against the talent-laden Crazy Horse made up mostly of young foreigners, who have gone through enormous odds to reap their championship slot in their first year in the league organized by the Cebu Football Association.